Louisville, Kentucky

by Roy A. Barnes

Kentucky and the city of Louisville are to horses what North Carolina is to NASCAR. I got a chance to see some of the inner workings of Churchill Downs while meeting some very famous world class athletic celebrities of the four-footed kind, then relaxed at a horse racing-themed bar.

See World Class Athletes Up Close and Personal

“Only horses don’t have grandmothers like we do.”
“Oh don’t they just!”
– From the 1967 Australian novel Picnic at Hanging Rock.

And boy does it matter, too, about the grandmothers of the horses! Many people think that it’s the stallions that make or break whether a potential horse will be a champion racer. But in order for a filly to be able to even have the chance to breed with one of the high quality stallions, she has to have come from quality lines, too. I learned this from my visit to the 2,000 acre complex of Three Chimneys Horse Farm which is a little over an hour’s drive from downtown Louisville in settings that can truly be described as picturesque and pastoral. This farm is home to numerous champions, including Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup winners.

The philosophy of ownership is that the fans really count in the sport of horse racing so they’ve made the place accessible to them. Guests can meet, greet, and pose with some quality horses like the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Winner Big Brown and Dynaformer (father of deceased Kentucky Derby winner and fan favorite Barbaro). Dynaformer’s offspring have won more than 75 million dollars from racing. The Queen of England, movie stars, and politicians have visited this horse farm, but hey, even us commoners can partake in something that the rich and famous have frequented. I was told by our tour guide Jen that most horse farms aren’t really accessible to the public. Three Chimneys also does their best to implement “green”, eco-friendly practices wherever possible in their operations.

Accessible Celebrities!

I got to visit Smarty Jones (the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner who’s currently residing in Pennsylvania). He came up to his stable door. How I wanted to pet him, but I was told that he has a tendency to bite, so I couldn’t. He was let out by one of the staff so I could pose with him, though for legal reasons involving the horses’ images, visitors can only show their photos offline to others.

I also got to see where the horses are allowed to run around. The stallions were alone in each of their paddocks because of their aggressive nature, including Sky Mesa, who saw us from afar and came up to the fence wanting to be petted, longing for some affection! But again, I was told by Jen not to. It seems that Sky Mesa likes to put on an act, and may bite your arm once you let your guard down!

In case you’re wondering how much the stud fee is for Dynaformer, it’s currently $150,000, and the breeding is very controlled and videotaped. For Big Brown, the stud fee is $40,000. The stallions can only breed at most 110 times during the breeding season because the ownership doesn’t want the market over-saturated. Beeding season takes place from February through mid-June, and not every filly can breed just because money is offered. Three Chimney’s Pedigree Specialist screens out many potential mates.

Captivated by History and Tradition

The Kentucky Derby is the longest consecutive running sporting event in America. Since 1875, 136 of these annual horse races have been run at Churchill Downs through 2010. Seeing it on TV all these years didn’t prepare me for the draw it would have on me while visiting. I stayed there some four hours, and could’ve spent much more easily as I took three tours and visited the on site museum. It’s one of the few places in the world that I felt glued to because of the ambience, the tradition, and incredible history that makes up the 160 acre complex. I am not usually a fan of guided tours, but I found their guides to be quite engaging.

I arrived early one autumn morning for the hour long Barn and Backside Van Tour, which offers visitors the chance to see the race horses train on the fabled track from the opposite side of the grandstands near the stables, which house more than 1,400 race horses as well as dorms for the employees. This guided tour provides some history and other many interesting facts about the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs. While the tour highlights the elite world of racing, enthusiasts looking to bring that same level of quality to their own stables often turn to South Texas Tack for professional-grade gear and authentic western apparel. In 1937, it only cost 50 cents to watch the race in the infield, yet today to be able to hang out there, it will put you back some $40, even though your chances of seeing any of the race are virtually nil. Each year, some 100,000 people converge there to hang out and say they were a part of history.

Next, I took the 30 minute Historic Guided Walking Tour (which is included with the museum admission price), which allowed guests to go into the main grandstand and take photos of the winner’s circle across the track if we wanted to.

