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Category Archives: General Louisville
Louisville’s Oldest Pottery Business Discovered Near Slugger Field
Archaeological dig finds pottery business (via WHAS11 News)
Archaeologists recently uncovered Louisville’s oldest pottery business near the corner of Jackson and Main Streets where the old D & W Silks building was demolished for a proposed office tower. Researches found the business on a map of Louisville dating to 1831 and are recovering pottery fragments from a seven-foot-deep trench.
Lewis Pottery (sp?) opened in 1815 and is the oldest pottery shop in Louisville and one of the oldest in the country. Proprietor Jacob Lewis was run out of Louisville after going into debt which would have, at the time, landed him in jail. (Another famous debtor to be run out of Louisville in the early 19th century was John James Audubon.) Artifacts from the dig will later be on display at the University of Kentucky.
PrintHow Does A Heat Wave Affect Your Use Of Public Space?
So everyone can agree it’s been ridiculously hot this summer. In fact, June was a record-breaking month for temperatures.
The NY Times’ City Room recently discussed how the heat is counter-intuitively hurting business for ice cream trucks around New York. Drivers are reporting the streets to be largely deserted as people are seeking relief at swimming pools or staying indoors in air-conditioning.
Heat-induced deserted streets are an interesting phenomenon and can really change how we use the city. What have your observations been this summer during the heat wave? What are your own personal behaviors? Do you lock yourself in the air-conditioning or go out for a bike ride? What does it all mean for the street life of the cit? Discuss in the comments.
Also interesting: The Filson Historical Society just issued a series of postcards depicting scenes from its special collections of locals enjoying summers past in an age without air conditioning. (Hat tip to my old neighborhood blog EV Grieve for the video. )
Soil Summit 2010 Planned For August 14
Urban farming is really starting to take root. Check out the Soil Summit 2010 planned for August 14. It’s free but a $20 donation is suggested.
This also reminds me of an interesting segment I heard recently on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show featuring author and urban farmer Manny Howard. He was discussing his backyard farm (not too far from where I live in Brooklyn) and the challenges he experienced when trying to subsist only on what he grew for a month. He wrote a book about the experience called My Empire of Dirt.
One issue discussed was backyard soil contamination due to a variety of issues including lead-based house paint that found its way into the soil. It can potentially create a toxic backyard setting and require new soil to be brought in for farming. Anyway, here’s some info about the Soil Summit 2010:
“Get the dirt on your soil and learn about soil-related issues as you begin growing food in your yard and neighborhood. Recently named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, urban farming pioneer Will Allen of Growing Power will join the summit via video conference to present and answer questions along with Gary Heine of Louisville’s community gardening organization 15Thousand Farmers and a panel of experts.
“The 2010 Soil Summit will be held at the NIA Center on West Broadway on August 14 from 8:30AM – 1PM. Join us to learn simple, easy-to-understand steps you can take to understand your soil fertility and safety.”
Ideal City Conference Starts Tomorrow
The University of Louisville’s School of Urban & Public Affairs is hosting the Ideal City Conference beginning tomorrow, July 22 and running through the weekend – and you’re invited. Beginning each day at 8:30 AM, Professor John Gilderbloom has arranged for an international panel to tackle the challenges facing cities today and into the future.
While the conference isn’t free, if you mention Broken Sidewalk at registration, you can get a discounted rate of $99 for the entire conference (that’s down from $350!). The entire schedule is posted after the click, but some of the featured speakers include Bill Weyland, Steve Wiser, Tom Owen, and many other local and national notables.
The topics cover cities in general and many use Louisville as a prime example covering issues such as sustainability, equitable development, urban landscape and biodiversity, urban design, and many more. This sounds like an excellent opportunity to catch up with some leading urban thinkers to discuss the future of Louisville and the American city.
Video: Louisville In The 1920s And The Gene Snyder Courthouse
Check out this video describing the rise of Louisville in the 1920s. It was made in 2007 by the U.S. General Services Administration to detail the history of the Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House. Tom Owen provides much of the history of the city and there are some great historic photos of Louisville in its heyday.
The Courhouse, located on Broadway between Sixth and Seventh Streets, was designed to resemble the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. At the time, the heart of Louisville was pulling away from the Ohio River and was focused on Fourth Street and Broadway. Palatial theaters and 1920s skyscrapers helped to define the area.
By the late 1920s, plans for the new structure were thrown into jeopardy with the Great Depression and projects all over the city were placed on hold. Here’s a quote from the video:
“As the Depression ground on, it seemed Louisville’s prosperity had stalled. And with it, plans for a grand federal building to grace the splendid avenue at the heart of Downtown… But somehow, the dream survived. The building conceived in the best of times survived the worst.”
Plans for the building were drawn up by Treasury Department architects during the Depression and an entire block of “small brick homes and storefronts” were cleared for the monumental Courthouse. It cost $2.8 million to build the steel and concrete building sheathed in limestone.
