Kentucky - Jefferson County

Iroquois Park, Louisville, KY

Donald Vish was a Louisville attorney and avid photographer.  He was known for his photographs of the Kentucky Derby.  He took many photographs in Olmsted parks and other parks in the Louisville parks system.  His views of the Louisville parks gave people a new perspective of the scenes of the Louisville parks.  The year 2023 was the last year of his life.  Now it is left to others to see the beauty of the Louisville area in a similar way. 

Kentucky - Jefferson County

The Winter Woods Spectacular

The Winter Woods Spectacular is a community walk event with a presentation of lights in a wooded area in Iroquois Park.  Funds gathered from the event benefit the Parks Alliance of  Louisville. 

Kentucky - Louisville

 

The fall foliage was vibrant in 2021. This solitary tree in Iroquois Park was one of the best trees of the brilliant fall. We realized the continuity; the trees and us.

 

  

The limestone formations

The bedrock of this area.  In a 1915 Kentucky Geological Survey publication, three formations were presented for the Louisville area.  The deep formation was described as the Saluda limestone. The name came from Saluda Creek near Hanover, Indiana. The formation overlying the Saluda formation was presented as the Brassfield formation.  The name came from the town of Brassfield, Kentucky. The uppermost of the formations was described as the Osgood formation. The name came from the town of Osgood, Indiana. The Louisville area has a firm foundation under the community. The foundation is based on three formations.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks - Cherokee

Frederick Law Olmsted  shared his vision for Cherokee Park in his 1891 report to the Park Comission.  Cherokee Park was to have sloping spaces along the flowing Beargrass Creek.  Some tree planting was done but the topography was largely unchanged. In the 1960s I-64 was built through the park. The surviving area of the park remains a place of beauty.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks - Iroquois

Eastern Redbud adds to the color in the Iroquois Park woods

 

Olmsted stated his vision for Iroquois Park in his 1891 report to the Park Commission. Olmsted said Iroquois provided “the grandeur of forest depths.”Iroquois Park was to provide the visitor with the experience of being surrounded by the forest. The central hill was to provide overlooks to view the surrounding land. Iroquois was and is unique in the park system.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks - Shawnee

Frederick Law Olmsted provided an 1891 report to the Park Commission.  In Olmsted’s vision for the Louisville parks the topography of the land would not require much change.  Shawnee would have terraces sloping to the shore of the river.  With large areas available, Shawnee would be the Louisville park for outdoor public meetings.  The corridor of the river was to be the attraction.  Picnic areas and flower gardens were to provide visitors with settings to match with the scenic river corridor.

Frederick Law Olmsted

Frederick Law Olmsted gave Louisville the plans for its parks and for parkways connecting major areas of the community. In addition the Olmsted firm was hired to lay out the grounds for some of the bourbon manufacturing sites.  Some landowners selected the Olmsted firm to design the fences and gates at their homes.

Major Redesign of a Building

Former Utility Building Reopened As Coffee Building

This former industrial building has been renovated. Now it is a neighborhood coffee shop. It is at Seventh and Ormsby in Louisville. There are members left from a jib crane and what appears to be a former monorail crane. The crane would not be necessary for a coffee shop. The curves in the brickwork would not be in the architecture of a building built today. It is not clear if the building supported gas or electric maintenance. There was an environmental cleanup to reopen the nearby building to become the Edison Center. Additional buildings are available nearby for renovation.

The Destruction of the George Garvin Brown Garden

George Garvin Brown Garden

This garden was located along Muhammad Ali Boulevard.  Close by was Martin Luther King Jr. Park at Chestnut Street.  Perhaps Muhammad Ali brought new light to some of Dr. King's message in Muhammad Ali's life.  In the last thirty years of his life  Muhammad Ali sought to solve problems of conflict on many stages.  The garden was to provide the message of making conflict less intense. This photograph was taken of the George Garvin Brown Garden with the trees decorated with snow.

The Center for Interfaith Relations created the garden in Louisville.  The symbols built in the garden communicated spirituality, tolerance and the faith traditions of many faiths. Moving water was central to the garden.  Two fountains symbolized themes of creation and reconciliation.  The walkways were granite arcs that symbolized the foundations of the sacredness in faith.  The completed garden earned design awards from the Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects.

The garden has been demolished.  All that is left of the garden is the few photographs that were taken of the garden.

One Olmsted Park - Fall 2016 - Louisville, Kentucky

Renovated North Overlook - Olmsted Park - Iroquois Park

Whitetail Deer - Renovated North Overlook - Olmsted Park - Iroquois Park

The community settled on a plan to repair the damaged and vandalized overlook in Iroquois Park at the top of Iroquois hill.  The work was organized by the Olmsted Parks Conservancy and has taken part of 2015 and most of 2016 to complete.   I was surprised at the number of trees that were removed from the hillside.  By removing the trees the work crews opened the overlook so that the people could see to the Ohio River on the west side of Louisville and see New Albany, Indiana.  It has been fifty to seventy years since the view has been so unobstructed at the overlook.  I wonder if Frederick Law Olmsted would be pleased with the new look of the overlook at Iroquois Park.