I was about to go into the museum when I heard a 90 minute Behind The Scenes Tour was about to happen. I felt led to take it, and I’m glad I did! Fans get to see such places as the clubhouse and locker room for the male jockeys, as well as find out about how these athletes must all be the same weight for the Kentucky Derby (126 pounds, but 121 if they ride a filly). It’s done by adding extra padding until the weight is reached. I also found out that jockeys wear several pairs of goggles around their eyes, so if one pair gets wet or soiled, they can de-layer for a clean one. We also got to go to the press area, Millionaires’ Row seating, and the track announcer’s booth. Believe me, this 90 minutes goes by too fast!

As for the Kentucky Derby Museum, one can easily spend many hours in this area admiring and learning about horse racing from the two floors of exhibits, including film footage of most of the past Kentucky Derbys. I watched the 1977 Kentucky Derby in the “Time Machine” exhibit. That particular race was the first one I remember watching as a kid, as I saw my favorite race horse of all time Seattle Slew overcome a bad start to win, and then go on to win the Triple Crown, the second to last horse to do so.

I learned at the “Winner’s Stable” exhibit that Seattle Slew was bought for a mere $17,500, and this interactive exhibit lets you pick up a phone receiver to hear commentary on him as well as other great Derby champions who have their own sections.

One exhibit not to miss here is the 360 degree theatre presentation called “The Greatest Race” (viewers constantly are turning around in the theater), which highlights the last Kentucky Derby run as well as goes behind the scenes of Derby Day.

Horse-Themed Bourbon Experience

After a day of admiring racing horses, a great place to relax for a drink is the Old Seelbach Bar in downtown Louisville. The Seelbach Bar has many pictures of race horses hanging on its early 1900’s restored walls, including some Kentucky Derby winners. Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald sipped bourbon here? The hotel itself was a setting for his novel The Great Gatsby, a place where the fictional hometown girl Daisy Buchanan may have actually gotten drunk because of her forthcoming sham wedding to Tom Buchanan!

We really got fast and friendly service one late Sunday afternoon in a rather dark setting with few people surrounding us. One of my friends commented on how she really liked dark settings for bars as I was drinking a bourbon cocktail called an Old Fashioned that was made with Maker’s Mark bourbon, a cherry, and some slices of oranges. I was told by the bartender that the Old Fashioned was invented in Louisville.

The bartender gladly gave me extra syrup so my drink was rather fiery in scent and strong in taste, but really sweet, too! I even sampled one of their house specials, a drink that really went down smoothly and had a distinctly fruity taste, for it contained Old Forrester Bourbon, triple sec, Angostura and Reychaud Bitters, plus some Korbel Champagne.

If You Go:

Three Chimneys Horse Farm (about 75 minutes drive from downtown Louisville, Kentucky): 1981 Old Frankfurt Pike, Versailles, Kentucky 40383. Phone: 859-873-7053. Tours by appointment only (currently $10). Website: www.threechimneys.com

Kentucky Derby Museum/Churchill Downs Tours: 704 Central Ave., Louisville, Kentucky 40208. 502-637-1111. Website: www.derbymuseum.org

Old Seelbach Bar at the Seelbach Hilton: 500 Fourth St., Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Phone: 1-800-333-3399. Website: www.seelbachhilton.com

Louisville Tourism Information: www.gotolouisville.com

About the author:
Roy Barnes writes from southeastern Wyoming and is a frequent contributor to Travel Thru History. Note: The writer attended a press trip sponsored by the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, but what he wrote are his own impressions without any scrutiny from the sponsor.

All photos are by Roy Barnes.

Louisville, Kentucky

by Nellotie Porter Chastain

As I walk over the rise from the parking lot, I smell the damp scents from the deep waters of the Ohio River and my eyes feast on the beauty of the river and the far stretching field on the opposite side as it pushes into the mountain edge.

The beautiful Ohio flows past the perfect site for Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing, that was chosen in the early 1800s. The historic 300 acre farm and house is located along the banks of the Ohio River, in southwest Louisville, Kentucky.