Gene Snyder Courthouse in 1999 (via NRHP)
The grand opening in 1932 was significant for the city. Coming through the Depression, the new federal courthouse helped to show the resilience of Louisville and that times were going to get better.
As we all know, disaster soon struck in the winter of 1937 when the 3/4 mile Ohio River swelled to 12 miles wide, covering much of the city.
In 1938, a sixth floor was added to the Courthouse by literally raising the roof. The 2.5 million pound roof was severed from the building structure and slowly raised 11′-6″ with 600 jacks.
Of course, by the 1980s, even this monumental structure was showing signs of neglect and deterioration, but rather than replacing it, $22.7 million was appropriated by Congress for renovation work. When work was complete in 1986, the building was renamed the Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse & Customs House.
The structure was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 and has since won numerous awards.
What If The Gulf Oil Spill Was In Louisville?
Gulf Oil Spill compared to Louisville (via Google & Rademacher)
The massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has grown large enough to affect everyone, including Louisville, but how big is it exactly? There have been a lot of comparisons of the spill’s size, but 2,500 square miles is still a pretty abstract concept.
Up above is the oil spill as seen on May 6 overlayed on the Louisville region. You can see county lines lightly on the map and it’s apparent that the spill covers a huge part of the Louisville region stretching as far away as Cincinnati.
This disaster, of course, compels us to evaluate the role of oil in our lives and everything it affects from highways and driving to energy to petroleum-based products. Thoughts?
You can generate your own maps at Paul Rademacher’s spill utility. Hat tip Yglesias.
Students Show Their Love Of Beargrass Creek
The Kentucky Waterways Alliance recently announced the winners of their “Show Your Love for Beargrass Creek” video contest and students from the Bloom Elementary Media Club took first place. The students suggest some ways to keep the creek clean such as setting up a rain garden, cleaning up after pets, stopping litter at the neighborhood level, and getting involved in a cleanup. Be sure to check out the second and third place entries by the Jeff St. Baptist Sunday School Class and Joshua Jacob as well over at the KWA web site.
[ Click here if video doesn't load. Hat tip Ninth District Blog. ]
New Local Business Roundup
Hillbilly Tea (Photo via Twitter / @gotolouisville )
[ Editor's Note: Added another several new businesses to the list. Feel free to post new businesses you know of in the comments and I will eventually get them added. ]
Louisville entrepreneurs are always thinking up new ways to improve the city’s small business scene. Here’s a sampling of a few new businesses that have come across my radar recently. Know of another new business? Post it in the comments.
- Hillbilly Tea: Not sure of the details of this one, but it sounds like a great addition to Downtown at 120 South First Street. Twitter says they have desserts and its (not yet fully functional) web site bills itself as a “trendy tea cafe in the heart of Downtown” (they also have their own Twitter and here’s a menu). As part of their grand opening, you can get a free ice tea and cookies with a food purchase. Anyone been there yet?
- Hudson Home: Nulu now has a “green” home furnishings store located at 806 East Market Street selling new and vintage pieces. Business First recently ran a blurb about them and you can get more info at their web site.
- Papalino’s NY Pizzeria: It’s been open a little while, but this new pizza place at 949 Baxter Avenue looks pretty good. I’m always a fan of a pizza place that sells by the slice and is open late. Check out their web site for directions and a menu.
- Turtle Blossom: An organic foods market and juice bar is setting up shop next door to the Makery at 1570 Bardstown Road. Consuming Louisville broke the story and it looks like another win for Louisville. It’s the outgrowth of Turtle Blossom Produce, a food supplier to local restaurants and markets. Among their selection will be eggs from owner Brad’s Shelby County farm. Stay in touch via their Twitter.
- Acorn Apparel: A new vintage clothing store opened at 981 Barret Avenue just down from the Nitty Gritty. They carry clothes, accessories, and gear from the “Victorian era through 1980s vintage.” More info. can be found on their Facebook page.
- Hound Dog Press: Located at 309 East Market Street, this letterpress shop offers custom invitations, announcements, greeting cards, and stationary. They also create posters by hand using 19th century equipment to create a distinct look. They are celebrating their grand opening tomorrow at the Trolley Hop after a move from the Mellwood Arts Center.
- Oxenrose Home: A new design shop offering new and vintage furniture and accessories located at 623 Baxter Avenue. A quote from their web site says, “This ain’t your grandma’s furniture store, but that might be her old chair refinished in a glossy black.” Lighting and original artwork is also available.
- The Black Spring: Situated 3017 River Road just east of Zorn Avenue, this new bike and coffee shop specializes in used bikes and repair. They opened in 2009, but never held a grand opening. Besides bike sales and repair, you can purchase gear, wear, consignment, coffee, and other beverages. Check out their blog-style web site for more info.
- Vic’s Classic Bikes: Preston Street north of Eastern Parkway has a new vintage road bike destination. Located at 2016 South Preston Street, the bike shop features a constantly changing inventory of restored 1970s and 1980s bikes. Check their web site and their blog for more info.
There must be others, right? What did I miss?
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