The Point, Louisville

The Point was a thriving 19th century neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, east of Downtown Louisville and opposite Towhead Island along the Ohio River. It was also located north of the present day Butchertown area.

Overview

Starting in the 1840s it was home to many upper income residents who had moved from New Orleans, giving the area on Fulton Street the nickname "the Frenchmen's Row". They built many mansion houses in the area, the best known of which was the Heigold House (completed in 1853), which featured a very detailed facade with the faces of early American leaders engraved on it. It was built by immigrant stonemason Christopher Heigold.

In 1854 many houses where demolished when Beargrass Creek was rerouted from its original outflow near 4th st in downtown Louisville to its current location through the area. Many more houses where torn down after the great Ohio River flood of 1937. It was also the site of The Louisville Municipal Yacht Basin (later Municipal Boat Harbor) built in 1936. Many more houses where torn down after the great Ohio River flood of 1937

Comtemporary Louisville leaders of the time wanted the entire area depopulated and replaced with a park called Point Park Project, which was done to the extreme northern part of the area, now called Thruston Park. This remained the preferred urban public park throughout the 40's and 50's. The park was severely disrupted by the construction of I-64 in the early 60's and by the 80's, it was in a neglected and dismal state. The Harbor remained until it was closed by the city in 2005. www.louisvilleboatharbor.com

Today the only remaining structures are the decorated front facade of the Heigold house which was moved to its present location from the area of Frankfort Ave and Padgett house, the last remaining of the riverfront mansions along Fukton St. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Place. The Heigold facade has been placed in a Roundabout on Frankfort Ave near River Road, while the fate of the historic Padgett house remains uncertain.

See also

* History of Louisville, Kentucky

References

* Powell, Robert "Louisville/ Jefferson County Sketch Book", Kentucky