Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the biggest city in the state of Kentucky. It is the sixth-biggest city in the Southeast and the 27th-biggest city in the United States. Louisville is also the 24th-largest city by land area in the country.

Since 2003, Louisville and Jefferson County have shared the same borders. This joined area is called the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, often just called Louisville Metro. The total population of this area was 782,969 at the 2020 census.

Louisville was named after King Louis XVI of France and was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark. It is one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachians. The city grew because of the nearby Falls of the Ohio, which was the only big obstacle to river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, Louisville is famous for many things. It is the home of boxer Muhammad Ali and hosts the Kentucky Derby. The city is also known for Kentucky Fried Chicken, the University of Louisville, and Louisville Slugger baseball bats. Major companies such as Humana, BrightSpring Health Services and Yum! Brands are based there. The city's main airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, is an important hub for UPS.

Pronunciation

People sometimes debate the best way to say the name "Louisville." There are three common ways to say it:

1. LOO-ə-vəl,
2. LOO-ee-vil, and
3. LUUV-əl.

All three ways are accepted. The Louisville Visitor Center says that LOO-iss-vil is not correct, even though that is how some smaller towns say their names.

Most people in Louisville say it LOO-ə-vəl and think it is the right way. The way LOO-ee-vil is closer to the French king the city is named after, but it is less common among local people. It is often used by people who are not from the area.

History

Main article: History of Louisville, Kentucky

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Louisville, Kentucky

For broader coverage of this topic, see History of Kentucky

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Kentucky

The history of Louisville goes back a long way and has been shaped by its geography and location near the Falls of the Ohio River.

Early history and founding

The Falls made river travel hard, so people settled at this portage spot. The first European settlement near today’s Louisville was on Corn Island in 1778 by Colonel George Rogers Clark, who is considered the founder of Louisville. Two years later, in 1780, Virginia officially recognized Louisville as a town. The city was named for King Louis XVI of France because his soldiers were helping Americans during their fight for independence. Early settlers lived in forts for safety but moved out by the late 1780s. In 1803, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark planned their big journey across America from a town just across the river in Indiana.

19th century

See also: Louisville in the American Civil War

The city grew because river boats had to stop and unload before reaching the falls. By 1828, Louisville’s population reached 7,000 and it became an official city.

Early Louisville was a busy port where many enslaved African Americans worked. The city was sometimes a place where people tried to escape to the north, since Indiana was a free state.

During the 1850s, Louisville was busy preparing and sending supplies for many military campaigns. Tensions rose between different groups, and on August 6, 1855, fights broke out on election day that caused damage. When the Civil War began in 1861, Louisville supported the Union and stayed with the United States. Skirmishes and battles happened nearby but the city itself was not attacked. After the war, some leaders from the South took control of the city’s politics.

The very first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17, 1875, at a track later named Churchill Downs. The race was started by Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., a descendant of William Clark from the famous expedition and of Louisville’s founder George Rogers Clark. Horse racing has long been popular in Kentucky. Ten thousand people watched when the first winner, Aristides, crossed the finish line.

On March 27, 1890, a big storm hit Louisville and caused damage in the downtown area. A group called Neighborhood House Louisville started in 1896 to help improve the community.

20th century

After the Civil War, freed slaves moved to a neighborhood called Little Africa near what is now Park DuValle. It was a busy community in the 1920s but changed a lot later on.

In 1914, Louisville made a rule about where people could live based on their race. The NAACP fought against this rule. Two cases challenged the rule, and in 1917 the U.S. Supreme Court decided it was unfair.

In 1917, Louisville became a place to train soldiers for World War I at Camp Zachary Taylor. Over 150,000 soldiers trained there before the war ended in 1921.

In 1929, Louisville built a dam in the Falls of the Ohio River. During the Great Depression, the city grew with new people moving in.

In January 1937, a lot of rain caused the Ohio River to flood much of the city. Water covered about 70% of Louisville, forcing many people to leave their homes. This event led to big changes in where people lived in the city for many years.

Louisville was important for making war planes during World War II. A factory there made many cargo planes. After the war, the factory made farm equipment instead.

