“In the room where it happens” is a popular phrase from the award-winning play “Hamilton”. This phrase references being in a location where history is made. This is what the Louisville Historical League is all about – going to the places in the metro region where notable history happened.
Founded in 1972 by historians Reverend Clyde Crews and Allan Steinberg, the League has held events at hundreds of locations around Jefferson County and southern Indiana. The very first event was a bicycle ride along Fourth Street, from Central Park in Old Louisville to the Ohio River wharf. Along the way, the participants saw firsthand how the city developed and changed. This is the best way to fully understand how history happened.
Members of the League have visited every public historic house, including Locust Grove, Farmington, Gardencourt, Conrad Caldwell, Nunnlea, and Whitehall. Members have also toured most neighborhoods, from Butchertown and Clifton to Germantown, to Anchorage and New Albany. At most of the programs, there are fascinating speakers like local historian Tom Owen, Civil War historian Bryan Bush, and African American historian Martina Kunnecke.
While the League has about nine monthly programs a year, it also assists with preservation efforts. Several important actions have included saving Whiskey Row, Colonial Gardens and Louisville Male High School from demolition, as well as the Olmsted-designed Shelby Park. Old St. Paul on Broadway at Brook and the Ouerbacker House on Jefferson at 17th Street would most likely have been razed if it weren’t for the League’s initiatives. Over 20 properties have been saved from demolition and repurposed, in part due to the League’s preservation advocacy.
The League’s mission statement is: “Dedicated to promoting the appreciation and preservation of Metro Louisville’s cultural heritage and historic environment.” There are several hundred members and a board of directors comprised of local historians who direct the organization’s functions. The League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no paid staff. All of the League’s events are coordinated by volunteers who are passionate about Louisville history. Board meetings and some events are held at the historic Peterson Dumesnil House in Crescent Hill.
One question most often asked is how the League differs from the Filson Historical Society, which is based in Old Louisville. The simple answer is that the Filson focuses on the entire state of Kentucky and the Ohio Valley region, whereas the League concentrates only on this local area. The Filson also has a paid staff and the majority of its programs are held at its headquarters. The League is all volunteer-based and its programs are almost never in the same location.
The League, or LHL as it’s usually referenced, also recognizes significant efforts in history and preservation during the Annual Awards program. Individuals and organizations are acknowledged for their advocacy in saving important buildings or historical research. LHL’s Founders Award is bestowed on a person who has made career achievements in local history or preservation. Founders Award recipients have included urbanist Gill Holland, preservationist Bill Weyland, African American historian Martina Kunnecke, and Kentucky Derby/Churchill Downs historian John Asher. LHL’s Neighborhood Advocate award is named for Martha Elson, who was a longtime Courier-Journal reporter who wrote on neighborhood developments. Recent recipients include Steve Magre of Germantown and Cynthia Johnson, former director of the city’s Landmarks Commission.
Another important award is the Branden Klayko Civic Advocacy Award. Klayko was a passionate, dedicated Louisville champion of local history and preservation, and an LHL board member. His Broken Sidewalk blog was, and still is, a tremendous resource of urban development information. Sadly, Klayko passed away in 2017 at too young an age. Thus, LHL memorializes his legacy with this award. Stefanie Buzan of the Kenwood Hill district and University of Louisville Professor John Hans Gilderbloom are several recent recipients of this award.
LHL recognizes local history books with the Sam Thomas Book Award. Thomas was a distinguished Louisville historian who wrote over 20 local history books such as “The Architectural History of Louisville, 1778 to 1900”, “Cresent Hill”, “Oxmoor” and “George Rogers Clark”, among many other important works.
One very popular program the League holds each year is the Jason Fenwick Lecture. Since 2003, this lecture has honored the memory of Jason Fenwick, who was on the staff of the Kentucky Heritage Council in Frankfort. He was a devoted preservationist and beloved by all who interacted with him on restoration projects. Recent Fenwick lecturers were John David Myles, who lives in Shelbyville and is the author of several remarkable history books; Tim Tomes, archivist for the Louisville Catholic Archdiocese; and Winfrey Blackborn and R. Scott Gill for their books “Gideon Shryock”, “Country Estates of Louisville” and “Kentucky Houses of Stratton Hammon.”
There are Heritage Awards for various preservation and heritage projects. Recent awards were provided to Simmons University, Jeffersonville’s Fire Museum, the Masonic Lodge renovation in Jeffersonville, the Oldham County History Center, and the Bingham family for facilitating the Courier-Journal photo archives to the UofL photo archive Center.
As in past years, the League has many exciting history programs planned for 2025, including a walking tour of the Falls of the Ohio by historian Kenny Karen, a program on the upcoming 200th anniversary of the visit to Louisville by the Marquis de Lafayette, a presentation on African American history by Martina Kunnecke, and the annual, very popular Pub History & Spirits tour, which will feature taverns in the Clifton neighborhood.
With all these informative and fascinating events, you may be wondering how much it costs to join the League. In 2025, there will be no membership dues. Donations will be welcomed at these events. To join, simply email the League at louhist@hotmail.com and your name will be added to the email list.
Steve Wiser, FAIA, is a local architect, author and historian, and president of the Louisville Historical League.
