The Old Louisville Journal

A Monthly Summary of News and Events in Old Louisville
Published by OLIC, Inc., a 501(c)(3) Corporation     

  Volume 27, Issue 11

November 2005    

Mark Your Calendars!
Holiday House Tour 2005
December 3 and 4

As the leaves fall from the trees and the weather turns even cooler, select residents in Old Louisville begin furiously sprucing up their homes and start pulling out the holiday decorations. That can only mean one thing—the Holiday House Tour is just around the corner! This Old Louisville tradition is alive and well in 2005 and plans are underway for a glorious weekend.
The homes featured on the Old Louisville Holiday House Tour this year will be decked out in the holiday finery for all to see. The 2005 version of the tour is primarily situated along the 1st and 2nd Street corridors with some asides to the St. James Court area. As has been the tradition, van transportation from house to house will be available as well as free parking. With any luck, the weather will cooperate and it will be a wonderful time to stroll the sidewalks of our historic neighborhood.
The tour is headquartered at the Conrad-Caldwell House and that site will include a Hospitality Room for volunteers and the traditional Holiday Gift Boutique for all featuring many arts and crafts from local and regional artisans.
The tours hours are from noon to 6 p.m. each day. This year’s ticket prices are $20 if purchased before the tour weekend and $25 the day of the tour. Tour information and tickets are available by calling the Old Louisville Information Center at (502) 635-5244. Tickets are also available online at http://www.oldlouisville.org/.
A special thanks is extended to all the House Tour Committee members who have labored long hours to make the 2005 tour a success. Thanks also to our many sponsors, especially Semonin Realtor Don Driskell, who contribute so much to support our efforts.
Each home on the tour is staffed with volunteers who both inform and assist the tourists. Each home requires many volunteers and we are issuing the call for help. Interested in volunteering? We need you! Call Pat Trousdale at (502) 363-4737.
We look forward to seeing everyone on that first weekend in December!

Heritage Tourism:
Lessons From the Past – Opportunities for the Future
Indiana University Southeast School of Business and Southern Indiana Minority Enterprise Initiative, Inc. present “Heritage Tourism: Lessons From the Past – Opportunities for the Future.” Tourism is an increasingly important part of the economy in both Indiana and Kentucky. In many locations exploring the heritage of the past has been an important theme around which tourist attractions have developed. Locust Grove in Louisville is but one example of a regional tourism site that has developed from the area’s rich cultural heritage. Many more historical sites could be developed in our community to connect people today with generations past. The sites can also become economically important because they can attract the much sought after tourist dollars.
African American settlements developed in the Ohio Valley before the Civil War. From Greenbrier in Jefferson County (IN) in the east to Roundtree in Gibson County (IN) in the west, rural black communities came into being both as a terminus for the “Underground Railroad” and as part of the westward migration of the developing country. The history of these communities is a rich part of the cultural thread of the Ohio Valley. African American heritage tourism presents economic and cultural opportunities for entrepreneurs with the vision to pull the several parts together.
The program brings together Old Louisville resident, Gary Kleier, who addresses the economic potential of developing heritage tourism. Historians Xenia Cord and Dr. Jayne Beilke explore the rich history of the early African American settlements in Indiana. Gregory Sekula and Dona Stokes-Lucas discuss ways communities have capitalized upon their heritage to create a commercial success. The program includes a Networking luncheon at IUS and concludes with dessert at Division Street School in New Albany, which is the site of one of the first African American schools in the community.
The program will be held on Friday, November 4, 2005 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Indiana University Southeast – Ogle Center – Recital Hall 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany, IN 47150

“Voices from the Past and Present”

Due to an editing error, we neglected to include contact information for “Voices from the Past and Present” in our last issue. Our apologies! Read on for more information.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience a brush with literary history? Charles Dickens . . . what if you could meet him? Though he has long left the cobble-stoned streets of England, his words will once again come alive through the voice of his great-great grandson Gerald Charles Dickens. The Old Louisville Information Center and the Cultural Development Foundation have come together to present Louisville’s historic premiere event, “A Christmas Carol.”
In this unique presentation, Gerald Charles Dickens uses 26 different voices, one for each of the characters in this beloved classic, “A Christmas Carol,” published in 1843. His performances are frequently interactive, involving members of the audience. It will be presented much in the same manner that his great-great grandfather would have presented this timeless story to his own family during the holiday season.
Mr. Dickens will give two performances of this holiday classic on Friday, December 2, at The Brown Hotel in the Crystal Ballroom. This will be a limited seating performance and will include a musical prelude. The High Tea Performance is $45. The Evening Performance is at 7 p.m. and includes an elegant four-course dinner. The cost for this performance is $85.
For additional information, please visit www.dickensfestival.org or call Jo Ann Lockhart at 636-1751.

