Harrods Creek, Louisville facts for kids
Harrods Creek is a cool neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. It's located near a creek also called Harrods Creek, right where River Road and Wolf Pen Branch Road meet. The area is bordered by the Ohio River to the west and US 42 to the east. Its ZIP code is 40027. Harrods Creek used to be a separate, small community. But in 2003, Louisville joined up with Jefferson County. This made Harrods Creek officially a neighborhood of the bigger city of Louisville.
Contents
A Look Back: Early History
How Harrods Creek Got Started
Long ago, a group called the Transylvania Company planned to build a town here. They even sold pieces of land, but the town never fully grew. For a while, people called the area "Seminary Land." Some buildings did start to appear when a road, first called the Louisville-Westport Pike and later River Road, was built through the area.
One important spot was Harrod's Tavern. This tavern was a popular stop for boats traveling down the river. Today, that old building is still around, though it's been rebuilt a lot. It's now a restaurant called Captain's Quarters.
Where the Name Comes From
The area and the creek are both named Harrods Creek. People aren't totally sure who it's named after! It might be James Harrod, who founded Fort Harrod (which is now Harrodsburg). Or it could be Captain William Harrod, who lived in Louisville a long time ago.
In the early 1800s, Harrods Creek became a farming area. Farmers grew crops like corn and wheat. They would grind these into flour and cornmeal to sell in nearby Louisville.
Trains and Big Homes
In 1877, a train line called the Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport Railway reached the area. Because of a tough economic time back then, the train line didn't go any further. In 1881, this line became part of the L&N network.
With better train travel, Harrods Creek became a popular place for wealthy families to build large country homes. This happened around the late 1800s and early 1900s. Famous Louisville families, like the Browns and the Hilliards, built their estates here.
George Garvin Brown, who started the Brown-Forman company, helped create a neighborhood called Nitta Yuma in the 1890s. Nitta Yuma means "High Ground." Another early neighborhood was called Ashbourne. Harrods Creek also had a traditional African-American community, centered in an area known as "The Neck," which is now Hoskins Beach Road.
Harrods Creek in the 20th Century
Growing and Changing
For much of the 20th century, Harrods Creek was a mix of working farms and fancy country estates. As time went on, more new neighborhoods with bigger houses were built. This sometimes led to disagreements with people who had lived there for a long time.
Community Action
In the 1990s, the people living in Harrods Creek worked together. They were against a plan to build a new bridge, the East End Bridge, right through their community. Their efforts showed how much they cared about their neighborhood.