Like many older cities, Louisville saw people and businesses moving out to the suburbs during the 1960s and 1970s. Newer roads made it easier to live farther away. Factories closed, and some areas of the city began to struggle economically.

In 1974, a big storm with tornadoes hit Louisville and destroyed many homes.

Since the 1980s, many neighborhoods in the city have been renewed and become popular places for younger people and students to live. Changes have happened most along Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue, Frankfort Avenue, and the Old Louisville area. More recent changes have taken place in the East Market District (NuLu).

21st century

Since the late 1990s, the Downtown area has grown with new homes, places to visit, and shops. Big sports places like KFC Yum! Center (2010), Louisville Slugger Field (2000), and Lynn Family Stadium (2020) were built. The riverfront was turned into Waterfront Park, and many museums opened. An old shopping place called the Galleria became an entertainment area named Fourth Street Live! in 2004.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville and Jefferson County cover an area of 397.68 square miles (1,030.0 km²), with 380.46 square miles (985.4 km²) being land and 17.23 square miles (44.6 km²) covered by water.

Louisville is next to the Ohio River and sits in north-central Kentucky near the Falls of the Ohio. It is part of the Upper South and has influences from both Southern and Midwestern culture. It lies in Kentucky’s outer Bluegrass region.

The land around Louisville has flat areas near the river and hills farther away. East of I-65, the land gently rises. The southern part of Jefferson County is in the scenic Knobs region, home to the Jefferson Memorial Forest.

The Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area, the 43rd largest in the United States, includes Jefferson County in Kentucky and twelve other counties in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. It is part of a larger area that also includes Elizabethtown, KY and Madison, IN.

Cityscape

Main article: Cityscape of Louisville, Kentucky

See also: Downtown Louisville; Neighborhoods in Louisville, Kentucky; List of parks in the Louisville metropolitan area; and List of tallest buildings in Louisville

The downtown business district is near the Ohio River. Major roads spread out from downtown. The airport is about 6.75 miles south of downtown. Industrial areas are south and west of the airport, while most residential areas are southwest, south, and east of downtown. In 2010, the KFC Yum! Center was completed.

Another business and industrial district is east of the city on Hurstbourne Parkway.

Louisville’s architecture mixes old and new styles. The Old Louisville neighborhood has many Victorian homes. Downtown has modern skyscrapers and older buildings, like the Southern National Bank. West Main Street has many cast iron buildings.

Louisville has three main parts: the West End, the South End, and the East End. The West End is west of 7th Street and north of Algonquin Parkway. The South End is a working-class area, while the East End is considered upper class.

Climate

Louisville has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), common in the Upper South. Spring starts in March, summer runs from May to September, and fall is from October to November. The city can have extreme weather, including occasional tornado outbreaks. Winter usually has rain, sleet, and snow. Louisville’s average annual snowfall is 12.7 inches (32 cm), and the average rainfall is 44.9 inches (1,140 mm).

The wettest times are spring and summer. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 34.9 °F (1.6 °C). July is the hottest, averaging 79.3 °F (26.3 °C). Because of the urban heat island effect, city areas can be warmer than the suburbs.

Demographics

Further information: History of the French in Louisville, History of Germans in Louisville, and History of the Irish in Louisville

Between 1970 and 2000, Louisville lost people each decade. As of the 2000 census, Louisville had a population of 256,231, down from the 1990 census population of 269,063. Because of the city-county merger that happened in 2003, which made the city larger, the city's population grew to 597,337 at the 2010 census count.

Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, with 17.1% of the state's total population as of 2010.

The 2007 demographic breakdown for the entire Louisville Metro area was 74.8% White (71.7% non-Hispanic), 22.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Hawaiian or Pacific islander, 1.4% other, and 1.6% multiracial. About 2.9% of the total population was identified as Hispanic of any race. During the same year, the area of premerger Louisville consisted 60.1% White, 35.2% African American, 1.9% Asian, 0.2% Native American, and 3.0% other, with 2.4% identified as Hispanic of any race.

Of the 287,012 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were not families. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution is 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.

