Visions / Restoration and Revitalization

In the 1890s, Wm. H. Slaughter, working with the Victoria Land Co., envisioned and developed St. James Court. Earlier, from 1874 to 1882, the land had served as a sports and entertainment complex, including the home field of Louisville’s charter-member National League team in 1876 and 1877. From 1883 to 1887, the main building of the Southern Exposition stood there. By the mid-1950s, St. James Court had fallen into disrepair, prompting Malcolm Bird, Bob Smith, and Jim Perry to begin a preservation movement. In 1957, Bird founded the St. James Court Art Show, which grew under the leadership of Ann Higbie into one of the nation’s largest. Old Louisville was established as an Historic Preservation District in 1974.

Louisville, Kentucky · United States