 

From Central Park West Neighborhood Association

If you read the article in the Metro section entitled, “No more free parking for Old Louisville residents” you got the opinions of the Cochran School representative. As members of a hardworking volunteer group, we felt insulted by the portrayal of our association as “profit” mongering and in some way at fault for there being no resident parking available this year. The reality of the article is that it was just poor journalism but the printed word is powerful and we want to set the record straight with our neighbors.
Central Park West Association took over the parking for Cochran Elementary at the request of the St. James Art Show staff and with the agreement of the administration at Cochran Elementary. In doing so, we
* provided income for Cochran Elementary as a fundraiser through an annual contribution to the school when the school could not continue to monitor the parking due to a lack of volunteers.
* earned money for our neighborhood association to improve the neighborhood’s infrastructure.
* provided up to 60 volunteers working up to 12 shifts over the art show weekends to staff the lot.
* provided free parking for vendors, residents, volunteers and sponsors for St. James and Belgravia which decreased the amount of potential money we could earn.
Many members of our association were upset by the uninformed quote from the school manager, Allen Markja. According to the Courier Journal, he said, “The people who ran it before made a ton of money, the only difference is that it didn’t go to the school, which is where it belongs. Now it will.”
To set the record straight, our neighborhood association did earn funds from our hard work and faithful completion of our contract with St. James Art Show for running the parking venue at Cochran Elementary, but it was never “a ton of money.” We gave a percentage of the money earned after expenses for barricades, signage, etc. to St. James Art Show to give to Cochran Elementary each year. As reported in a published correction on October 5th to the original story it printed, the Courier Journal said Cochran Elementary received $2,000 annually. The funds we earned for our non-profit organization have been used to do physical improvements in our neighborhood such as sidewalk replacement and planting beds. No one person or group of persons have “profited” from this activity. Parking for the St. James Court Art Show at Cochran Elementary was Central Park West’s only fundraiser. It may now be difficult for us to get people to contribute to future fundraisers since we will be viewed as the organization that “cheated” Cochran Elementary. In relating this information and our rebuttal we hope that all of our neighbors will get the whole story not just Courier Journal version of the story.
Jed Johnson
Recorder
Central Park West Neighborhood Association

Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Your recent article about Shakespeare in the Park’s funding issues prompted me to share a bit of my cultural heritage. Chutzpah or chutzpa: (hut-spa), noun, Yiddish, defined by example: 1) the person who shoots both his parents then throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan; 2) Shakespeare in the Park raising money from “artist” booths during the St. James Art Show in direct competition with the major fund-raiser for five neighborhood associations and a church; misleading the public into thinking they are part of the St. James Show; occupying space that previously had been leased to the associations to provide parking for participating artists; taking advantage of extensive publicity, trash collection, port-a-potties, street closings, and security without contributing one penny; and then having the nerve to criticize neighborhood associations for not supporting to their organization.
Gina D. Schack

Editor’s Note: A response from the St. James Court Art Show director will appear in the December issue of the OLJ. No response has been received to date from Metro government concerning the questions posed in the October letter to the editor.

Important information from the Police Department
Louisville Metro Police Department Crime Prevention Strategies needs your help. In the past, police officers responded to crimes after they had already been committed. Now we want your help in preventing crimes before they occur. We need everyone in our community to take an active role in learning how to stop a crime before it happens. One way you can take an active role in solving and preventing crime is by using the Metro Police tip line, 574-LMPD.
In October of 2004 the Louisville Metro Police Department started a new program to assist in the gathering of criminal tip information called the 574-LMPD tip line. The tip line is staffed 24 hours a day 7 days a week by police employees who are specially trained in the gathering of investigative information. Anyone in the community can call any time with information about criminal activity or police related quality of life questions. Callers to the tip line can give their names or remain anonymous. The line has gathered information which has led to the solving of two homicides, gotten information on 5 additional homicides as well as numerous robbery and drug related tips. To date the line has received 4782 calls which have led to 312 arrests since the lines inception. Please call 574-LMPD if you have any information at all concerning criminal activity in your neighborhood.
Citizens Police Academy
The purpose of this 12-week course is to educate the public about the police services delivered by the Louisville Metro Police Department in order to foster understanding and community support for the department. This class is repeated in September and it’s FREE.
March 7 – May 23
Contact:
LMPD Officer Minerva Virola
Phone: (502) 574-8845