The median income for a household in 2017 was $51,960. For non-family households the median income was $32,446, and for family households was $67,965. In 2017, males had a median income of $36,326 while females had a median income of $30,464. The latest available data for per capita income comes from 2006, and was $23,304 for the county. About 9.5% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line in 2017.

Additionally, around 60,000 Cuban Americans are said to live in the Louisville area, with Jefferson County ranking 12th nationally.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Louisville, Kentucky

See also: Religion in Kentucky

Louisville has many different religious groups, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and the Baháʼí Faith.

The 135,421 Roman Catholic people in Louisville are part of the Archdiocese of Louisville. The Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville is the main church of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey, the home of Catholic writer Thomas Merton, is in nearby Bardstown, Kentucky. Most of Louisville's Roman Catholic people have German roots.

Bellarmine University and Spalding University in Louisville are connected to the Roman Catholic Church.

One in three people in Louisville is Southern Baptist, belonging to one of 147 local groups.

German immigrants in the 19th century brought Lutheran and Evangelical faiths, which are today represented in Louisville.

The largest Methodist Church in Kentucky, Christ Church United Methodist, is in Louisville.

The city is home to several religious schools: the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville Bible College, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the main office of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a temple in suburban Crestwood.

The Jewish group of around 18,300 in the metro area is served by five synagogues.

Muslims in Louisville number around 10,000, both local people and immigrants who arrived in the early 1960s from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, and Turkey.

Since 1996, every May, the Festival of Faiths, a five-day national meeting, is held featuring music, poetry, film, art, and talks. The festival is organized by the Center for Interfaith Relations and is held at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Louisville first welcomed the Baháʼí Faith in 1920.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Louisville, Kentucky

See also: Greater Louisville Inc.; Keep Louisville Weird; and List of major employers in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville has many companies and groups in many industries. The city is important for moving goods because it is near the Falls of the Ohio and in the middle of the United States. This made it easy to send cargo to many places. The Louisville and Portland Canal and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad helped move things by water and train.

Today, Louisville is still a big place for shipping. The Worldport hub for UPS at Louisville International Airport helps move goods around the world. The city is also where three major highways meet, which helps ships and trucks move more easily. The Port of Louisville keeps the city busy for river shipping too. Since 2003, Louisville has been one of the largest inland ports in the United States.

Louisville is also known for making things. It has big factories for Ford Motor Company and GE Appliances. The city is famous for American whiskey, especially bourbon, with much of it coming from here. Brown-Forman, a big whiskey company, is based in Louisville. Other whiskey makers are nearby in Kentucky towns like Bardstown and Shively.

Louisville has a program called Code Louisville that teaches people basic computer skills.

Several well-known movies were filmed in or near Louisville.

Top employers

As of the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Louisville's top employers are:

Arts and culture

Annual festivals and other events

See also: List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area

Louisville has many fun yearly events. The most famous is the Kentucky Derby, held every first Saturday in May. Before the Derby, there is a two-week Kentucky Derby Festival. It starts with Thunder Over Louisville, a big fireworks display. The festival also includes events like the Pegasus Parade, The Great Steamboat Race, the Great Balloon Race, a combined marathon/mini marathon, and many other events.

In the summer, Louisville has many cultural events. The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, often called "Shakespeare in Central Park," happens every summer from May to August. It offers free Shakespeare plays in Central Park in Old Louisville.

Before it paused in 2023, the Forecastle Festival was held every Memorial Day weekend. It drew visitors to Louisville Waterfront Park to enjoy music, art, and activities. In 2024, it was replaced by the Gazebo Festival, featuring local artists.

Every August, the Kentucky State Fair takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. It shows culture from all over Kentucky. The African American community also celebrates Juneteenth.

The Jeffersontown neighborhood holds the yearly Gaslight Festival, with events over a week.

In October, the St. James Court Art Show happens in Old Louisville. Artists come to show and sell their work, and many people visit to see and buy art.

Every month, there is also the First Friday Hop.