The historic home, a red brick I-house with a two-story Greek Revival portico, was built in 1837 by Gabriel Farnsley. After Gabriel Farnsley purchased the property, he built the impressive home for his bride-to-be. Sadly, he was stood up at the altar, so he never married or had any offspring.

The Bitter Struggle

Farnsley died in 1849, leaving no will. His siblings, nieces and nephews fought for a dozen years over the estate. Twenty-one parties were involved in the bitter struggle.

In 1860, the Moremen family put down roots on the farm site when Alanson and Rachel Moremen and their seven children moved into the fine brick home. Their connection to the farm lasted for over 125 years.

The property served as a river transportation hub. The riverboat landing allowed travelers to stop and trade goods, pick up wood for fuel, or rest. The Moremen family nicknamed the landing “Soap Landing”, as they sold lye soap and other household and agricultural products there.

As I walk across the front lawn (the front of the house faces the river), I can almost feel and hear the swish of long skirts against deep-green grass and the sounds of children playing under the trees. On either the lower or upper portico, I watch the long, heavy-laden barges being pushed up river. I imagine the shadow of long-ago flat boats and sternwheelers hugging the shore allowing modern tug boats to churn the water muddy as they deliver their precious cargo to places north and south of the now commercially unused landing.

Visiting the restored Riverside home, one’s imagination congers up the aromas that would have emanated from the summer kitchen, which is located behind the house proper. Rocking the churn back and forth, my mouth waters as I think about the sweet butter that would have melted over home made baking power biscuits baked to perfection in the wood-fed oven.

Each room has been restored to perfection, allowing visitors to experience visions of life from long ago as children played and babies were rocked in front of warm fireplaces that adorn each room.

The dining room was not only a place for the family to eat, but visitors were always welcome. An upstairs room, whose only entrance was stairs leading from the dining room, was available for travelers who possibly stopped at night time. The family remained undisturbed when the traveler’s room was in use.

Rescued From The Great Flood

The home sat empty and in severe disrepair after the great flood of 1937 when Jefferson County, Kentucky, experienced the worst flooding in recorded history. Visitors are amazed to stand on the porch, far up the hill from the river’s edge, and imagine six feet of water inside the home.

The summer garden still produces vegetables and herbs. Excavation is ongoing as bits and pieces of history are uncovered each year.

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing is a wonderfully historic place to visit. A visitor’s center, which houses an auditorium, museum exhibits, and a store, is situated on the property.

After a tour of the home and most of the property, I sat and rested as I enjoyed lunch in the picnic pavilion. Gazing back over the property surrounding the home, faint apparitions of the long-ago family can be seen drifting in and out of the house and gardens.

History is never lost when we experience places like Riverside. When you visit, let history surround you as you leisurely walk through each room of the home. Enjoy each moment of your walk over the grounds, the gardens, and the landing, allowing people and pieces of history to whisper to you what life was like long ago on the banks of the Ohio River at Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing in southwest Louisville, Kentucky.

If You Go:

Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing is located southwest of downtown Louisville, KY along the banks of the Ohio River. The address is 7410 Moorman Road, Louisville, Ky 40272. Phone number is: (502) 935-6809. Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 4:30 pm Sundays, 1 – 4:30 pm Tours begin at 10:30 am and occur every hour at half past the hour. Admissions is: $6/Adults; $5/Seniors (60+); $3/Children (ages 6-12); Children 5 and Under are Free. Family Rate: $15.00 (2 Adults and up to 3 children under age 18)

WHEN to go: Spring, summer, and fall are the most pleasant times to visit. Plan on a leisurely time so you won’t miss anything.

WHAT to do: Visit four archaeological sites where you can unearth parts of history from the barn, brick kiln, wash house, and slave/tenant house. During the months of July through October, visitors can board a riverboat at the landing and enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Ohio. Take advantage of the educational programs that are available.

