A drive through history 🚗

Drive down one of Louisville’s last remaining cobblestone streets

Brick street on a slope with a white care driving down.

Back in the day, bricks were cheaper than clay or gravel — making them a popular material to make roads. | Photo by LOUtoday

If you’ve done any amount of driving in the Crescent Hill area, you’ve likely driven up or down the bumpy slope connecting Grinstead Drive to Frankfort Avenue known as the Peterson Avenue Hill.

The 603-ft by 30-ft cobblestone incline — part of South Peterson Avenue — is one of the last remaining brick streets in Derby City. While the drive is short, its history is not.

So, next time your car wheels hit the bricks of the Peterson Avenue Hill, let it jolt you back in time and think of these three historical pit stops about the street listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

📍 A road is born

Peterson Avenue was constructed in 1902 with vitrified bricks laid at an angle in a sand base for traction. It was built as the Peterson-Dumesnil House estate was divided into the growing Crescent Hill neighborhood. Named after Joseph Peterson, the prominent tobacco salesman who built the Peterson-Dumesnil home some time between 1869-1870, the avenue was laid just west of the house’s original driveway.

Today, the angling of the brick on the street is the only one of its kind still in existence in Derby City.

📍 An oral tradition

Local lore around the hill tells the story of the early 19th century automobile in Louisville. Local car dealers would say their vehicles could take Peterson Hill in high gear, no problem — and many put the claim to test on the street. Legend says the fire department would also use the hill to test its new fire engines.

Blue and white ceramic tiles laid into a concrete wall. — You can see small ceramic tiles denoting Peterson Hill a landmark if you walk up the avenue.

📍 Becoming a landmark

In 1979, the hill became a local landmark and was officially listed on the National Register Historic of Historic Places in 1980. Today, you can read about the hill’s history via the small blue, ceramic tiles laid into a cement wall about halfway up the slope.

Do you know of another cobblestone road in the city we should check out next? Tell us where.

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

The Moth StorySLAM | Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 8 p.m. | Headliners Music Hall, 1386 Lexington Rd., Louisville | $15 | Hear members of the audience tell five-minute stories around their vices in this storytelling competition.
Dancing With The Stars: Live! - 2023 Tour | Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 8 p.m. | Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St., Louisville | $39-$160 | See the hit TV show performed live with special guests like Vinny Guadagnino from “Jersey Shore.”

Wednesday, Feb. 8

February Plant Release | Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 9 a.m. | Online | Prices vary | Get your shade perennial plants for the spring 2023 growing season.
Couples Paint N’ Sip | Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Noche Mexican BBQ, 1838 Bardstown Rd., Louisville | $140 | Paint a masterpiece with your partner in this class that includes all supplies, a complimentary drink per person, and cupcakes.

Thursday, Feb. 9

Flower Hour | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Nanz & Kraft Florists, 141 Breckenridge Ln., Louisville | $20 suggested donation | Sip Four Roses bourbon and snack on complimentary hors d’oeuvres while shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts at this tasting event benefiting the American Heart Association.

Saturday, Feb. 11

February Biergarten | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 6-10 p.m. | German American Club, 1840 Lincoln Ave., Louisville | Free to attend | Listen to live music while digging into German food and beer.

Sunday, Feb. 12

Eat Your Heart Out! Annual Art Show 2023 | Sunday, Feb. 12 | 5-10 p.m. | Highlands Tap Room Bar & Grill, 1058 Bardstown Rd., Louisville | Free | Shop for gifts at this Valentine’s Day-themed group art show.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

MORE TO DO THIS WAY

Weather

56º | Evening showers | 55% chance of rain

Closed

Soul food restaurant Sweet Peaches closed its doors on Sunday in the Russell neighborhood, but not for long. In the coming weeks, it will reopen under new ownership as Tino’s Taste of Heaven and continue to serve up dishes like liver and onions, salmon croquettes, and cornbread dressing. (WDRB)

Community

Champions Park — formerly the River Road Country Club — is home to a new, 18-hole disc golf course. Located near the intersection of River Road and Zorn Avenue, the course is available for use on a first-come, first-serve basis. With this addition, Louisville now has three disc golf courses. 🥏

Travel

Orlando, FL, Las Vegas, and Atlanta were among the top three travel destinations from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport during the third quarter of 2022 based on passenger data. More than 115,500 people flew to Orlando making it the No.1 flight destination. (Louisville Business First)

Answered

Last week, we shared the city’s Large Item Pickup service changes and quizzed you on whether or not vehicle tires were acceptable large items. Out of 134 responses, 41 readers got the answer right. Tires are accepted items for Large Item Pickup. 🛞

Plan Ahead

Get a jumpstart on St. Patrick’s Day plans — from Irish eats to snagging a green beer, check out the best restaurants + events to celebrate St. Patty’s Day in LOU. 🍀 *

Eat

Between school activities and a busy lifestyle, it can be easy to turn to the drive thru or takeout. Home Cuisine puts the “easy” back into evening meals by delivering chef-crafted dinners straight to your front door. Explore meal plans — and let Home Cuisine do the cooking for you. 🍽️ *

Shop

What’s getting us through February: Our humidifiers. We love the Levoit Blue Cool Humidifier for its quiet design, multiple mist levels, and how easy it is to clean. Do your skin (not to mention, your houseplants) a favor and up your home hydration.*

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So nice, it’s boiling twice 🦞

North of Bourbon dishing out 2 crawfish boils on Fat Tuesday

Large, yellow dish filled with red crawfish.

Crawfish will be available at North of Bourbon and Headliners Music Hall for Mardi Gras. | Photo provided

North of Bourbon will be slinging those red, freshwater crustaceans not once, but twice on Fat Tuesday this year.

On February 21, you can dig into a seafood boil at the restaurant on Goss Avenue from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. King cakes, hurricane cocktails, and other Mardi Gras specials will also be offered all week long.

A crawfish hangs from the pocket of a black, button-up shirt. — This will be the third crawfish boil from Chef Lawrence Weeks at North of Bourbon.

Then later that day, North of Bourbon will head to Headliners Music Hall to cook up a second boil during Shamarrdi Gras Tour featuring New Orleans trumpet player Shamarr Allen and special guests Hot Sauce Brass Band. Tickets to the show, which starts at 8 p.m., are $20 and the crawfish boil will be available by the pound for $15.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Katie.

Editor’s pick: While I’m excited to see Rihanna take the stage for the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, I’m equally as jazzed to see that Kentucky-native Chris Stapleton will sing the National Anthem.

My Stapleton anthem? “Starting Over.”

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? This downtown BBQ restaurant changed its menu to house-grind burgers.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Katie Molck, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Mandey Lee | Advertise with us.

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