History of Louisville, KY
Initially the state of Kentucky was a part of the colony of Virginia. In 1775, shots were fired and this led to the state fighting for their statehood and then in 1780 Thomas Jefferson signed for the city of Louisville. Louisville offers charm and a sense of history. River boats were the factor that caused the city to see growth. This city was a major port for shipping and there were slaves that used to work in various trades. When slaves tried escaping, this city was often a hideaway location. A City Full of Charm and History Louisville is home of several landmarks and other historical properties. This city also was home to several notable residents that included: - Muhammad Ali - Diane Sawyer - Sue Grafton - Tom Cruise - Attorney General James Speed - Hunter S. Thompson and more Notable Properties and Landmarks Louisville as become a residing place for several things such as the Mississippi steamboat which still operates to this day. This also happens to be the oldest steamboat that operates in the US. Additionally, the Belle moored the Downtown wharf which was opposite to the Riverfront Plaza. This was and still does operate and began in 1914 by transporting passengers as well as cargo. It also helped with war effort by pushing barges of oil along the Ohio River. The Marine Hospital is another notable property in Louisville. This happens to be one the most antebellum hospitals found in the country these days and was designed and built in 1845. Robert Mills designed this hospital as well as the Washington Monument. This hospital served as a hospital for Marines as well as sailors on the lakes and rivers. In 1899, the hospital received a makeover and in addition, it was strong enough to withstand 2 tornadoes. TO this day, there is a memorial of one of these tornadoes that hit in 1890. It can be found in downtown area on Main Street. The Civil War Louisville became a stronghold for some of the Union forces during the years of the Civil War. This helped to keep Louisville as a part of the Union. This city also became the primary place for supplies, recruiting, transportation, and planning for a number of campaigns and this was especially true in the Western Theater. By the time the war ended, Louisville was not attacked however there were battles and skirmishes such as the battles of Perryville and also Corydon that happened close by. In the year 1890, the city had been destroyed as a F4 tornado came through and wiped everything out. There was an average of 74-120 people that lost their lives then. There was an estimated rainfall in 1937 that estimated at 19 inches and this was a result of the Great Flood. This led to about 70% of the town being under water and 175,000 people were told to leave. To this day, there are several flood walls that help keep the city protected.
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