OTHER sites to visit while you are in the Louisville area
Kentucky Derby Museum
Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries
Louisville Slugger Field
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory
Belle of Louisville Riverboats

About the author:
Nellotie Porter Chastain, writer and published author, resides in Mitchell, Indiana, along with her husband and family. Of particular interest and enjoyment to Ms. Chastain are the many historical sites that are available where visitors have the opportunity to walk through history.
Contact: nellotie@verizon.net

Photographs:
All photos by Nellotie Porter Chastain.

by Roy A. Barnes

In Louisville, Kentucky, I found some of the city’s best gems using a variety of transport means, and in the process fulfilled one childhood wish. From flying in a classic biplane to riverboating on the Ohio River, my getting travel-intimate with this city was made all the more fun and adventurous:

The Skies Romantic Again

Commercial airline travel for most of us has become something to endure. But I had a flying experience that rekindled the romance of flying via Classic Biplane Tours. I flew over Louisville at 1500 feet above ground in a replica open cockpit 1935 WACO YMF, built in 1993 (with more technically advanced features for safety). It’s also known as “Big Red”. The top speed reached 90 M.P.H. I felt the wind in the back of my neck as I took in some incredible views and pictures of the Louisville area, including Churchill Downs (below), Louisville’s skyline, and some Indiana farmlands in mostly clear and sunny skies, covering around 40 miles of flying. Even the airport we took off from goes back to glorious aviation days past – that being Louisville’s first major airport, Bowman Field, which is now used mainly for smaller private planes.

As I flew in the plane strapped up in a front seat harness for close to half an hour, I wore a helmet that was equipped to hear the control tower and my pilot Steve, who’s had close to 40 years flying experience. He’s a friendly man who answered all my questions about flight. Even folks who are in their 90s have enjoyed flying in a plane whose ride seemed more nerve-racking when Steve turned the plane right or left rather than during the straight cruising across the sky, since the turbulence wasn’t that bad.

I was too chicken to take up Steve’s offer of doing a Steep Lazy 8, which is his most “roller coaster-like” maneuver that he offers to passengers (no turning upside down is done). Passengers have the option of flying the plane themselves from the front seat with back up from Steve or his other two pilots that take people on the tours. “Big Red” can hold 72 gallons of fuel and consumes an average of 16 gallons of fuel per hour, so there’s no danger of being without gas at the wrong time, given that the longest tour is basically an hour in length.

Several different tours are offered including sunset tours. One is as short as the 30 minute Barnstormer flying tour. The flight prices cover up to two people, with the second passenger experiencing the friendly skies for free. “Big Red’s” flying season runs from mid-April through sometime in November, weather permitting, seven days a week.

Great Discoveries for 50 Cents

One of my favorite things to do when I’m visiting a place is to ride the main bus or subway routes of a public transport line because I get to see a large chunk of a city for a decent price. I might discover something surprising on the routes or just a few walking blocks off of them which the tour guides or books don’t tell me about. Louisville’s two downtown trolleys are part of the city public transit system called the TARC, usually costing 50 cents per ride.

The Main & Market Street Trolley generally runs in a long rectangle on the two eastbound and westbound streets, going by the Louisville Slugger Museum (www.sluggermuseum.com) and Louisville Slugger Field (where the minor league Louisville Bats play – www.batsbaseball.com), The Louisville Science Center, and The Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft. About two blocks north of this route is the Thomas Edison House (www.edisonhouse.org). Edison’s time in Louisville included being a telegrapher for Western Union, and a number of his inventions are at the home, including many light bulbs, some phonographs and dictating machines.

The 4th Street Trolley runs from the edge of the Ohio River for many blocks south through the heart of downtown all the way to Spaulding University. It includes stops by the Theatre District in Louisville, including the Spanish Baroque-inspired Louisville Palace Theatre (www.louisvillepalace.com), which opened to performances a year before the stock market crash of 1929.

