Made a visit to my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and nearby Southern Indiana during the week of April 4. A very interesting town and a neat mix (like Richmond, VA) of old and new. I have posted many photos on my Photo site as well to check out, but seen here at left and along the bottom are five photos (five from Southern Indiana will be in my next post). At direct left is the H+B factory, the home of the famous Louisville Slugger. They have been making baseball bats virtually since baseball has been played. The giant bat outside the factory is actually made of metal, but don't think there is one bigger anyplace. Nice museum inside there!
Photo at left is The Belvedere. It has a good view of the river, but going to save that for my Indiana section. Statue is of General George Rogers Clark who is considered the founder of Louisville. Some of the big buildings of the city can be seen in the background. Like Richmond, VA the Ohio River is a big part of the city and a great focus of many fine activities. The big airshow and fireworks display "Thunder Over Louisville" will pack close to a million people on the river later this month but it is just one of many events held in Louisville. Derby Week (which is actually longer) is the big local event, it is worth checking out. A number of events are held around the Kentucky Derby.
Building at right is the KFC Yum Center, the new arena which is the home to the Louisville Cardinals. Louisville is a big hotbed (along with the University of Kentucky in nearby Lexington, KY) of college basketball. The arena replaces long used Freedom Hall and is one massive place. I did get a photo directly inside, but was not allowed to see the arena floor itself. It is right downtown and just off the "Second Street Bridge" (or as it is also known the "George Rogers Clark" bridge. Charlotte built a new arena for the NBA Bobcats, but this one is one massive undertaking. Wish they had the same luck building new bridges, the project to build two one ones remains stalled.
I liked this photo with the clouds reflecting. Its a bank building, and again one of the newer ones in the city (though a few years old now. Louisville is a real mix of the old and new and has some amazing places to see around town. Some of the more unique new buildings include the Humana Building (part of which can be seen at the far left in this photo) and quite a few museums downtown. I went to one while I was there, the Louisville Science Center to see the Star Trek Exhibition, quite a few original items from the tv series (all of them) and the movies based on the show. It was a really neat display. A great many people live and work in the downtown area. Sports is a big part, they also have a very nice and new ballpark for the AAA baseball team, and there is also Cardinal Stadium out near the sprawling University of Louisville campus for the football team which was built a few years ago and not long ago expanded. Louisville is a really good sports town, though geared more toward minor leagues and especially college sports. Always something to see and do there.
Along with the new is the old, this is a look at the old buildings along Main Street in Louisville. Love to see these old places, nice to have lived in cities which have a real since of history, and a desire to preserve it. Many of the old buildings are reworked and are the home to businesses as well as people. Richmond is also good at keeping the past, but Charlotte is more of the mindset of "lets tear that down and build a new thing there" sort of pattern. In that regard Louisville shares a lot with that other river town which is the capital of Virginia. I believe (by a narrow margin that Louisville is still the largest city in the State of Kentucky, it is for sure my favorite in the state.
Made a visit to my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and nearby Southern Indiana during the week of April 4. A very interesting town and a neat mix (like Richmond, VA) of old and new. I have posted many photos on my Photo site as well to check out, but seen here at left and along the bottom are five photos (five from Southern Indiana will be in my next post). At direct left is the H+B factory, the home of the famous Louisville Slugger. They have been making baseball bats virtually since baseball has been played. The giant bat outside the factory is actually made of metal, but don't think there is one bigger anyplace. Nice museum inside there!
Photo at left is The Belvedere. It has a good view of the river, but going to save that for my Indiana section. Statue is of General George Rogers Clark who is considered the founder of Louisville. Some of the big buildings of the city can be seen in the background. Like Richmond, VA the Ohio River is a big part of the city and a great focus of many fine activities. The big airshow and fireworks display "Thunder Over Louisville" will pack close to a million people on the river later this month but it is just one of many events held in Louisville. Derby Week (which is actually longer) is the big local event, it is worth checking out. A number of events are held around the Kentucky Derby.
Building at right is the KFC Yum Center, the new arena which is the home to the Louisville Cardinals. Louisville is a big hotbed (along with the University of Kentucky in nearby Lexington, KY) of college basketball. The arena replaces long used Freedom Hall and is one massive place. I did get a photo directly inside, but was not allowed to see the arena floor itself. It is right downtown and just off the "Second Street Bridge" (or as it is also known the "George Rogers Clark" bridge. Charlotte built a new arena for the NBA Bobcats, but this one is one massive undertaking. Wish they had the same luck building new bridges, the project to build two one ones remains stalled. 
I liked this photo with the clouds reflecting. Its a bank building, and again one of the newer ones in the city (though a few years old now. Louisville is a real mix of the old and new and has some amazing places to see around town. Some of the more unique new buildings include the Humana Building (part of which can be seen at the far left in this photo) and quite a few museums downtown. I went to one while I was there, the Louisville Science Center to see the Star Trek Exhibition, quite a few original items from the tv series (all of them) and the movies based on the show. It was a really neat display. A great many people live and work in the downtown area. Sports is a big part, they also have a very nice and new ballpark for the AAA baseball team, and there is also Cardinal Stadium out near the sprawling University of Louisville campus for the football team which was built a few years ago and not long ago expanded. Louisville is a really good sports town, though geared more toward minor leagues and especially college sports. Always something to see and do there. 
Along with the new is the old, this is a look at the old buildings along Main Street in Louisville. Love to see these old places, nice to have lived in cities which have a real since of history, and a desire to preserve it. Many of the old buildings are reworked and are the home to businesses as well as people. Richmond is also good at keeping the past, but Charlotte is more of the mindset of "lets tear that down and build a new thing there" sort of pattern. In that regard Louisville shares a lot with that other river town which is the capital of Virginia. I believe (by a narrow margin that Louisville is still the largest city in the State of Kentucky, it is for sure my favorite in the state.
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