What I Saw - George Garvin Brown Garden

George Garvin Brown Garden

This photograph was taken of the George Garvin Brown Garden on Muhammad Ali Boulevard with the trees decorated with snow.

The Center for Interfaith Relations created the garden in Louisville.  The symbols built in the garden communicate spirituality, tolerance and the  faith traditions of many faiths. Moving water is central to the garden.  Two fountains symbolize themes of creation and reconciliation.  The walkways are granite arcs that symbolize the foundations of the sacredness in faith.  The completed garden has earned design awards from the Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects.

It is perhaps fitting that the garden is located along Muhammad Ali Boulevard.  Close by is Martin Luther King Jr. Park at Chestnut Street.  Perhaps Muhammad Ali carried some of Dr. King's message in life.  In the last thirty years of his life  Muhammad Ali sought to solve problems of conflict on many stages.  The garden continues on doing its work for making conflict less intense.

Ohio River Bridge - Big Four Bridge

The Big Four Railroad Bridge at night

The former Big Four railroad bridge has been renovated so that people may ascend to the bridge and walk over the Ohio River.  Lighting has been added to the bridge so that a rainbow of colors may be seen at night.  A controller can command the lights on the sides of the bridge to display a purple color or most any color.  The people in  community use the bridge to walk up to the bridge level and view the river from the bridge.  Ohio River bridges must meet a eighty foot height standard so that boats may pass under the bridge decks.  People sometimes walk down the ramps and buy ice cream from the neighborhood sellers in Jeffersonville.   All this walking and moving is good exercise.  Since the air quality in the area has improved doing strenuous outside activities is not as dangerous as it once was.

Flood Waters

Swift Water -Floyd's Fork

Flood water  - Floyd's Fork

During the week before Easter severe thunderstorms hit the Louisville area.  Flood waters caused extensive damage.  The power of the rushing water was heard for days. 

What I saw - Smoke Over Louisville




GE Appliance Park

This smoke from a fire at GE Appliance Park was visable around the city.

What I saw - Animal tracks

Two sets of animal tracks Iroquois Park - Louisville, KY

The covering of snow brings a new beauty. 

It may be hard to get a sense of scale in the picture.  The larger set of tracks is not from a human; the tracks are still smaller than human tracks.

Some authors speak of the ten thousand year old forest at Iroquois park.  No matter the age its beauty transcends the descriptions.

On the banks of the Ohio

Wharf - Belle of Louisville - Louisville, KY as seen from Southern Indiana

The American Society of Landscape Architects awarded a design award to Waterfront Park in Louisville, KY in 2001. The site must withstand the frequent wave action due to the wake from barges passing on the Ohio River. The complete site is in the 100 year flood plain and has been inundated multiple times. After each inundation the park must be cleaned before it can be opened to the community. Turnaround after inundation has gone well. The site is a popular location.  It is now a signature part of the city.



A little music

Historic Church - Saint James Court Area - Louisville, KY

You won't find many media links at Watersideplaces.  Opening the link takes you to a brief  view of these amazing young musicians. 
Louisville Leopard Percussionists Promotional Video

The Louisville Leopard Percussionists are  wonderful musicians.  One may find an audio of 'Sing Sing Sing' on the homepage at louisvilleleopardpercussionists dot com.

There is only one Louisville Leopard Percussionists; and they play in Kentucky.

City by the River

 

Iroquois Park, Louisville, Kentucky

 

This block of stone was taken from the project area during the renovation of the McAlpine dam at the Ohio River.  Today it may be appreciated at the Iroquois Olmsted park. Louisville has ties to the Ohio River in many places. The Big Four Bridge connects the Louisville waterfront with a historic neighborhood in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Walkers are rewarded with the views of the moving river and  the skyline.   At one time local Jeffersonville citizens could take the train over the Big Four Bridge to visit in Louisville. Now people can walk or bike and enjoy a similar journey.

 

A place of quietude is a place of coming home.  Communities are becoming places that are blends of cultures.  Understanding is built on the line of cultures that preceded the understanding.  Home could be the place you were born or the place where you are yourself in harmony with your surroundings.

 

What do you care about deeply? 

 

In stillness is the redemption of the self.

 

 

Big Tree

Big Tree, Summit, Iroquois,  Olmsted Parks and Parkways

In 1891 Frederick Law Olmsted collaborated with the City of Louisville to establish the city park system.  Eighteen city parks and six parkways were created.  A rail transportation system brought passengers out to the Iroquois Park using one of the parkways.  This tree has a branch that exceeds many of the park's tree trunks.  The size you see is the size of the branch; it's diameter exceeds two feet.  The rope has been added to make climbing to the branch easier. 

The landscape of Iroquois Park continues although we take it's presence for granted.

In print advertisements there is a simple statement about Louisville: It's possible here.