125-572: The Filson Historical Society , previously known as The Filson Club , is a privately supported historical society located in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky . Founded in 1884, the Filson is an organization dedicated to continuing adult education through a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal, Ohio Valley History , a quarterly magazine, The Filson , weekly lectures, historical tours, and exhibits. The Filson's mission
250-412: A bachelor's degree are 28.4%. Females are 52.3% of the population, males are 47.7%. Households making less than $ 15,000 a year are 40.8%; although that is largely a function of the 27% of residents who are full-time college students. Ironically, Old Louisville has the youngest median age of any Louisville neighborhood and the highest percent of people between the ages of 20–29 (25%). Old Louisville's
375-701: A chain of more than 1,000 restaurants before selling his interest in the franchise to the Malaysia -based Berjaya Group in 1996. Brown and his wife Phyllis separated in August 1995. Phyllis filed for divorce in Kentucky in 1996, but withdrew the petition amid settlement talks with her husband. After Brown reportedly cut off much of his wife's financial support, she filed a second divorce petition in 1997, this time in Broward County, Florida where her husband
500-570: A distinct red-and-white striped color pattern, the group opened over 1,500 restaurants, including locations in all 50 U.S. states and several international locations. By 1967, KFC had become the nation's sixth-largest restaurant chain by volume and first offered its stock for public purchase in 1969. For his work with KFC, Brown was named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1966;
625-407: A divorce is our only option now." In 1997, Brown agreed to serve as co-chairman of Governor Paul E. Patton 's Council on Domestic Violence along with Patton's wife, Judi . Brown said he had always been interested in curbing domestic violence , but his interest became personal after he discovered that his sister, Betty "Boo" McCann, had been a victim. In 2003, Patton renamed Kentucky Route 9 as
750-462: A faster rate than Louisville as a whole. This process has been described as gentrification . The area is now one of the most ethnically and economically diverse in Louisville. Crime is becoming less of a problem. While in 2003 there were 11.5 crimes per 1,000 residents, over twice the average for the city of Louisville as a whole, which was 5.0 crimes per 1,000 residents Old Louisville now has
875-456: A few years, Brown left his father's law firm and began a career in business. In 1960, Brown married Eleanor Bennett Durall and had three children including John Young Brown III , Eleanor Faris, and Sandra Bennett. He got his wife involved in managing a barbecue restaurant; upon seeing its success, he became convinced of the financial potential of the fast food industry. During a 1963 political breakfast, Brown met Colonel Harland Sanders ,
1000-696: A late surge. He defeated Brown, his closest competitor, by a margin of 58,000 votes. Following his unsuccessful run for the governorship in 1987, Brown resumed his career in the restaurant industry. He started the Chicken Grill restaurant in Louisville and helped his wife, Phyllis, launch Chicken By George, a line of boneless, skinless chicken breast products designed for sale in supermarkets and preparation at home. In 1988, Hormel made Chicken By George one of its subsidiaries. Brown expanded several other restaurants including Miami Subs , Texas Roadhouse , and Roadhouse Grill . None of these ventures matched
1125-631: A list of historical resources on racial inequality in Louisville and issued a community response to racism. The Filson Historical Society has a unique relationship with the Bullitt family and the historic Oxmoor Farm in eastern Jefferson County. The original part of the Oxmoor mansion was built in 1791. It remained in the Bullitt family for six generations until the death of Thomas Walker Bullitt in 1991 and his widow, Katharine Stammers Bullitt, in 2005. The Filson Historical Society has no ownership interest in
1250-437: A multi-county banking law, a flat rate income tax , professional negotiations for teachers, and a constitutional amendment to allow a governor to be elected to successive terms. In all, Brown was out of the state – leaving Lieutenant Governor Martha Layne Collins as acting governor – for more than five hundred days during his four-year term. As noted by Kentucky historian Lowell H. Harrison , Brown's hands-off approach allowed
1375-462: A part of this effort. However, the plan did spur the restoration of over 100 buildings in other parts of Old Louisville. During the 1960s many low income residents downtown who were displaced as a result of urban renewal moved into the newly converted apartments, especially on the north side of the neighborhood. The area was now considered drug ridden and undesirable by most Louisvillians. The very term Old Louisville , first becoming associated with
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#17327756960631500-607: A press release, the association cited Brown's success at Kentucky Fried Chicken, his political career, and his help in establishing the university's Sanders–Brown Center on Aging as reasons for his induction. The center is named in honor of Harland Sanders and Brown's father. Brown divided his time between homes in Lexington, Kentucky, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida . Brown died at a hospital in Lexington on November 22, 2022, 36 days short of his 89th birthday. He had been dealing with health complications derived from COVID-19 since
1625-458: A roasted chicken line of products called Rotisserie Gold to compete with Roasters and Boston Chicken. In December 1992, Clucker's, a smaller player in the roasted chicken market, sued Kenny Rogers Roasters, claiming the chain had copied its recipes and menus. The lawsuit continued until Roasters purchased a majority stake in Cluckers in August 1994. Brown then took Roasters public and grew it to
1750-417: A series designed to connect people with history in a meaningful way and to highlight resources available at the Filson; workshops and discussions led by Filson staff on how to archive and preserve your personal and family history, how to research your historic home, how to care for historic photographs, and more; a variety of concerts featuring regional artists; and authors, journalists, and historians discussing
1875-587: A similar number of calls for police assistance as other parts of Louisville. The Louisville Metro Police 4th Division is responsible for a large portion of Louisville beyond Old Louisville, but is conveniently located in Central Park in Old Louisville. It had 134 officers assigned to it in 2006. Most calls are related to car break-ins and non-violent crimes. Murders are still rare, with one or two per year. Overall crime rates for both Old Louisville and
2000-604: A single day, he made two significant trades. In the first, he swapped reigning Rookie of the Year Adrian Dantley for the Indiana Pacers ' Billy Knight , who was second in the league in scoring the previous season. Four hours later, he acquired Nate "Tiny" Archibald from the New York Nets for George Johnson and a first-round draft pick in 1979. In 1977, Brown purchased the remaining share of