Indie scene

A great place to see Louisville’s indie scene is Bardstown Road, a street in the Highlands. It has many shops and restaurants that show the city’s culture. People sometimes call Louisville “weird” because of places like this, using the slogan “Keep Louisville Weird.”

In downtown Louisville, the 21c Museum Hotel shows modern art in its public spaces.

Louisville has a lively indie music scene with bands like Love Jones, Tantric, Squirrel Bait, CABIN, Slint, My Morning Jacket, Houndmouth, Young Widows, and Wax Fang. Famous musicians from Louisville include singer-songwriter Will Oldham, and country/rock singer Tim Krekel. The rock/jazz band NRBQ started in Louisville. Popular singer Bryson Tiller and rapper Jack Harlow are from Louisville.

The local public radio station, 91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville, is supported partly by listeners and plays music from the area.

Museums, galleries and interpretive centers

See also: List of museums in the Louisville metropolitan area and List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area

In downtown Louisville, the West Main District is known as “Museum Row.” Here you can find the Frazier History Museum.

Close by is the Kentucky Science Center, Kentucky’s biggest hands-on science museum. It has interactive exhibits, IMAX films, educational programs, and technology networks. The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft is a nonprofit group. The Muhammad Ali Center opened in 2005 and shows items related to the famous boxer Muhammad Ali.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) opened its National Genealogical Research Library in 2010.

The Speed Art Museum opened in 1927 and is the oldest and biggest art museum in Kentucky. It was closed for three years but reopened in 2016 after big changes. It has many pieces of art and also hosts special exhibitions. Many art galleries are in the city, especially in the East Market District (NuLu), right next to downtown.

There are several museums about local history in the Louisville area. One of the biggest is The Filson Historical Society. The Filson’s collections focus on Kentucky, the Upper South, and the Ohio River Valley.

There are many important historical places in the area, such as the Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating Mississippi-style steamboat in the United States. Locust Grove was the home of Louisville’s founder, George Rogers Clark. Other important places include the Farmington Historic Plantation, home of the Speed family, Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing, and the restored Union Station, which opened in 1891.

Performing arts

Main article: Performing arts in Louisville, Kentucky

See also: Theater in Kentucky and List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area

The Kentucky Center, finished in 1983 and located in downtown’s hotel and entertainment area, has many plays and concerts. It is also home to the Louisville Ballet, Louisville Orchestra, Bourbon Baroque, Actors Theatre of Louisville, StageOne Family Theatre, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and the Kentucky Opera.

Actors Theatre of Louisville puts on many performances each year of different shows.

The Louisville Orchestra began in 1937 and today gives many concerts each year.

The Palace Theatre is a beautiful old theatre in downtown Louisville’s theatre area. It shows films and hosts concerts.

Iroquois Park has the Iroquois Amphitheater, which hosts many musical concerts in an outdoor setting.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Louisville, Kentucky

College sports are very popular in Louisville. The Louisville Cardinals joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014 and have stayed there.

College basketball is especially loved here. The team has had many full crowds and has won big prizes. They have also had high rankings for big games.

The city is also famous for horse racing, with Churchill Downs hosting the Kentucky Derby every year. This event is one of the biggest sporting occasions in the state.

Louisville has many professional and other sports teams, including baseball, soccer, and more. The city has a rich history in sports and has produced many famous athletes.

Parks and recreation

See also: List of parks in the Louisville metropolitan area and List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area

Louisville has many parks with lots of green space. Some were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York City's Central Park. The Louisville Waterfront Park is next to the Ohio River and has open spaces for free concerts and festivals. The Big Four Bridge is a bridge for walking and connects to a park in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It opened in 2014. Cherokee Park is very popular and has a long walking path.

Further away is the Jefferson Memorial Forest, a big forest with many hiking trails. The Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area is near Brandenburg, Kentucky and offers views of the Ohio River. You can also visit Cave Hill Cemetery, Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, the Louisville Zoo, and the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area.

A new project called the City of Parks is adding more trails and park land around Louisville, including areas along Floyds Fork.

