Experience An Authentic Slice Of Old Kentucky At These Historic Sites In Louisville
By Sarah McCosham|Published March 29, 2022
×
Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Kentucky is a place that celebrates and honors its history, and no place shines brighter than Louisville. A city that’s become synonymous with some of Kentucky’s most legendaryicons, Derby City is a place with a fascinating history. And if you’re into the glitz and glam of the Gilded Age, you’ll be positively dazzled by this Bluegrass town. The glory of the Gilded Age shines bright at several historic sites in Louisville, offering a glimpse into this beguiling bygone era. For an authentic slice of Old Kentucky, take a day trip down to Louisville to visit these historic sites.
You don't have to build a time machine to step back in time here in Kentucky; you just have to wander the streets of Louisville.
All over the city, there are neighborhoods full of beautiful buildings and pristine palaces that glimmer as brightly today as they did over a hundred years ago.
This is Louisville's Union Station, dedicated in 1891. The total cost of the structure was $310,056, and at the time it was the largest station in the South.
Advertisement
Belgravia Court is perhaps the best-known "Old Louisville" neighborhood, featuring some truly inspired historic houses.
Belgravia Court, Belgravia Ct, Louisville, KY 40208, USA
At the center of town, Louisville City Hall is a vision; this historic building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Completed in 1873 to house the city government, the structure is located at 601 West Jefferson Street in the center of the city's civic district. It's a magnificent monolith that represents peak Gilded Age architecture.
Louisville City Hall, CITY OF LOUISVILLE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 215 S Mill St, Louisville, OH 44641, USA
The hotel opened in 1923 and has treated guests and visitors to a luxurious experience for nearly a century. Today, it remains one of the most legendary places to stay in the Bluegrass... and the South!
The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum never fails to impress. Surrounded by a beautiful courtyard neighborhood at the center of the largest collection of Victorian Homes in the country, this stunning home, known as "Conrad’s Castle," featured all the latest innovations of the day, including interior plumbing and electric lighting.
Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, 1402 St James Ct, Louisville, KY 40208, USA
The interior of this home is as awe-inspiring as the exterior. Known for its handsome woodwork and parquet floors, vaulted archways and elaborate stone designs, the home incorporated no less than seven types of hardwoods and intricate stained glass windows in the interior design, making it one of the most stunning homes in Old Louisville.
Today, the home has been lovingly and painstakingly restored to reflect the opulence of the Edwardian Age. The Conrad-Caldwell House operates as a museum and is available for rentals, too, making it a popular spot for weddings and other special events.
The past is all around us, and it is a thing of beauty. Take a stroll down one of these historic streets in Louisville, Kentucky, and prepare to be blown away!
