Read the stories that keep Louisville weird.
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Keep Louisville mysterious

12 Louisville mysteries and legends
Iron gate with headstones in the background.
A 19th century cemetery is in a parking lot of Hobby Lobby. | Photo by LOUtoday
Muhammad Ali, the Kentucky Derby, bourbon, and Kentucky Fried Chicken helped create the tapestry of Louisville. But the city’s lesser known, more mysterious marvels weave in stories that “keep Louisville weird.”

Here are nine Louisville (mostly solved) mysteries, legends, and strange phenomena that give “Unsolved Mysteries” host Robert Stack a run for his money.

Plane crash at Headliners Music Hall

Covered in graffiti and set into the hillside of this Irish Hill music venue, the wreckage from the Cliffhangers plane crash is a 30+ year-old legend that keeps visitors guessing. Was there more to a bar’s elaborate marketing gimmick?

High-speed UFO chase

During a routine helicopter patrol in 1993, two Jefferson County police officers engaged in a two-minute chase with a pear-shaped object the size of a basketball moving at 100 mph.

Parking lot cemetery

Most people never notice the row of hedges in the middle of the Springs Shopping Center in St. Matthews — but behind the tall greenery lies a 19th-century graveyard.

The opening of two gray stone caverns in a grass covered hill.

Lagering tunnels at Gravely Brewing Co. represent hundreds of years of Louisville brewing culture.

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Photo by LOUtoday

Creepy caves

Gravely Brewing Co. isn’t just home to music-themed beer. It also has two grass-covered tunnels lurking in its backyard.

Monsters, goblins, and beasts, oh my

Meet the legendary cryptids of Derby City, including the Demon Leaper of Walnut Street Baptist Church.

Hotel ghosts

Some guests never leave the Seelbach Hilton Hotel.

LOUtoday: Caufield's Novelty through the years

Caufield’s Novelty as it is today at 1006 W. Main St.

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Photo courtesy of Caufield’s Novelty

World’s largest vampire bat

This 36-ft tall bat has been hanging upside down on the side of a 100-year-old novelty shop for over 20 years.

Knotted tree with various trinkets.

See the Witches’ Tree on the corner of 6th Street and Park Avenue in Old Louisville.

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Photo by LOUtoday

A wicked witch tree

A knotted and gnarly tree in Old Louisville conjures up a stormy tale of witchcraft.

An ancient Egyptian mummy

Having floated out of her coffin in 1937, Then-Hotep has made quite the journey to her final resting place inside the Kentucky Science Center.
Asked

True or false: the term “little green men” was coined in Kentucky.
A. True
B. False
Test your UFO knowledge
Louisville Water Co.
 
Events
Tuesday, May 9
  • Louisville Bats vs. Columbus Clippers | Tuesday, May 9 | 6:05 p.m. | Louisville Slugger Field, 401 E. Main St., Louisville | $9-$56 | Enjoy $2 hot dogs, popcorn, chips + sodas while cheering on the bats.
Wednesday, May 10
  • Alice Cooper | Wednesday, May 10 | 8 p.m. | Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St., Louisville | $49.50-$99.50 | Hear this raspy voiced American rock singer known for his stage illusions, like pyrotechnics and reptiles.
Thursday, May 11
  • S. 4th Night Market | Thursday, May 11 | 4-8 p.m. | Downtown, S. 4th St. between Guthrie and West Chestnut Streets, Louisville | Free | Shop this outdoor pop-up market + grab a bite to eat from a local food vendor.
Friday, May 12
  • QiGong Spring Series with Martha | Friday, May 12 | 10-11 a.m. | Fox Hollow Farms, 8905 Hwy. 329, Crestwood | $15-$65 | Try this 4,000-year-old Chinese movement and meditation practice.
Saturday, May 13
  • The How-To Festival | Saturday, May 13 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Louisville Free Public Library Main Branch, 301 York St., Louisville | Free | Learn how to do 50+ things in five hours — like Flamenco dancing, printmaking, and ghost hunting.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Louisville City FC
 
Drink

💧 Stay hydrated, Louisville
a woman stands next to a mascot that's shaped like a cup of water
Louisville Water is an anchor in the region, delivering water to nearly 1 million people in Louisville Metro and parts of Bullitt and Oldham counties. | Photo provided by Louisville Water Co.
ICYMI, it’s National Drinking Water Week. And we’re in luck, Louisville— for the 16th consecutive year, Louisville Pure Tap® received an A+ with zero water quality violations. Read: Our high-quality drinking water is considered a model in the industry.

