Louisville

Louisville, named for King Louis XVI of France in appreciation for his assistance during the Revolutionary War, was founded by George Rogers Clark in 1778. While its initial growth was slow, the advent of the steamboat in the early 1800s sparked booming industrial development, and by 1830 Louisville had secured its place as the largest city in Kentucky. 

Louisville became the 16th-largest city in the U.S. in January 2003, when the city of Louisville officially merged with Jefferson County. The difference is, Louisville now claims 693,000 residents rather than its former count of about 250,000.

Built in 1914, the Belle of Louisville is the oldest operating Mississippi-style sternwheeler steamboat in existence today.

The Louisville Slugger baseball bat was made by Andrew "Bud" Hillerich in his father's woodworking shop in Louisville in 1884. The brand name "Louisville Slugger" was first used in 1893.

There is the Kentucky Derby….the Louisville Orchestra…the Kentucky Center for the Arts…Actors Theatre…professional sporting events….and the Kentucky Kingdom Amusement Park-just some of the attractions that make life in Louisville adventurous and special.

See an Area Map of Louisville

See Our Favorite Louisville Links