Two venues are accessible from this particular route which I found quite enchanting. First, my favorite novel of all time, The Great Gatsby, has some important elements of its story that took place in Louisville. It was in Louisville where Jay Gatsby courted Daisy Fay, the most desirable single woman in Louisville. Daisy would further break Gatsby’s heart when she got married to Tom Buchanan. The Seelbach Hotel on 500 4th Street served as the accommodations and reception base for the wedding. Today, this venue is called the Seelbach Hilton (www.seelbachhilton.com)

I ventured inside after the doorman kindly opened the door for me despite the fact that I didn’t look like the jet set. I wandered around the public areas as some old time jazz-style music emanated through the speakers. The lobby and 2nd floor sitting rooms are ornate in decoration. The sitting rooms contain antiquated books on the tables. It was in one of the sitting rooms that I pondered the fictional Daisy being in her guestroom the day before her grand sham of a wedding. She was drunk and crying in front of one of her bridesmaids, wishing to give her $350,000 grand string of pearls back (a gift from Tom) while clutching a letter written by Gatsby.

Just a few blocks south of the most southern point of the trolley route is the 1200 acre neighborhood known as Old Louisville (www.oldlouisvillechamber.com), a gateway to the largest collection of restored Victorian homes in the nation, created with many styles including Victorian Gothic and Queen Anne. Even while the crickets chirped incessantly during a humid summer morning and early afternoon, I felt a real peace here, admiring the variety of architecture in the grand homes, while being shielded by the tall magnolia and oak trees. Businesses like law firms and bed & breakfasts make their homes here, too. Thanks to a very friendly resident advocate for the neighborhood’s history, I was directed to two such blocks (Belgravia Court and Floral Terrace). It’s the greenery that separates the grand homes instead of cold hard pavement.

And the gem in this neighborhood just happens to be something inspired by the Olmsted Brothers (one brother, Frederick, designed Manhattan’s Central Park) – this being Louisville’s own Central Park, not as big as New York City’s, but still full of trees and ambience. The park’s centerpiece is a long colonnade with wisteria vines thriving on it. From the two visitor centers in the neighborhood (including one in Central Park), one can get some informative brochures and videos to help make Old Louisville come alive.

Childhood Dream Come True

As a child, I was constantly exposed to a song during Music Appreciation (to the point of wishing I was there) that went something like this in part:

Down the river
Oh, down the river
Oh, down the river we go
Down the river
Oh, down the river
Oh, down the O-hi-O

I’ve always had those zany lyrics in my head despite the fact that I was about as close to the Ohio River in Casper, Wyoming, as I was to the moon. I had never actually gone down the Ohio River until I boarded the Spirit of Jefferson riverboat during a muggy summer evening from the docks of Louisville for a dinner cruise. It was full of great-tasting food like turkey, roast beef, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes, and a really rich banana cream pie for dessert. On a humid night, it’s a godsend when a breeze is blowing and you can find a seat on the top deck of a ship that’s been in service since 1963, seeing action in New Orleans and St. Louis with different names (Mark Twain and Huck Finn) before getting its current name in 1996 as a result of a mayoral contest. After dinner, while people danced to the classic rock tunes of generations past, I sat and pondered the water, the residential and industrial landmarks, the beautiful sunset, and a beautifully-lit Louisville skyline, of which the city has been in existence since 1780. The two-hour cruise ended with an ensuing appearance of a cherry-colored moon!

The Spirit of Jefferson runs year round, offering a variety of cruises, including for special occasions and lunchtime. Its bigger steam-powered sister called The Belle of Louisville is a National Historic Landmark, but runs less often.

Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries Tour from Louisville

If You Go:

Classic Biplane Tours is at the Bowman Field Old Terminal Building: 2815 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville, Kentucky 40205. 502-836-5252.

Louisville Trolley Routes

Spirit of Jefferson / Belle of Louisville: 401 W. River Rd., Louisville, Kentucky 40202. 502-574-2992 or 866-832-0011.

Louisville Tourism Information: call 800-626-5646 or go to www.gotolouisville.com.

About the author:
Roy A. Barnes writes from southeastern Wyoming. During his lifetime, he’s worked in the travel agent and airline industries, and has traveled on the North American, Asian, African, and European continents. Contact: travelwriteroy@yahoo.com

Photo credits:
First vintage biplane photo by Brent Connelly from Pixabay
All other photos are by Roy A. Barnes.