Neighborhood Notes

Congratulations to Michael and Nancy Breitenstein! Their lovely home was featured in the Style Section of the Courier Journal on Saturday, October 1st. In the midst of the St. James Art Show, their home on Belgravia Court was featured that day in the paper adding to the excitement of the weekend for their friends and neighbors. It was a wonderful article and a terrific show piece for our community.


Special Note:
Volunteers needed for the Cherokee Road Runner’s Race in November!
We need course volunteers for the Cherokee Road Runner’s race. The volunteers assist along the race route. Anyone wishing to volunteer should call Diane at 262-0158.

 

from our friends in the Metro Government...

Mayor Announces Autumn Leaf Drop-Off
Drop-off for loose leaves continues through Dec. 15. Four drop-off sites in the suburban areas will operate Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sites will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving and on Sundays.
Leaves will continue to be collected in the Urban Services District as part of regularly scheduled yard waste pick up. “I know residents need a convenient place to dispose of the leaves they collect and I hope they’ll take advantage of this free service,” said Abramson. “Proper leaf disposal reduces the risk of fire and flooding, plus it keeps Louisville looking its best.”
The suburban sites for leaf drop-off are:
· 1st District Works Yard, 595 Hubbards Lane
· 2nd District Works Yard, 3528 Newburg Road
· 3rd District Works Yard, 7219 Dixie Highway.
· Special Construction Yard, 617 Outer Loop
Residents must empty bags at the drop-off sites and dispose of the bags off site. For questions about leaf drop-off or leaf collection, residents can call MetroCall at 311 or log on to the city’s website
3rd Annual Mayor’s Neighborhood Summit
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Clarion Hotel - Hurstbourne Lane
7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Save The Date
2nd Annual Mayor’s Event Expo
Saturday, February 18, 2006
For all event organizers to meet, network, attend event organizing training seminars and learn from experts at the Expo booths.

Brightside’s Cookbook by Community Gardeners
The Brightside Community Garden Cookbook is available for purchase. The recipes are by Brightside’s Community Gardeners. Proceeds benefit the community garden program. Brightside has 13 community gardens with over 1,600 participants in Louisville Metro. Brightside is Louisville’s non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship and the beautification of our community.
To purchase a cookbook, contact Brightside, 574-2613. The cookbook costs $10. It can be picked up at the Brightside office or mailed (add $1 for shipping).

Community Wide Cleanup
Brightside and Republic Bank are sponsoring a community wide cleanup on Saturday, October 29. So gather your friends and neighbors for a neighborhood cleanup. Brightside will provide bags, gloves and there will be t-shirts for the first 500 participants. Please fill out and fax, email or mail the attached form for your participation. For further information call 574-2613.

TARC to Begin New Paratransit Service in Louisville Metro Area
A main necessity for independence is transportation. Career, shopping, doctor visits, social activities, escaping a national disaster, all dependent on transportation. If you are an individual in Louisville with disabilities, that transportation may come in the form of TARC 3. TARC 3, the Louisville Paratransit provider is a service that allows an individual to call and set an appointment. These accessible buses will then come to your front door, pick you up, and take you to your destination’s front door. That’s why we call it a door-to-door service. It is for individuals that cannot use a TARC stop “fixed route” because of the barriers of a disability. TARC 3 is such a valuable tool for an individual with disabilities. The riders fee is $2

Mayor’s Hike
All ages, all skill levels family fun hike. Also, FREE children’s activities, giveaways and a hayride.
October 29 – Jefferson Memorial Forest, Horine Section
9:00a.m. – 2:00p.m.