2125-647: A three-month courtship, he hired Ollie Gleichenhaus , owner of Ollie's Sandwich Shop, a small diner in Miami Beach, Florida , to train Lum's staff to prepare his "Ollie Burger" hamburgers. He later started a chain of take-out restaurants called Ollie's Trolley, named for Gleichenhaus. Initially successful, Brown said, "That venture [Ollie's Trolley] collapsed". Lions Clubs International in Tampa, Florida , honored Brown with its Service to America Award in 1974. Brown sold
2250-465: A total of $ 1.6 million were constructed in Old Louisville from 1883 to 1886. The dominant styles by this time were Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque . An example of the latter, which was known for its turrets, towers and bay windows , was the Conrad house at St. James Court. These styles became less prevalent in the 1890s as the remaining southern portions of Old Louisville, between Ormsby and
2375-612: A trustee and are protected in perpetuity through a Commonwealth of Kentucky preservation easement administered by the Kentucky Heritage Council. The Filson Historical Society's Collection includes approximately 2.1 million documents, photos, and prints, 50,000 books, 10,000 museum items, and 400 portraits. The Filson began collecting historical material soon after its founding in 1884 when few other Kentucky institutions were doing so. With many of its early members belonging to Kentucky's oldest and most prominent families,
2500-513: A wood-roasted chicken restaurant he founded with country music star Kenny Rogers . Brown married three times, the second time to former Miss America Phyllis George . Among his children are news anchor Pamela Ashley Brown and former Secretary of State of Kentucky John Young Brown III . Brown was born on December 28, 1933, in Lexington, Kentucky . He was the only son of five children born to John Y. and Dorothy Inman Brown. His father
2625-491: A year selling Encyclopædia Britannica sets and employed a sales crew made up of classmates to increase his profits. Brown joined his father's law practice after earning his law degree. From 1959 to 1965, he also served in the United States Army Reserve . He served as legal counsel for Paul Hornung when Hornung was suspended for the 1963 National Football League season for gambling. After only
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#17327756960632750-608: Is about 1.7 square miles (4.4 km ) in area, and its population density is 7,800 persons per square mile. The best preserved portions, between Kentucky and Hill streets, have a density of over 10,000 persons per square mile. Old Louisville is broken up into five different census tracts by the US Census Bureau. There are stark differences revealed by the different tracts from north to south. Old Louisville has eight different neighborhood associations, each of which provides different infrastructure. For example, on 4th Street
2875-512: Is located north of the University of Louisville 's main campus and south of Broadway and Downtown Louisville , in the central portion of the modern city. The neighborhood hosts the annual St. James Court Art Show on the first weekend in October. Old Louisville was built as a suburb of Louisville starting in the 1870s, nearly a century after the city was founded. It was initially called
3000-758: Is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture . It is also unique in that a majority of its structures are made of brick, and the neighborhood contains the highest concentration of residential homes with stained glass windows in the U.S. Many of the buildings are in the Victorian era styles of Romanesque Revival , Queen Anne , or Italianate , and many blocks have had few or no buildings razed. There are also several 20th-century buildings from 15 to 20 stories. Old Louisville consists of about forty-eight city blocks and
3125-468: Is to collect, preserve, and tell the stories of Kentucky and Ohio Valley history and culture. The Filson hosts programs and exhibitions that engage critically and honestly with the past with topics such as: Commemorating Juneteenth, David Blight's talk on Frederick Douglass , Christina Snyder's discussion of Great Crossings: Indians, Settlers, and Slaves in the Age of Jackson , Alaina Roberts' I've Been Here All
3250-454: Is well known for its architecture, with styles ranging from Federal to Queen Anne . Very few antebellum buildings remain, and the most impressive buildings were built in the late 19th century. There are a few Italianate , Beaux-Arts and Second Empire -style houses, but Victorian styles dominate. Victorian Gothic styles are commonly seen. Many styles in Old Louisville are united by their use of red sandstone trim, which became popular by
3375-754: The Civil War . By 1875, a new park had been built near St. James Court. Old Louisville is also home to the Ferguson Mansion , built by Edwin Hite Ferguson. Ferguson commissioned the Louisville architectural firm of Cobb and Dodd —the same firm responsible for designing the Seelbach Hotel and the new capitol building in Frankfort —to design his home in 1901. Construction of the mansion took four years (1901–1905) and cost $ 100,000, which
3500-687: The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival every summer, the Actors Theatre of Louisville Production Studio, and the Conrad-Caldwell House . The area of 6th and Hill Streets in the neighborhood was the setting of the best selling novel Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch by Louisvillian Alice Hegan Rice . Today there is a non-profit counseling and services center, named Cabbage Patch Settlement House for
3625-617: The Los Angeles Clippers ). Despite having previously shown little inclination toward politics, Brown surprised political observers by declaring his candidacy for governor in the 1979 election . With the state and nation facing difficult economic times , Brown promised to run the state government like a business. A strong media campaign funded by his personal fortune allowed him to win the Democratic primary and go on to defeat former Republican governor Louie B. Nunn in
3750-517: The Trans-Appalachian frontier ; the Lewis and Clark Expedition ; antebellum enslavement and emancipation; Southern Jewish history ; regional architecture; Progressive-era urban reform; Suffrage and Women's Rights; regional theater, music, and literature; river and rail transportation; and military history from the 18th to 20th centuries. In addition to the manuscript and rare book holdings,
3875-402: The U.S. Senate – took a toll on his family and left his mother resentful of all the money spent on campaigns. Brown attended Lafayette High School in Lexington, where he was a seventeen-time letterman in various sports. During one summer, his father expressed disappointment that he had decided to spend the summer selling vacuum cleaners instead of working on a road construction crew with
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4000-601: The University of Cincinnati , Ohio Valley History is a quarterly journal of the history and culture of the Ohio Valley and the Upper South. The Filson is a quarterly news magazine dedicated to giving members a more in-depth view into activities at the Filson Historical Society. With articles about recent acquisitions, staff research in the collections, and membership information, it fulfills