Government

Main article: Government of Louisville, Kentucky

See also: List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky; Louisville Metro Council; and Government of Kentucky

In 2003, Louisville joined with Jefferson County, so they now share the same borders. Only one other city in Kentucky had done this before. Louisville Metro is led by a Metro Mayor and a group called the Metro Council. The current Metro Mayor is Craig Greenberg, who began his job in 2023.

Before joining the county, Louisville had special rules for safety, drinks, and money. The old city seal had symbols from history, but the new seal shows symbols for both the city and the county.

Education

Louisville, Kentucky has many schools for children and adults. The public schools are part of Jefferson County Public Schools. Dupont Manual High School is one of the best high schools in the country. There are also 27 Catholic schools and a special school for students who cannot see well.

The city has several colleges and universities, including the University of Louisville, Bellarmine University, and Spalding University. There are also schools for religion, like the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Many people in Louisville finish high school.

Louisville has a rich history with libraries. It was home to the first public library in the South for African Americans, which is now called the Louisville Free Public Library, Western Branch. This library was important for the community.

Media

Main article: Media in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville has a well-known newspaper called the Courier Journal. There is also an alternative paper called the Louisville Eccentric Observer, often called 'LEO'.

WAVE 3 was the first TV station in Kentucky and is part of NBC. Another important station is WHAS 11, part of ABC, which is famous for its yearly fundraiser called the WHAS Crusade for Children. Other TV stations in Louisville include WLKY 32, part of CBS, and WDRB 41, part of Fox, along with its sister station WBKI 58.

Popular radio stations in Louisville are WGZB-FM and 84 WHAS 840 AM. Louisville Public Media runs three radio stations that are part of National Public Radio: news and talk WFPL, classical WUOL-FM, and adult album alternative WFPK.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Louisville, Kentucky

See also: Roads in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville has inner and outer interstate beltways, I‑264 and I‑265. Interstates I‑64 and I‑65 pass through the city, and I-71 begins in Louisville. These highways meet near downtown, a place called "Spaghetti Junction". Three bridges carry traffic over the Ohio River, and a fourth automobile bridge is for local roads, bikes, and walking. East of downtown is the Big Four Bridge, a former railroad bridge now for pedestrians.

The Ohio River Bridges Project started in 2012 to build new bridges connecting Louisville to Indiana. One is the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, and the other is the Lewis and Clark Bridge. Both were finished in 2016.

Louisville's main airport is the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. It handles many passengers and cargo, especially for UPS, which has its biggest package hub there. There is also a smaller airport, Bowman Field, for private planes.

Public buses run by the Transit Authority of River City serve the city and nearby areas. Some buses in downtown are zero-emissions and called LouLift. A bus rapid transit system named Dixie Rapid started in 2020. Louisville used to be a big railroad center, but no longer has passenger train service.

Utilities

Electricity in Louisville is provided by Louisville Gas & Electric. Water comes from the Louisville Water Company, which serves over 800,000 people. The water mostly comes from the Ohio River, with treatment at two plants. In 2008, the company won an award for having the best-tasting drinking water in the country.

Public safety

The main law enforcement groups are the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Emergency medical help is given by Louisville Metro EMS.

Fire safety is handled by 16 different fire departments that work together. The main one is Louisville Fire & Rescue. The city of Shively also has its own fire department.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area

See also: List of University of Louisville people

Louisville, Kentucky, has been home to many famous people. These people have done important work in sports, entertainment, and other areas. They have helped shape the city's culture and history.

Firsts

Louisville has been the place for many important firsts in the United States. In 1883, it hosted a big exhibition with many light bulbs designed by inventor Thomas Edison. In 1905, the city opened the first free public library just for African Americans. Later, Louisville had medical advances, like the first human hand transplant in the U.S. in 1999 and the first self-contained artificial heart transplant in 2001.

Sister cities

Louisville has special relationships with cities around the world, called sister cities. These include:

• Adapazarı in Turkey
• Jiujiang in China
• Mainz in Germany
• Montpellier in France
• La Plata in Argentina
• Quito in Ecuador
• Tamale in Ghana

Louisville also had a sister city relationship with Perm in Russia, but this was paused in 2022. The city works closely with Chengdu in China and takes part in cultural exchanges.