Kentucky Primitive Opens on South Sixth Street

Thomas A. Barger has opened what he describes as a homegrown, grassroots, kitchen table studio where he creates “one-of-a-kind art from my heart to yours.”
Kentucky Primitive,1207 South Sixth Street, features paintings produced on common objects such as pieces of driftwood, garden tools, and furniture. Thomas, a self-taught artist born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, likes to make do with what other people discard. .
Works currently on display at the studio include a rural train scene from Pleasant Valley, West Virginia, executed on a 100-year-old piece of barn siding; paintings on in and out letter boxes; a brightly-decorated wooden chair; and refrigerator magnets fashioned from window shims. Prices range from $10.00 to $900.00. Thomas is willing to do commissions on specified objects.
The artist is also an author; he has written Rock and the Tree, a children’s story. A short piece entitled “Homeward Bound” concerns the many moods and meanings elicited from the sounds of a train whistle. He does custom writing for any occasion.
Kentucky Primitive is open the second and third weekends of each month from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. On warm days, Thomas seats himself at a table on the sidewalk outside the studio, works on his latest pieces, and chats with passersby.
Call 368-2283 for more information.

27th Annual Old Louisville 5K Run
Set for November 19

The Cherokee Road Runners will hold their annual Old Louisville 5k Run in Central Park at 9:00 AM on Saturday, November 19, 2005. A non-competitive walk will be held on St. James Court beginning at 9:10 AM. The 3.1 mile run is one of the club’s oldest races.
All runners and walkers are asked to bring canned goods, which will be donated to the West End Baptist Church to help feed the homeless.
A maroon, long-sleeved shirt featuring a design of the Central Park pergola by Tim Bottorff will be guaranteed to all who register by the early deadline of November 7. An awards ceremony and food will follow the conclusion of the race.
Volunteers are needed to help with the run. For information and/or to volunteer, please contact Donna McCabe, Race Director, at 405-1615 or 235-3349. A race application is inserted in this issue of the Old Louisville Journal.

Miami String Quartet Performs on November 20
The Miami String Quartet will be presented in concert by the Chamber Music Society of Louisville on Sunday, November 20, 2005, at 3:00 p.m. in the Margaret Comstock Concert Hall at the University of Louisville School of Music.
Praised in The New York Times as having “everything one wants in a string quartet: a rich precisely balanced sound, a broad coloristic palette, real unity of interpretative purpose and seemingly unflagging energy,” the Miami String Quartet has quickly established its place among the most widely respected quartets in America. From 1999-2001, the group served as the resident ensemble of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Two, and in September, 2000, received the Cleveland Quartet Award.
A pre-concert talk is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Bird Recital Hall.
Tickets for this second concert in the Chamber Music Society’s 68th season are $25.00. For additional information call 852-6907
 

Cook’s Corner  

Colder weather, changing leaves and shorter days...no one can doubt that Fall has arrived. With the calendar now changing to November, can the holidays be far behind? I’ve spent a few hours counting “shopping days” and planning dates for holiday parties and gatherings for my friends and family. All of that planning has me thumbing through my favorite cookbooks searching for the tried and true dishes I know and love. My search also has me seeking something new to spice things up a bit! I’ve stumbled on a wonderful recipe to share this month. I’ve made it many times and every time I serve it, people rave about it. I warn you, though, it makes an enormous amount of food. It’s a very simple recipe. All it takes is a little blanching, a little “dumping the contents of the bottle,” a little tossing the ingredients and then popping the whole thing into the fridge. You’ll love it!
 

For the party crowd...Crunchy, Creole Relish
1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 pound baby carrots
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 pound celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 jar (1 pound) Kalamata olives with brine included
1 jar (11.5 ounce) pickled peperoncini, with brine included
1 jar (16 ounce) pickled hot cherry pepper, with brine included
1 jar (10 ounce) large Spanish Queen olives stuffed with pimentos, with brine included
1 jar (8 ounce) pickled cocktail onions, with brine included
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
6 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 cup olive oil, good quality...don’t skimp on this one
Blanch the green beans and carrots separately in a large pot of boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the water and shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Allow beans and carrots to cool completely. Put all ingredients in a large, glass bowl, including the brine for all the pickled ingredients.
Toss to coat evenly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Use your imagination to serve this dish! Try martini glasses, shallow bowls, decorative platters, small juice glasses.
It’s wonderful finger food to accompany whole wheat crackers, too, and it’s the star of the table because it is so colorful! Enjoy


Another chance to see a “Victorian Christmas Tour”