4125-554: The "John Y. Brown Jr. AA Highway". The "AA" designation comes from the fact that the highway originally connected the cities of Alexandria and Ashland . In late 2006, Brown partnered with actress Suzanne Somers to open a do-it-yourself meal preparation store called Suzanne's Kitchen. The flagship store opened in Tates Creek Centre in Lexington, and a second store was opened in New Jersey . Brown intended to build
4250-407: The 1870s, nearly a century after what is now Downtown Louisville was first settled. The area was initially part of three different military land grants issued in 1773, and throughout the early and mid-19th century the land passed through the hands of several speculators while much of it was used as farmland. Some of the land south of Broadway was still in its natural state during this time, such as
4375-531: The 1880s to the point that the Courier-Journal said that "few new residences are going up in Louisville in which it is not being used". Another common Victorian style in the area is Richardsonian Romanesque . Aside from the best represented styles of architecture listed above, Old Louisville also has several great examples of the Chateauesque style of architecture in select buildings throughout
4500-514: The 1960s. These developments are apparently unique to Louisville. Two of the three major four-year universities in Louisville are located adjacent to Old Louisville, with Spalding University to the north and the University of Louisville to the south. DuPont Manual High School , a public magnet school , and Presentation Academy , a Catholic girls' high school, are also located in Old Louisville. The neighborhood contains The Filson Historical Society , Louisville's Central Park, which features
4625-544: The 1975–76 season, and at the end of the year, he accepted $ 3 million to fold the team during the 1976 ABA–NBA merger rather than paying $ 3 million for the team to join the National Basketball Association (NBA). After folding the Colonels, Brown stated that basketball was not the kind of business he wanted to be involved in. Despite this declaration, he purchased half-ownership in
4750-471: The 1979 general election by a vote of 588,088 to 381,278. Within a month of moving into the Governor's Mansion , Brown noticed significant deterioration in the wiring and ordered a full inspection. The Department of Buildings and Construction's preliminary report stated, "If this was a privately operated structure, this office would have no alternative other than to give the operator 30 to 60 days to rewire
4875-406: The 1987 Democratic gubernatorial primary campaign, Brown continued, "He said things that were not true, like we had raised taxes. I just never respected him after that." However, when Beshear was reelected in 2011 , Brown did serve as inauguration co-chair with the other former governors. In 2008, Brown was named to the University of Kentucky College of Law Alumni Association's Hall of Fame. In
5000-413: The 1990s. New residents were not just college students using the area as housing, but also young professionals who wanted to live in Old Louisville. The Courier-Journal 's Velocity weekly has reported the area as a hip, emerging center of culture in Louisville. This change is reflected in numerous coffeehouses, restaurants and bars opening in Old Louisville in the 1990s and early 2000s targeting at
5125-602: The 50-acre (200,000 m ) tract between Broadway and Breckenridge, known as Jacob's Woods, a popular picnic ground as late as 1845. A major attraction was Oakland Race Track. Country estates had been built in the area as early as the 1830s, and some of Louisville's great early mansions, predominantly in the Italianate style, were built along Broadway, very near Old Louisville, before the Civil War. Development from 1850 to 1870 occurred between Broadway and Kentucky Street,
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5250-535: The ABA championship the following year. Although he had been hailed as a hero, first for saving the Colonels from moving to Cincinnati and then for bringing a championship to Louisville, Brown came under intense public criticism following the Colonels' championship season for selling the rights to center Dan Issel to the Baltimore Claws in a cost-saving move. He frequently clashed with coach Hubie Brown during
5375-589: The Boston Celtics. In 1970, Wendell Cherry assembled a group that included Brown to buy the American Basketball Association 's (ABA) Kentucky Colonels . Following the 1972–73 season, Cherry sold his interest in the Colonels to a group from Cincinnati ; Brown immediately purchased Cherry's interest from the group, reportedly to keep the team from moving to Cincinnati. He put his wife and a 10-woman board of directors in charge of
5500-585: The Braves for "Tiny" Archibald, Billy Knight, and Marvin Barnes . The move turned Boston fans against Brown, both because Kunnert and Washington were seen as key pieces of the team's future and because team president and legendary former coach Red Auerbach publicly stated that he was not consulted about the trade. The relationship between Brown and Auerbach worsened with Brown's decision to trade three first-round draft picks that Auerbach had planned to use to rebuild
5625-420: The Bullitt family gave the Filson complete title to the collection of Bullitt family papers, spanning over two centuries of life at Oxmoor, and generously endowed additional funding for scholarship, archiving, and programming expenses. As a component of the relationship with Oxmoor, Filson conducts several annual programs and events at Oxmoor. Oxmoor and a surrounding parcel of land are owned in trust and managed by
5750-576: The Ferguson mansion is one of Louisville's finest examples of beaux-arts architecture. Built for industrialist Edwin Hite Ferguson, it showcased his success and family's social status. Sold to the Pearson family in the 1920s, the mansion was a funeral home for almost half a century. After passing through two other owners – including serving as the campaign headquarters for former Kentucky governor John Y. Brown Jr. (b. 1933, governor of Kentucky 1979–1983) –
5875-610: The Filson holds an important museum collection of early Kentucky portraiture, Ohio Valley artists in various media, and textiles and historical clothing. The Filson's website has extensive collections listings with finding aids, a keyword-searchable database of manuscript collections, digital collections of photographs and museum objects, and a library catalog of rare books and pamphlets. Ohio Valley History regularly publishes collections essays by Filson archivists and curators that discuss new acquisitions, themes running across collections, and raising awareness of marginalized voices from within
6000-416: The Filson purchased the mansion and accompanying carriage house in 1984. Renovation and the addition of a stack for the collection were completed in the spring of 1986. The library, archival, and museum collections continued to grow, as did programming and staff, throughout the 1980s and 1990s; the Filson's name changed from "Club" to "Historical Society" as a focus on scholarly research on Ohio Valley history
