Central Park, Louisville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central Park |
|
|---|---|
Walking trails in Central Park
|
|
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | 1340 S 4th Street, Louisville, Kentucky |
| Area | 17 acres (0.069 km2) |
| Created | 1872 |
| Operated by | Louisville Metro Parks |
| Status | Open |
Central Park is a 17-acre park in Louisville, Kentucky. It's a city park, meaning it's open to everyone. You can find it in the Old Louisville neighborhood. This land was once the private estate of the wealthy DuPont Family.
Long ago, the park hosted a big event called the Southern Exposition. Today, it's famous for two main things. It's home to the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. It also hosts the northern part of the yearly St. James Court Art Show.
Contents
History of Central Park
People in Louisville wanted more parks in the late 1860s. The DuPont family helped make this happen. They opened their front lawn to the public on June 15, 1872. This was the city's first park!
The park was only open during warm months. But it quickly became super popular. People loved having Sunday picnics there. They enjoyed walks, evening concerts, and fireworks. They even saw hot air balloon rides and plays. The first known Shakespeare play happened here on July 1, 1895. A touring group performed As You Like It. This was near where the Shakespeare Festival stage is now.
The Southern Exposition Era
In 1883, a big event called the Southern Exposition took place. Thirteen of the park's 17 acres were covered with a roof. This space was used to show off Thomas Edison's light bulb. It was one of the first times so many light bulbs were shown to the public.
By 1885, the roof was gone. The park became an outdoor exposition. An electric trolley line, designed by Edison, took visitors around. People could see a roller coaster and bicycle trails. There was also an art museum next to a lake.
Becoming a City Park
In the late 1890s, the DuPont family wanted to sell their estate. They hoped the city would buy it for a permanent park. But talks took a long time. The family started planning to divide the land into building lots.
The city even renamed it DuPont Square for a short time. This was probably to encourage the family to keep it a park. But the new name didn't stick. Finally, in 1904, Louisville leaders bought the estate. They paid a lot of money for it.
Olmsted's Design
The DuPonts had thought about a public park since 1883. In 1901, they hired a famous landscape architect. His name was Frederick Law Olmsted. He designed many famous parks, like Central Park in New York City. He drew up plans for Louisville's park.
These plans came to life in 1904 and 1905. The old DuPont mansion was torn down. The park's layout, as we see it today, was created. At that time, the Spanish mission style of building was popular. Olmsted's team used this style beautifully.
They designed an open-air shelter for women and children. They also built a gym for men and boys. This gym even had a swimming pool in its basement. These are some of the few Spanish Mission style buildings in Louisville. Olmsted also added a wading pool and sports fields. The old walking trails from the 1883 exposition were kept.
Modern Changes and Restoration
In 1970, the old gym building became a police station. A few years later, the shelter changed a lot. Its windows were covered up. A new ceiling was put in. It became a meeting place for local groups.
In 1976, an amphitheater and a wooden playhouse were built. The new playhouse was used for free summer plays. These plays were by William Shakespeare. They had been happening in the park since 1962. Since 1988, this event has been called the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. It's still free for everyone to enjoy.
In 2004, the park celebrated its 100th birthday. Over the last ten years, the old women and children's shelter has been restored. Local groups and generous people helped pay for it. The old coverings were removed. New windows were put in. The beautiful original ceiling was uncovered.
Today, Central Park is a fun place to visit. Besides the Shakespeare festival, it hosts other events. These include the Old Louisville LIVE concert series. There's also Jazz in Central Park. And a yearly Halloween event called Victorian Tales of Terror.
Facilities
Central Park has many useful features for visitors.
- C. Douglass Ramey Amphitheater: This is where the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival performs.
- Old Louisville Visitors Center: This center helps visitors learn about the area. It's also a meeting place for the community.
- Louisville Metro Police Department: A police operations center is located in the park.
- Tennis Courts: You can play tennis here.
- Sprayground: This is a fun water play area, especially popular in warm weather.