Our neighbors to the north, from Historic Newport, Kentucky extend an invitation from one historic district to another to join them for the 13th Annual “Victorian Christmas Tour and More” on December 11, 2005 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Newport’s East Row Historic District, located along the Ohio River across from downtown Cincinnati is one of the largest designated historic districts in Kentucky second in size only to your own Old Louisville. We are excited to share the efforts of our residents with you and would be glad to reciprocate in spreading the word here of any upcoming events and activities Old Louisville is sponsoring. Articles can be emailed to the editors of our district newsletter, “The Voice of the East Row Historic Foundation” at Voice@EastRow.org 
This year’s event offers visitors a chance to view eight homes, all with traditional Victorian facades and an eclectic mix of interior restorations ranging from traditional period style to bold contemporary design. This variety reflects an effort to share with visitors a myriad of ways to repair, restore and preserve vintage homes. It also demonstrates the versatility an old home offers to meet the needs of modern life. What to do, for example, with slightly fire-damaged gems bereft of the lovely old wood that attracts many? Where to tuck modern conveniences without destroying the period ambience? The solutions are breathtaking!
Come see the Jenn-air national grand prize kitchen makeover one home offers. “Borrow” professional decorating ideas as two homes belong to interior designers. Appreciate the award-winning living room recognized in a national design publication.
Marvel at the faux painting and custom murals resplendent in one residence. Admire the lovely taste and drama all these homeowners have lavished upon their Victorian treasures.
In addition to the late 19th century homes within the district, guests can see a fabulous aerial view of the region from a luxurious condominium included on the tour. Located high atop a hill overlooking the City of Newport, the Ohio River, and the Cincinnati skyline, this home offers visitors a remarkable panoramic perspective.
Take a stroll back in time and into the future – through the beautiful East Row neighborhood filled with twinkling lights, mistletoe, Christmas trees, horse-drawn carriages and strolling Christmas carolers. Finish the tour with a wine and beverage tasting party hosted at our historic Wiedemann Mansion. Tickets for the event can be purchased on Sunday, December 11 at the tour starting point:
The Wiedemann Mansion
401 Park Avenue
(corner of 4th and Park)
Newport, KY.
House Tour Ticket - $20
Wine/Beverage Tasting Ticket - $15 (with purchase of House Tour ticket)
Wine/Beverage Tasting Ticket Only - $20
All proceeds go to the East Row Historic Foundation

Old Louisville Neighborhood Block Association Chairpersons

Association Chairperson Address Phone/Contact
       
1300 S. Third Street Dale Strange 1355 S 3rd St. 635-1710
Belgravia Court Jessica Flores 1451 S. 6th St. 637-6658 sflores@insightbb.com 
Central Park West Judy Stallard 634 Floral Terrace 636-3113 jumartin@onealsteel.com 
Cornerstone Area James Long 213 E. Kentucky 773-3538
Fourth Street Dot Wade 1445 S. 4th St. 635-7885
Garvin Gate Howard Rosenberg 1202 S. 6th St. 896-9833 h.rosenberg@insightbb.com
OL Chamber of Commerce Alan Bird 1234 S 3rd St. 212-7500 alan@ud.net 
Ouerbacker Arts & Crafts Ric Poe  1379 S. 1st St.  635-5134
St. James Court Louise Shawkat 1433 St. James Ct. #3 637-3606 Shawkatl@bellsouth.net 
Second Street Bill Neal 1381 S. 2nd St. 638-0572
Third Street Mary Martin 1466 S. 3rd St. 637-4000 oldloumary@aol.com
Toonerville Jennifer Hamilton 1430 S 1st St. 749-7294 Jenn-jj@bellsouth.net
Treyton Oak Towers Peggy Martin 211 W. Oak St. #907  588-3595
W. St. Catherine Rhonda Williams 622 W. St. Catherine St. 584-9231 williams@dominionhomes.com 

 

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The Old Louisville Journal is published monthly by the Old Louisville Information Center, Inc. (OLIC), a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated in 1984, for the purpose of receiving tax deductible contributions. OLIC is affiliated with the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council (OLNC), a 501 (c) (4) non-profit association incorporated in 1976 to serve as the recognized voice of the Old Louisville Neighborhood.

Submit Journal contributions to the Editor:
Old Louisville Information Center
1340 S. Fourth St., Louisville, KY 40208.
Phone: (502) 635-5244
E-mail: olnc@bellsouth.net
Advertising rates available upon request.
Please submit “Letters to the Editor” to the above address.
The 15th of each month is deadline for submission of all ads and articles.

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