6125-574: The Filson was able to begin assembling an important collection of original letters, diaries, business records, and other primary sources. Its holdings for the late eighteenth through mid-nineteenth centuries are unrivaled in Kentucky. The collection focuses on Kentucky, the Ohio Valley, and the Upland South. Still, it is national and even international in scope, with researchers from across the nation and abroad visiting each year. The Filson's unique holdings are essential primary sources for scholars of
6250-530: The Filson's archives, library, museum, and offices. As time passed, the administration and board began looking for a new location to accommodate a growing collection and staff, along with additional programming space. The purchase of the Edwin Hite Ferguson Mansion at 1310 South 3rd Street was finalized in 1984, the centennial of the Filson's existence, and the renovation and additions to the Filson's new home began. Building renovations and
6375-680: The House of Refuge. The principal road through the suburb at this time was Central Plank Road, which became Third Street. The emerging area was called the Southern Extension by this time. Growth south of Oak was very slow until the Southern Exposition was held annually in the area from 1883 to 1887. At the urging of Courier Journal editor Henry Watterson , the city held the Southern Exposition, which in
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#17327756960636500-532: The House of refuge, were filled in, predominantly with buildings in the Chateauesque and Renaissance Revival styles. This included one of Old Louisville's most famous sections, St. James Court, developed starting in 1890 and envisioned as a haven for the upper class, and was completely occupied by 1905. Described as "the epitome of Victorian eclecticism", the area included houses in such styles as Venetian , Colonial , Gothic and others. From 1890 to 1905
6625-496: The Lum's chain for $ 9.5 million to Friedrich Jahn's Wienerwald holding group in 1978. A few years later, Brown launched John Y's Chicken, a venture which also subsequently failed. Kenny Rogers Roasters , another chain founded with country music superstar Kenny Rogers , proved more successful. Concurrent with his post-KFC business ventures, Brown purchased an ownership stake in several professional basketball teams. He owned three professional basketball teams, one of those being
6750-519: The NBA's Buffalo Braves later in 1976. The Braves had posted a dismal 30–52 record in the 1975–76 season, and Brown immediately set out to make moves that would improve the franchise's fortunes in the next season. He re-signed All Star guard Randy Smith , who had threatened to leave as a free agent, then traded the club's first-round draft pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for center Swen Nater . In
6875-478: The Southern Extension, and the name "Old Louisville" did not come into use until the 1960s. Old Louisville was initially home to some of Louisville's wealthiest residents, but saw a decline in the early and mid-20th century. Following revitalization efforts and gentrification , Old Louisville is currently home to a diverse population with a high concentration of students and young professionals. Large-scale development in Louisville south of Broadway did not begin until
7000-889: The University of Chicago. This was due to the lack of a fireproof vault for document storage in Louisville. Unfortunately, much of the Filson Club's collections were incorporated into Durrett's collection, meaning a portion left the state. The Filson's collections that remained after the sale were transferred to the Filson Vice President Rogers Clark Ballard Thruston library, located in the Columbia Building at Fourth and Main Streets in Louisville, and were housed there until 1929. Thruston and other Filson members recognized
7125-633: The While: Black Freedom on Native Land , and Dan Gediman's presentation on reckoning with slavery in Kentucky. The Filson's programming hosts events such as the Gertrude Polk Brown lecture series, which regularly includes authors currently on national bestseller lists, such as David Blight, H. W. Brands, Liza Mundy, Fredrik Logevall, and Steve Inskeep; the Notable Louisville Neighborhoods series,
7250-497: The activists' efforts, the area was made a historic preservation district in 1975. The area has continued to improve, with new restaurants and shops opening and many students, and young professionals moving into the area. Property owners, who once cheaply converted the old houses to apartments, have invested more in improvements since the 1980s, and several properties have been converted into luxury condominiums. The median home value more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, increasing at
7375-509: The addition of 6 levels of temperature-controlled/secure stacks were completed throughout 1985. In the summer of 1986, the Filson's collections and staff moved into the new location, encompassing the mansion for offices and library/archival storage and a carriage house for storage and display. The Ferguson Mansion has been the Filson Historical Society's headquarters since 1986. Designed by the Dodd & Cobb architectural firm and completed in 1905,
7500-413: The area in the 1940s, had mostly negative connotations initially, as historian Samuel W. Thomas put it, "In an Era where architectural styles were changing dramatically, old meant out of fashion". One of the first to take an active role in preserving and revitalizing Old Louisville was Louisville Courier Journal writer J. Douglas Nunn. In 1960, he began a vigorous public information campaign concerning
7625-500: The area was home to the Amphitheatre Auditorium , which claimed the second largest stage in the United States and showcased many of the day's best actors. The structure, located at the corner of 4th and Hill Streets, was razed after its owner William Norton Jr. died. Another form of entertainment in the area was baseball, with the game first being played by 1860 and an early ballpark at Fourth and Ormsby emerging after
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#17327756960637750-518: The area. For example, one of these examples is a residential building, a mansion, at 400 Belgravia Court, which is a "walking court" where the mansions face a park like walk rather than a street. This specific building was completed in 1897 and one of its first residents was William H. Wathen, M.D., an eminent medical educator in Louisville from a family of successful distillers. Although some portions have been razed, many entire blocks remain almost untouched, and historian Theodore M. Brown said "it remains
7875-560: The area. Nunn compared it to neighborhoods such as Georgetown in Washington, D.C. and Beacon Hill in Boston. In 1961 Nunn took a leave of absence from his job and started "Restoration, Inc.", a group that restored ten homes in Old Louisville's Belgravia Court in 1961. This spurred interest in preservation that led many local activists to move to the area, and led to the first use of the name "Old Louisville" in print in that year. With
