River Walk-Louisville Ky

The Great Flood of 1937

Rising waters, soaring spirits
An excellent account of the 1937 flood

For generations of Louisvillians, the 1937 flood was much more than a historical event. It was a watershed. And hundreds, maybe thousands, grew up on the stories of good humor, courage and endurance [...]

George Rogers Clark

George Rogers Clark born on November 19, 1752 and later was a soldier from Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. He was the leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war, Clark is best-known for his capture of Kaskaskia and Vincennes which greatly weakened British hold in the Northwest Territory and the [...]

Louisville and Portland Canal

In 1830 the Louisville and Portland Canal opened for business. Until then the only way down the Ohio River was through the Falls of the Ohio. These were a series of rapids that had to navigated by experienced river men. During the course of the rapids the river dropped 26 feet and was a [...]

Shippingport, Kentucky

Shippingport, Kentucky was given to John Campbell in 1785 for his service in the French and Indian War. At that time it became known as Campbell Town. It was sold in 1803 and renamed Shippingport.
The population grew from 98 to over 500 and at one time challenged the 4th Street Wharf in downtown Louisville. [...]

Kentucky and Indiana Railroad Bridge

Construction on the bridge began in August 1910 and was completed in November 1912.It cost over $2 million dollars. It was one of the heaviest and largest plain truss bridges on earth.

(In this vintage postcard you can see the K&I Bridge)
It was primarily designed to carry railroad traffic and is is 70 feet wide
It has [...]

Vintage Postcard Views of Louisville KY

Vintage Postcard Views of the Ohio River

The River Captain

 
 
 
 
THE RIVER CAPTAIN
Author Unknown
As for legends along our waterways
Here is one that still persists
The Ohio has a riverman
Long dead who can’t resist
watching as the boats go by
up and down the river
“Beneath the knobs in Indiana
Where the sunset splendors wane
Stares a captain through the porthole
Of his grave say rivermen
Watching as the boats go by
Up and down [...]

Fontaine Ferry Amusement Park

Fontaine Ferry Park

. Aaron Fontaine bought the site where the amusement park would stand from William Lytle in 1814. At that time the property was called Carter’s ferry which later was named Fontaine Ferry. Here stood a house that faced the Ohio River and a landing for boats.It was located at 230 Southwestern Parkway, Louisville [...]

“Big”Jim Porter- The Kentucky Giant

“Big” Jim Porter

The Kentucky Giant
This to my knowledge is the only image of Jim Porter . The image has been used for various promotional items- it is actually a drawing that he posed for during his life time.

7 Feet 8 Inches Tall
An Inch Shorter Than He Claimed

Jim was very small and sickly as a [...]

1937 Flood Stories

Catherine Warer, interviewed by neighbor Georgia M. Denk- 2400 Block of Slevin Avenue
On Sunday, the police came to the house and made us leave. They took us to the tobacco factory at 24th and Main Street. People with dogs had to go to the fifth floor.
There was no heat, no place to wash up, and [...]