Louisville Gardens facts for kids
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| Former names | Jefferson County Armory Louisville Convention Center |
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| Location | Louisville, Kentucky |
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Jefferson County Armory
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| Built | 1905 |
| Built by | Caldwell & Drake |
| Architect | Davis, Brinton B. |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 80001606 |
| Added to NRHP | March 24, 1980 |
| Owner | City of Louisville |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Opened | 1905 |
| Tenants | |
| Louisville Cardinals (NCAA) (1945–1956) Louisville Blades (USHL/IHL) (1949–1951) Louisville Shooting Stars (IHL) (1953–1954) Kentucky Colonels (ABA) (1967–1970) Louisville Catbirds (CBA) (1983–1985) Louisville Shooters (GBA) (1991–1992) Kentucky Colonels (ABA) (2004–2006) |
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The Louisville Gardens is a large building in Louisville, Kentucky. It can hold up to 6,000 people. It first opened in 1905 and was called the Jefferson County Armory. This historic place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It even celebrated its 100th birthday with a special "Family-Friendly New Years Eve" party!
Contents
History of Louisville Gardens
This building has been used in many ways over the past 100 years. It started as an actual armory, a place where military weapons are stored. Later, it became a popular spot for sports and entertainment.
Events and Famous Visitors
The Louisville Gardens has hosted many exciting events. These include basketball games, wrestling matches, and concerts. Famous music groups like Jackson 5 performed there in 1979. Important leaders also spoke at the venue. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech there in 1960. Former U.S. President Harry S. Truman also visited.
Sports and Entertainment Hub
For a while, the arena was a training spot for future professional wrestlers. The WWE used it for their minor-league group, Ohio Valley Wrestling. WWE also held two big pay-per-view events there. In 1956, a newer, larger venue called Freedom Hall opened. It took over as the main place for big city events.
Sports Teams and Tournaments
The Louisville Gardens has been home to many sports teams. It has also hosted several important basketball tournaments.
College Basketball Home
The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team played their home games here from 1945 to 1956. They had a great record, winning 153 games and losing only 23! The Kentucky Wildcats also played many games at the armory from 1937 to 1956.
The arena hosted the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament every year from 1941 to 1952. The Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament was also held there several times.
Professional Basketball Teams
The Kentucky Colonels, a team from the American Basketball Association, played their games at the arena from 1967 to 1970. At that time, the building was known as the Louisville Convention Center. A special moment happened in 1968 when Penny Ann Early became the first woman to play in a men's professional league game. She played briefly for the Colonels.
Other professional basketball teams also called the Louisville Gardens home. These included the Louisville Catbirds (1983–1985) and the Louisville Shooters (1991–1992). The Kentucky Colonels returned to play there from 2004 to 2006. Even the University of Louisville women's basketball team used the Gardens for some games in 1997–98.
Ice Hockey Teams
The Louisville Gardens was also used for ice hockey. Teams like the Louisville Blades and the Louisville Shooting Stars played their home games on the ice there.
Other Names for the Building
Over the years, the building has been known by different names. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was often called the Convention Center or Louisville Convention Center. In 1975, it was officially renamed Louisville Gardens. This happened when a new convention center, now called the Kentucky International Convention Center, was being built.
Current Status of Louisville Gardens
In 2007, a company called Cordish Company took over managing the Louisville Gardens. They planned to develop the area around it. However, in 2012, Cordish Company was no longer responsible for the Gardens. The future plans for this historic building are still being decided.
Images for kids
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Jefferson County Armory c. 1916
