Cities & Towns

Profile of the Old Louisville Neighborhood

Getting to Know the Old Louisville Neighborhood

From Jessica Elliott, former About.com Guide

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The Old Louisville neighborhood is home to the third largest historic preservation district in the United States and the largest of such featuring solely Victorian homes. Though the neighborhood once saw a fierce decline in care and interest, its recent gentrification has made it one of the most desirable places to live in Louisville, especially among college students and young professionals.

Old Louisville History

By the late 1800s, Old Louisville had become the most popular district among the wealthy who were building Victorian-style mansions all along the neighborhood’s streets. Eventually, however, the mansions were abandoned because of the high number of servants that were required in order to maintain them. In the early 1900s, many of the mansions were transformed into boarding houses, and more were converted into apartments during World War II. Today, most of the Victorian homes that line Old Louisville’s streets are still kept as apartments, appealing to the high number of college students in the area.

Old Louisville Boundaries

The Old Louisville neighborhood encompasses 48 blocks located south of Kentucky Street, north of Avery Street, west of I-65, and east of the CSX railroad tracks.

Old Louisville Demographics

Old Louisville has the lowest median age and average annual income per household of any Louisville neighborhood. This is primarily a result of the large number of college students in the area--Old Louisville is just north of the University of Louisville and just south of Spalding University. Old Louisville is also a very crowded district due to its high number of apartments and low number of single-family homes; the area houses more than 10,000 residents per square mile in the best-preserved areas.

Real Estate and Apartments

Top Old Louisville Restaurants

Old Louisville is better known for amazing Victorian architecture than it is for great dining, but there are a few Old Louisville restaurants that are worth a trip to the neighborhood for something other than house gazing and Shakespeare in the Park.

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Nightlife

Due to its large college population, Old Louisville's nightlife scene is one of the most prominent in Louisville. Some of Old Louisville's most popular bars include:

The Rudyard Kipling - One of the most popular hangouts among the city's artistic individuals.
Magnolia Bar and Grill - A hole-in-the-wall type establishment that is popular among college students.
Granville Inn Bar and Grill - A major nighttime hangout among students of the University of Louisville.

Attractions

Photo Courtesy of Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau

Old Louisville is home to some of the most popular festivals and attractions in Louisville:

Architecture - Old Louisville is home to the third largest historic preservation district in the U.S.
St. James Court Art Show - One of Louisville's largest festivals where nearly 1000 artists gather in St. James Court to sell and display their pieces.
Kentucky Shakespeare Festival - A showcase of Shakespeare's plays in Central Park held annually in July.
The Filson Historical Society - A historic preservation museum that collects historical manuscripts, photographs, art, and artifacts that are relevant to the area.

Schools

Old Louisville is home to one of the best high schools in the nation as well as many other well-known schools. Some of the most popular are:

DuPont Manual High School - Local high school that is consistently ranked among the top high schools in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
Presentation Academy - One of the oldest, all-female Catholic high schools in the state.
Spalding University - One of Louisville's two major four-year Catholic universities.
University of Louisville - The University of Louisville offers Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral degree programs and is possibly best known for its research department and athletics.