8000-418: The business into a chain, but five months after the Lexington location opened, both stores closed. Brown said he wanted to "revamp the whole format to get something even more convenient" and promised to re-open both stores at some unspecified future date. Investor John Shannon Bouchillon sued Brown and Somers, claiming they had deceived him both before and after his investment of $ 400,000. The case against Brown
8125-514: The city as a whole increased sharply in 2005 over the 2004 rate, although there was a decline again the first half of 2006. Old Louisville features the largest collection of pedestrian-only streets of any U.S. neighborhood. Eleven such "courts", where houses face each other across a grass median with sidewalks, were built in the neighborhood from 1891 to the 1920s. Most of the courts are centered off of 4th Street. Belgravia Court and Fountain Court were
8250-407: The city's House of Refuge, an area which is now the University of Louisville campus and the southern border of Old Louisville. A year later, architect Gideon Shryock called the area "a growing and beautiful suburban locality". By 1876 about a quarter of the area was occupied. Development continued as lots were sold southward to present day Oak Street, about a third of the way between Broadway and
8375-412: The collection. Since 2001, Filson has supported scholarly research in the collection with a fellowship program that has funded the work of over 250 scholars from institutions across the United States and the world. The Filson produces two quarterly publications: Ohio Valley History and The Filson news magazine. A collaboration of the Filson Historical Society, Cincinnati Museum Center , and
8500-432: The company into a worldwide success and sold his interest in the company for a huge profit in 1971. He then invested in several other restaurant ventures, but none matched the success of KFC. During the 1970s, he also owned, at various times, three professional basketball teams: the American Basketball Association 's Kentucky Colonels , and the National Basketball Association 's Boston Celtics and Buffalo Braves (currently
8625-470: The department, Metts doubled the miles of road that were resurfaced. Difficult economic times marked Brown's term in office. During his tenure, the state's unemployment rate climbed from 5.6 percent to 11.7 percent. Brown stuck to his campaign promise not to raise taxes. When state income fell short of expectations, he reduced the state budget by 22 percent and cut the number of state employees from 37,241 to 30,783, mostly through transfer and attrition. At
8750-561: The existing mansion, and Brown's wife Phyllis was given liberal input into the decision making. The state had expected to cover the cost of the repairs using federal revenue sharing funds, but President Jimmy Carter ordered a halt to the funds in May 1980. First lady Phyllis Brown organized a group called "Save the Mansion" to raise private funds to offset the repair costs. Independently wealthy, Governor Brown donated his first year's salary to
8875-427: The extra interest generated by this process generated an additional $ 50 million in revenue to the general fund. He opened communications and contacts with Japan, setting the stage for future economic relations between that country and Kentucky. Among his other accomplishments as governor were the implementation of competitive bidding for government contracts and passage of a weight-distance tax on trucks. Brown
9000-420: The first ones to be built in 1891 and are the most well known. Later ones included Reeser and Kensington (1910), which were built with large Victorian styled apartments instead of single family homes; and Eutropia and Rose Courts, which were the last ones built in the 1920s and featured small, single story houses. Belgravia and St. James Court were partially rehabilitated as a part of the urban renewal that began in
9125-445: The first public display of Thomas Edison 's light bulb, as well as what was billed as the largest artificial lighting display in history with 4,600 lamps, in a time when electric lighting was considered a novelty. During the 1880s, after the exposition ended, the area between Oak and Hill Streets rapidly developed and became one of the city's most fashionable neighborhoods. According to historian Young E. Allison , 260 homes valued at
9250-726: The following year, the Chamber named him one of the Outstanding Civic Leaders of America. Eventually, he became a member of both the Kentucky and Louisville Chambers of Commerce. The Louisville Junior Chamber of Commerce honored him as Louisville 's Outstanding Young Man in 1969, and he was inducted into the University of Kentucky Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni on November 6, 1970. In 1971, Brown sold his interest in KFC to Heublein for $ 284 million (equivalent to $ 2,136,650,781 in 2023). Using some of
9375-487: The founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and the two discussed selling Sanders' chicken in Brown's chain of barbecue restaurants. By 1964, Brown persuaded Jack C. Massey to purchase KFC from Sanders for $ 2 million (equivalent to $ 19,648,069 in 2023). The investment group changed the restaurant's format from the diner-style restaurant envisioned by Sanders to a fast-food take out model. Giving all their restaurants
9500-478: The franchise for Bob McAdoo . Again, Brown made the trade without consulting Auerbach. Auerbach almost left Boston to take a job with the New York Knicks as a result. Brown eventually sold his interest in the team to co-owner Harry Mangurian in 1979. Brown and his first wife divorced in 1977. On March 17, 1979, he married former Miss America and CBS sportscaster Phyllis George . The ceremony
9625-414: The general election. Because he owed few favors to established political leaders, he appointed many successful businesspeople to state posts instead of making political appointments. Following through on his campaign promise to make more diverse appointments, he named a woman and an African American to his cabinet. During his tenure, Brown exerted less influence over the legislature than previous governors and
9750-753: The headquarters of The Filson Historical Society . At its peak in the late 19th century, Old Louisville was the center of Louisville's high society, with nearly all persons listed in the Society Directory of Louisville having Old Louisville addresses. The directory also listed the reception days and hours of Old Louisville's leading ladies, which varied by street (such as Tuesdays on Fourth Street or Thursdays on Second). Old Louisville gradually declined as many of its wealthy inhabitants moved to newer streetcar suburbs such as Cherokee Triangle or built estates in areas east of Louisville recently connected by railroad such as Anchorage and Glenview . Many of
9875-803: The history of the Ohio River valley. The Filson Club was founded on May 15, 1884, by ten men, primarily Louisvillians, with a shared love of history. The primary founder and first president was Reuben T. Durrett . The organization was named in honor of John Filson , Kentucky's first Anglophone historian, and the centennial of his historical works, including a 1784 map of Kentucky and his book, The Discovery, Settlement, and Present State of Kentucke . Filson members met at founding president Reuben Durrett's home at 202 E. Chestnut at Brook Street in Louisville from 1884 to 1913. Here, Durrett maintained an extensive historical collection. During Durrett's final illness in 1913, arrangements were made to sell his collection to
