The Louisville skyline is pretty perfect; a mix of natural beauty and man-made wonders — and even some historic buildings straight out of Hogwarts! But there are some quirky aspects of the cityscape, too; places that might cause you to scratch your head in wonder. The largest baseball bat (and glove) in the world is located in Louisville, as is (despite being nowhere near the coast) a duo of lighthouses. Ever wonder about the huge lighthouses atop a pair of skyscrapers in Louisville, Kentucky? Here’s the story…

The Louisville skyline is iconic, its skyscrapers and lively downtown mirrored in the Ohio River in the most marvelous of ways.
Brent Moore/Flickr
A sum of its parts, the skyline is comprised of some truly magnificent, awe-inspiring man-made marvels, from 400 West Market (the tallest skyscraper in Derby City) to the equally superlative National City Tower and Waterfront Park Place.
Jayanta Debnath/Flickr
The Waterfront Plaza Towers sit 806 above sea level and are an inextricable part of the Louisville cityscape. But, what's that perched atop the towers? Those can't be... lighthouses?! In landlocked Kentucky?
Brent Moore/Flickr
Indeed they are. And there is a very logical explanation for this pair of lighthouses in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Brent Moore/Flickr

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The lighthouses are actually a homage to the beacon that sat atop the original Galt House Hotel before it burned down in 1865.
Angelskiss31/Flickr
The Galt House Hotel, designed by renowned architect Henry Whitestone, opened in April of 1869 following a devastating fire in 1865 that leveled the previous structure.
The Filson Historical Society/Facebook
As Louisville's only waterfront hotel, the Galt House's original beacon served as a directive for boat captains and airplane pilots, who used the lights to signal they were approaching the city.
Galt House Hotel/Facebook
Although technology has certainly improved in the last 150+ years, boat captains and airplane pilots still use the lights from the towers today in order to gauge their distance from the city.
Shannon Tompkins/Flickr
So, in a way, these Louisville lighthouses are yet another way of saying Welcome to Kentucky!

Did you know the story behind the Louisville lighthouses? Well, now you know!

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