Louisvillians can celebrate our water by participating in Walking Wednesdays (returning on Wednesday, May 10). This event welcomes walkers to the Crescent Hill Reservoir and allows them to enter the Gatehouse from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month now through October.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to bring your refillable water bottle to stay hydrated when you’re on the go.*
The Louisville Pure Tap® difference
News Notes
Louisvillians
  • Two Louisville firefighters, John Martin and Sean McAdam, were honored at the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Maryland. The annual tribute recognized 79 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2022. Their names were inscribed on a bronze plaque at the national monument in Memorial Park.
Number
  • 150,335. That’s how many people showed up at Churchill Downs to watch the 149th Kentucky Derby — up from 147,294 last year. At 16-1 odds, Mage won the Run for the Roses, winning his owner group OGMA Investments $1.86 million. (Louisville Business First)
Cause
  • In more Jack Harlow news… The Louisville rapper started the Jack Harlow Foundation, which was announced on Wednesday, May 3 — AKA Jackman Day. The foundation aims to support existing Louisville organizations. The first four nonprofits to receive financial gifts were Adelante Hispanic Achievers, Centro Latino, Russell: A Place of Promise, and Sponsor4Success. (Hip Hop DX)
Sports
  • This time next year, Valhalla Golf Club in East Louisville will host the 2024 PGA Championship — and they’re making some upgrades. The project includes lengthening four holes with new tee boxes and adding a 13th-hole water feature + a large-scale, Kentucky-themed clubhouse. (WDRB)
Eat
  • The Asia Institute Crane House is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander this month with a Taste of Asia Block Party on Saturday, May 20 at the 300 block of West Woodlawn in South Louisville. The free, family-friendly event includes Asian-themed food trucks, live music, and vendors from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Travel
  • Need a getaway? Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) is offering new low-fare direct flights to Minneapolis, MN via Sun Country Airlines. In ~2 hours, you could be exploring the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, wandering around the iconic Mall of America®, catching a Minnesota Twins game, and so much more.*
Drink
  • Pro tip: Keep a refillable bottle with you so you can drink our city’s award-winning, high-quality Louisville Pure Tap® water throughout National Drinking Water Week and beyond. Hint: It’s the best way to stay hydrated + healthy. Learn more.*
Real Estate
  • No industry has changed as much as real estate in the last two years. If you’re wondering if your home has increased in value, it probably has. Use this tool to find out.*
Shop
  • She doesn’t need another bouquet of flowers — give mom the gift of learning a new language instead. Bonus: Get 55% off.*
  • It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and we’re helping you choose the perfect gift for your favorite educators. Show them love with Marble and Steel Craft Chocolates or a handwritten note using a Joy Paper Co. card.
 
Outdoors

🌳 Come see about bonsai trees

See dozens of bonsai trees at Waterfront Botanical Gardens
Small tree growing out of a rock.
The Greater Louisville Bonsai Society is a membership-based club that’s been around since the 1970s. | Photo via Pexels
In excitement for the Waterfront Botanical Gardens’ forthcoming, two-acre Japanese Garden, the Clifton-based botanical gardens, which was built on top of a former city dump, is hosting a Spring Bonsai Weekend this month.

The free, two-day event will take place on Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, 12-4 p.m.

In collaboration with the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society (established in 1971), the non-juried bonsai show will give plant lovers a look into this Japanese + East Asian art of growing miniature trees with 12+ bonsais on display. The weekend also includes presentations, people’s choice awards, and — on Sunday — Japanese cultural demonstrations.
The Wrap
 
Katie Molck in a yellow sweater

Today’s edition by:
Katie
From the editor
Want to solve your own Louisville mystery? Pull out your magnifying glass and check out these three clue-solving events.
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