10000-545: The investigation. On March 15, 1984, Brown filed to run as a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Walter Dee Huddleston just hours before the filing deadline. Six weeks later, on April 27, he withdrew his candidacy, citing the effects of his serious illness and surgery from the previous year. In 1987 , Brown again ran for governor, entering a crowded Democratic primary that included Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear , former governor Julian Carroll , Grady Stumbo, and political newcomer Wallace Wilkinson . He entered
10125-595: The large homes in Old Louisville were converted to boarding houses during the Great Depression , and the Ohio River flood of 1937 caused many of the remaining wealthy households to move above the river's flood plain. The gradual abandonment of Old Louisville by the wealthy was a reflection of changing lifestyles brought on by technology. Many homes of Old Louisville were originally built as mansions that would require several servants to maintain. Because of
10250-533: The leading candidate, Stovall was hampered during the campaign by ill health. During the campaign, Brown was attacked by McBrayer for refusing to release his federal tax returns. McBrayer also claimed that Brown had not voted in a Democratic primary since 1975, a charge validated by public voting records. Nevertheless, Brown won the primary by a margin of 25,000 votes. The race was so close that Sloane, Brown's closest competitor, refused to concede for two days. Brown defeated former Republican governor Louie Nunn in
10375-560: The legislature to gain power relative to the governor for the first time in Kentucky history, a trend which continued into the terms of his successors. During his term, Brown served as co-chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission and chair of the Southern States' Energy Board. In May 1981, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Kentucky, and in May 1982, he
10500-580: The mansion and grounds. The Oxmoor Preservation Committee was established under Thomas Walker Bullitt's will and is responsible for advising the Oxmoor trustee on the care and ongoing maintenance of the Oxmoor mansion and farm; the president and CEO of the Filson is a member of this committee, as are Bullitt family members. Through Mr. Bullitt's estate, the Filson received generous support to develop and enhance programming and research in line with Mr. Bullitt's general interests in philanthropy, education, preservation, and Kentucky history. A subsequent agreement with
10625-409: The need for a stand-alone building. A drive for funds was successfully conducted in 1926, and a property was purchased, remodeled, and fireproofed. In June 1929, the Filson's materials and Mr. Thruston's collection, which he gifted in full, were transferred to the club's new home at 118 West Breckinridge Street. Architect E. T. Hutchings renovated two townhouses into one Georgian-style building, housing
10750-401: The neighborhood, from around Kentucky Street to Broadway, was razed. Many buildings south of Lee Street, and nearly all south of Avery Street (renamed Cardinal Boulevard) were razed for the construction of Noe Middle School , expansions to DuPont Manual High School and the University of Louisville , and expansions to industry east of Floyd Street. From 1965 to 1971, 639 buildings were razed as
10875-492: The newly constructed Owsley Brown II History Center at 1310 South 3rd Street in October 2016. In 2017, the Filson began a new initiative to document, preserve, and study the history of Jewish life and experience in Louisville and the Ohio Valley region, establishing the Jewish Community Archive. In the summer of 2020, in response to protests against police killings of African-Americans , Filson published
11000-400: The northern extreme of what came to be called Old Louisville. North-south city streets were extended throughout the area in the 1850s, and a mulecar line was extended down Fourth to Oak in 1865. The land south of Broadway that became Old Louisville was annexed by the city in 1868, as a part of larger expansion efforts. This annexation moved the southern boundary of the city as far south as
11125-615: The novel, on 6th Street at Magnolia Avenue, which serves children of low-income families. During the Christmas holiday season a number of private homes are toured in the Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour. Old Louisville's boundaries are Kentucky Street to the north, Avery Street (Cardinal Boulevard) to the south, I-65 to the east, the CSX railroad tracks to the west. Originally, the neighborhood extended all
11250-444: The only nineteenth-century segment of the city that is mostly intact". Some American Craftsman style houses can be found in Old Louisville, which were built as infills. As of 2000, the population of Old Louisville was 11,043, of which 55.9% are white, 35.0% are black, 6.3% are listed as other, and 2.3% are Hispanic. College graduates are 24.5%, people without a high school degree are 22.6%, and people with college experience without
11375-483: The organization's mission to collect, preserve, and tell the stories of the Ohio Valley region. Published between 1926 and 2002, The Filson Club History Quarterly offered scholarly articles related to the history of Kentucky and the surrounding area and genealogy, news, and comments geared toward the Filson membership. Publications Old Louisville Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville , Kentucky , United States. It
11500-456: The popular television show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous . Other ads by Beshear played up Brown's ties to James P. Lambert, while still others claimed that Brown would raise taxes. Brown refuted Beshear's claims in ads of his own, and the battle between Beshear and Brown opened an opportunity for Wilkinson – who distinguished himself from the field by advocating for a state lottery – to make
11625-482: The profits from the KFC sale, Brown and some associates bought the Miami-based Lum's chain of restaurants from its founders, Stuart and Clifford S. Perlman , for $ 4 million. Of the 340-outlet beer-and-hot-dog chain, Brown said, "They did not have very good food. I figured that upgrading it would be my first task." Accordingly, he hired a group of young executives to find "the perfect hamburger". After
11750-612: The project. He waived his salary for the remainder of his term. The renovation and repairs were completed in March 1983, and the Brown family returned to the mansion in April. Because Brown owed few favors to the state's established politicians, many of his top appointees were businesspeople. Keeping a campaign promise to appoint a woman and an African American to his cabinet, Brown named William E. McAnulty Jr. , and Jacqueline Swigart to his cabinet. McAnulty resigned his post as secretary of
11875-404: The race late – filing his candidacy papers in late February before the primary election in late May. When Brown approached the state capitol to file his papers, Beshear met him outside the filing office and challenged him to an impromptu debate, but Brown declined. As Brown quickly became the frontrunner, Beshear attacked his lavish lifestyle in a series of campaign ads, one of which was based on
12000-413: The relatively high wages offered by manufacturing jobs, servants were no longer affordable to all but the wealthiest families by the mid-20th century. Interurban rail lines, and increasingly automobiles, meant that the wealthy no longer had to live so close to their businesses, and many chose to live in what had previously been summer homes in the county's east end. The lifestyle that created Old Louisville
12125-430: The rest of his football teammates. Motivated by his father's disapproval, Brown averaged $ 1,000 in monthly commissions from vacuum cleaner sales. After high school, Brown matriculated at the University of Kentucky , where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1957 and a law degree in 1960. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the golf team and Phi Delta Theta fraternity. While in law school, he made as much as $ 25,000
12250-453: The same time, his merit pay policies increased salaries for the remaining employees by an average of 34 percent. He cut the executive office staff from ninety-seven to thirty and sold seven of the state's eight government airplanes. Brown appointed a group of insurance experts to study the state's policies and put them out for bid, ultimately saving $ 2 million. He also required competitive bids from banks where state funds were deposited;
12375-709: The state with his business ventures and lavish lifestyle. Funding his campaign with his own personal fortune, Brown launched a massive media campaign promoting his candidacy to help him overcome his late start in the race. He promised to run the state government like a business and to be a salesman for the state as governor. Other candidates in the Democratic field included sitting lieutenant governor Thelma Stovall , former state representative Terry McBrayer (the choice of sitting governor Julian Carroll ), United States congressman Carroll Hubbard , state auditor George Adkins, and Louisville mayor Harvey I. Sloane . Initially
12500-546: The state's Justice Cabinet within one month, saying the position would keep him from spending enough time with his family. Brown re-appointed McAnulty to his former position as a judge with the Jefferson County District Court and replaced him with another African American, George W. Wilson. He also appointed Viola Davis Brown as Executive Director of the Office of Public Health Nursing in 1980. She
12625-414: The street lights are designed as old lamp posts and trash cans are ornamented with fleurs-de-lis , while on St. James Court there are gas lamp posts, 3rd and 2nd Streets have small light posts on the sidewalks, and Ouerbacker Court has cast iron decorative gates. After years of decline with abandoned buildings and high elderly populations, the demographics of Old Louisville began to change noticeably in
12750-410: The structure." The report went on to say that the mansion was a virtual firetrap. Upon receiving the report, Brown immediately moved his family out of the mansion and back to Cave Hill, his estate in Lexington . The Department of Buildings and Construction forbade use of the mansion for overnight purposes or group meetings until repairs could be made. Brown's Cave Hill estate was officially designated
12875-565: The success he experienced early in his career. In 1991, Brown formed a partnership with recording artist Kenny Rogers , co-founding and serving as CEO of Kenny Rogers Roasters , an international chain of wood-roasted chicken restaurants. The founding of Kenny Rogers Roasters was part of a larger movement in the restaurant industry toward healthier, take-home offerings. Roasters immediately found itself in competition with Boston Chicken (later known as Boston Market ) and several smaller roasted chicken chains. Kentucky Fried Chicken also introduced
13000-537: The team from the owner Paul Snyder . The following year, Brown traded franchises with Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin . The move allowed Levin to move his franchise to his home state of California , while giving Brown ownership of one of the league's most storied franchises. Two weeks before the swap of franchises was made official, details of a six-player trade between the two were reported. Boston sent Freeman Williams , Kevin Kunnert , and Kermit Washington to
13125-485: The team. Colonels general manager Mike Storen felt that this was a sign that Brown was going to run the team "his way" and left the team as a result; two months later, he accepted the job of ABA league commissioner. Head coach Joe Mullaney followed soon after, saying that Brown was going to be too meddlesome in personnel decisions. Babe McCarthy lasted only one season as Mullaney's replacement; in 1975, Brown hired Hubie Brown (no relation) as head coach. The team won
13250-501: The temporary executive mansion, and the state agreed to furnish Brown's groceries, reimburse him for entertaining official guests, and pay for telephone calls made in his capacity as governor. He was also given a travel allowance. In March 1980, the General Assembly created a committee to study whether it would be more feasible to construct a new governor's mansion or repair the old one. Ultimately, they decided to renovate
13375-522: The way to Broadway on the north, Attwood Street on the south, and Floyd Street on the East; but the northern part was mostly razed for parking lots and light industry , the southern area between Attwood and Avery Streets (now Cardinal Blvd) was razed when the University of Louisville doubled the size of its main campus, and I-65 was built through the area in the 1960s, which created a physical barrier between it and Shelby Park neighborhood. Old Louisville
13500-557: The words of Watterson, was meant to "advance the material welfare of the producing classes of the South and West." It was held on 45 acres (180,000 m ) at the heart of Old Louisville, where St. James Court and Central Park (originally Dupont Square) would eventually be located, and included a 600 by 900-foot (270 m) enclosed exhibition building. The Exposition was opened by President Chester Arthur and attracted nearly one million visitors in its first year. The exhibition featured
13625-557: The younger crowd. Old Louisville is one of the most liberal neighborhoods in Louisville and the state of Kentucky. In 2004 , it voted for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry by a 60% margin and against a successful proposal to amend the state constitution to define marriage as "between one man and one woman" by a 66% margin. 38°13′48″N 85°45′47″W / 38.22995°N 85.76297°W / 38.22995; -85.76297 John Y. Brown Jr. John Young Brown Jr. (December 28, 1933 – November 22, 2022)
13750-544: Was comatose . He had no pulse for a period of time, and one of his lungs partially collapsed. Brown's office tried to conceal the seriousness of his condition, drawing fire from the press. Following his recovery, he gave up smoking and took up jogging. In Kentucky's Governors , Brown biographer Mary K. Bonsteel Tachau said of his administration: "There were no scandals. Neither he nor any of his people were accused of corruption." Scandal did touch Brown personally, however, as well as some of his close associates. In 1981, he
13875-564: Was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky and a member of the Kentucky General Assembly for nearly three decades, including a term as Speaker of the House . John Sr. was named for, but not related to, the nineteenth century governor of the same name . A 1979 People magazine article recounts that the elder Brown's nine unsuccessful political races – for either governor or
14000-546: Was an American politician and entrepreneur from Kentucky . He served as the 55th governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983, and built Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) into a multimillion-dollar restaurant chain. The son of United States Congressman John Y. Brown Sr. , Brown's talent for business became evident in college, where he made a substantial amount of money selling Encyclopædia Britannica sets. After briefly practicing law with his father, he purchased Kentucky Fried Chicken from founder Harland Sanders in 1964. Brown turned
14125-534: Was approximately ten times the cost of the neighboring Victorian homes. At the time, the mansion was the most expensive home in Louisville. In the 1920s, the Fergusons sold the home to the Pearson family, and it served as the Pearson Funeral Home until the mid-1970s. The house also provided the headquarters for John Y. Brown Jr. 's successful 1979 gubernatorial campaign. In 1986, the mansion became
14250-569: Was dropped before it went to trial. In 2011, a Fayette County, Kentucky judge dismissed the suit against Somers for lack of evidence. Brown refused to serve on the inaugural committee of his old political foe, Steve Beshear, when Beshear was elected governor in 2007. All of Kentucky's living former Democratic governors were invited to participate, and each accepted the invitation with the exception of Brown. Of his refusal, Brown stated "I don't respect him. I don't want to be part of it. I'm not really interested in being politically correct." Referring to
14375-563: Was effectively obsolete. In the interwar period , many of the neighborhood's old mansions were hastily converted into apartments to house the growing labor supply, a practice encouraged by the federal government at the time through low-interest loans. However, after World War II, with the housing shortage solved by large-scale suburban development affordable to the middle class, vacancy rates in Old Louisville surged. To attract renters, landlords in Old Louisville had to lower rents dramatically, attracting less affluent tenants. A large section of
14500-420: Was frequently absent from the state, leaving Lieutenant Governor Martha Layne Collins as acting governor for more than one-quarter of his term. He briefly competed for the U.S. Senate after his gubernatorial term in the 1984 election but withdrew from the race after only six weeks, citing health issues. He continued to invest in business ventures, the most high profile of which was Kenny Rogers Roasters ,
14625-740: Was introduced. Plans to expand the 3rd Street campus began in 2002 with the purchase of the Bank One building located at 4th and Ormsby, a 60,000 sq ft building with two parking lots. The Filson's major expansion began in the 2010s with renovations to the Ferguson Mansion and carriage house and the construction of the Owsley Brown II History Center, creating space for exhibition galleries, expanded library and special collections reading rooms, programming, and event rental venues. The Filson opened its renovated campus and
14750-665: Was investigated for withdrawing $ 1.3 million in personal cash from the All American Bank of Miami. The bank failed to report the transaction to the Internal Revenue Service as required by law. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation probed the matter in 1983, Brown claimed he withdrew the money to cover gambling debts he ran up during "one bad night gambling" in Las Vegas . Brown, who
14875-437: Was less involved with the legislative process than previous governors. For example, he did not attempt to influence the choice of legislative leadership, while most previous governors had practically hand-selected the presiding officers in each house. During one of the two legislative sessions of his term, he went on vacation. Consequently, many of his legislative recommendations were not enacted. Among his failed proposals were
15000-493: Was living at the time. After a brief legal fight over whether the proceedings should take place in Kentucky or Florida, the divorce became final in 1998. Later that year, he married former Mrs. Kentucky Jill Louise Roach, 27 years his junior, but they divorced in 2003 for reasons not released. When asked why they divorced he stated "I do have great love for Jill, but something which cannot be overlooked has come up in our marriage. I will always love her and her children, but it seems
15125-870: Was named honorary chairman of the National Democratic Party in 1972. Later that year, he considered running for the U.S. Senate , but decided against it once former governor Louie Nunn entered the race. From 1972 to 1974, he hosted the Democratic National Telethon. He founded the Governor's Economic Development Commission of Kentucky and served as chair from 1975 to 1977. On March 27, 1979, Brown interrupted his honeymoon with Phyllis George to announce his candidacy for governor of Kentucky. The announcement surprised most political observers because of his prior political apathy and because Brown had spent considerable time out of
15250-524: Was not the focus of the FBI's investigation, later recanted that statement. Some of Brown's associates were involved with a Lexington cocaine and gun-smuggling ring called "The Company". James P. Lambert, an associate of Brown's since they attended the University of Kentucky together, was indicted on more than 60 drug charges. Phone records also showed calls from the governor's mansion to several individuals eventually convicted of drug charges in connection with
15375-578: Was performed by Norman Vincent Peale . Brown and George had two children, Lincoln Tyler George Brown and Pamela Ashley Brown . Unlike his father, Brown showed only a passing interest in politics prior to 1979. In the 1960 election, he was named vice-chairman of John F. Kennedy 's presidential campaign in Kentucky . He was a member of the Young Leadership Council of the Democratic National Committee , and
15500-399: Was the first African American nurse to lead a state office of public health nursing in the United States. His most controversial appointment was Frank Metts, his secretary of transportation. Metts broke with political tradition in Kentucky, announcing that contracts would be awarded on the basis of competitive bids and performance rather than political patronage. Despite cutting personnel from
15625-575: Was the recipient of the Father of the Year award. In September 1983, the national Democratic Party named him Democrat of the Year, and he was later made the party's lifetime Honorary Treasurer. In 1982, Brown was briefly hospitalized for hypertension , and near the end of his term, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery . While recovering from the surgery, Brown suffered a rare pulmonary disease, keeping him hospitalized for weeks, during part of which time he
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