Plus, get up close with historic planes this weekend.
 
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Picture this on a postcard

Louisville’s most iconic landmarks

A large, abandoned sanatorium
Kentucky ranked ninth for the most haunted locations in the country at 412 — Waverly Hills Sanatorium among them. | Photo by @theghoulguide + @ayeitzkinedy
We’ve all been there: Someone’s trying to give you directions by describing 10 lefts, 20 rights, and a jumble of cardinal directions. Isn’t it easier to just point out a landmark?

That’s exactly what we’re doing. We have 16 of the most recognizable landmarks in Derby City — from a burger stand to the facade of a 19th-century house. Not only are these local icons easy to remember, but they’ll also get you where you need to go in a jiffy.

Slugger Museum and Factory.jpg

At 68,000 pounds, the Big Bat at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is the world’s largest baseball bat.

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Photo Courtesy of Louisville Tourism

Louisville Slugger Bat
Address: 800 W. Main St.
Nearby: Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Science Center, Whiskey Row distilleries

The World’s Largest baseball bat stands 120-ft tall + weighs ~68,000 pounds, and sits against the exterior wall of the Louisville Slugger Museum. Fun fact: The steel structure is an exact-scale replica of Babe Ruth’s iconic 34-inch Louisville Slugger.

Statue of David
Address: 700 W. Main St.
Nearby: Fort Nelson Park, KMAC Contemporary Art Museum, Muhammad Ali Center

Erected in 2012, this replica of the Michelangelo’s renaissance sculpture stands 30-ft tall — that’s twice the size of the original. Originally planned as a temporary installation, it traveled to the 21c Hotel from Istanbul, Turkey via New York City.

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The Heigold House was originally located at 264 Marion St. in Louisville’s The Point neighborhood — neither the street nor the neighborhood exist anymore.

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Photo by LOUtoday

Heigold House
Address: 332-402 Frankfort Ave.
Nearby: Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Pizza Lupo, Hadley Pottery

Known as the “Door to Nowhere,” the historic home facade sits in the middle of Frankfort Avenue. It dates to 1857, and was the home German immigrant Christian H. Heigold, a stonecutter who built the steps to Metro Hall. Bonus: It’s a great place to have a sitor a cry.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Address: 4400 Paralee Dr.
Nearby: Bobby Nichols Golf Course, Waverly Park, Dixie Highway

Arguably Louisville’s most haunted location, this former tuberculosis hospital features Gothic Roman architecture and is home to the “Death Tunnel” — it was the setting for a horror film of the same name that received a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
12 more landmarks
 
Events
Thursday, Oct. 3
Friday, Oct. 4
  • Saint James Court Art Show | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Old Louisville | Free | Shop hundreds of artists at the 68th annual edition of this Louisville tradition, a nationally recognized juried fine arts fair.
  • Eastern Cemetery Historical Walk | Friday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 5 | 7:30-11:30 p.m. | Eastern Cemetery | $12+ | Learn the stories behind the gravestones at this 28-acre cemetery where 138,000 are buried.
  • Louisville Live | Friday, Oct. 4 | 8 p.m. | KFC YUM! Center | $15 | See the Cards basketball teams take the court for the first time to tip off hoops season.
Saturday, Oct. 5
  • ThriftCon | Saturday, Oct. 5-Sunday, Oct. 6 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Kentucky Expo Center | $14+ | Shop 140+ vintage vendors from all over the country.
  • BowmanFest | Saturday, Oct. 5-Sunday, Oct. 6 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Bowman Field | $15+ | See historic planes + military vehicles up close, then get a bird’s eye view of Derby City with a ride in a plane or helicopter.
  • Racing Louisville vs. Kansas City Current | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Lynn Family Stadium | $19+ | You won’t have to visit a galaxy far, far away to enjoy the iconic series serving as a backdrop to this key, late-season game.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Traffic
  • A one-mile stretch of East Jefferson Street will open to two-way traffic on Sunday, Oct. 6. The $3.2 million project to convert the stretch of East Jefferson — between Baxter Avenue and Brook Street — began in March and was completed earlier this week.
Sports
  • The NCAA has selected the KFC Yum! Center to host first and second round games of the 2027 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Additionally, the University of Louisville will host the 2026 NCAA Field Hockey Championship on campus at Trager Stadium.
History
Seasonal
  • The Iroquois Park Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular is now open. Wear your favorite ghoulish garb and take an evening stroll to see thousands of carved pumpkins through Saturday, Nov. 2. Tickets start at $12.
Holiday
  • It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year. This winter, Gardens Aglimmer returns to the Waterfront Botanical Gardens and tickets are on sale now, starting at $12. The fifth annual event will shine from Friday, Nov. 29 through Monday, Dec. 30.
Cause
  • The 2024 Louisville Earth Walk is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 26. Head to the Shawnee Park Pavilion at 9 a.m. to celebrate conservation with 10 local nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting clean water, air, and soil. Register in advance to take part.
Plan Ahead
  • Ain’t no party like a block party. Shelby Park will be the site of a block party on Saturday, Oct. 19. All Together Now will feature music, poetry, vendors, and more, from 12 to 6 p.m. See the full lineup of acts + vendors.
Listen
  • The Louisville football team is averaging 41.5 points per game — that’s fifth-most in the ACC. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Louisville Cardinals with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
    Drink
    • What do salted caramel, cherry cobbler, and blood orange have in common? They’re some of the seasonal flavors you can find on the menu at 7 Brew Coffee. What are you sipping on this fall, Louisville? Let us know.*
    Travel
    Number
     
    On This Day

    A blast from the past

    Remembering the Belknap building implosion from 1993

    A crowd gathers in front of a large brick building.
    A large crowd gathered to see the MTV broadcast of the implosion. | Image via WHAS11
    On October 3, 1993, Derby City was Demolition City.

    On that day, workers imploded the ~70-year-old Belknap building in a nationally televised MTV special. Now, 31 years later, let’s take a look back.

    Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company

    Located where the Humana plaza is today, the building was part of the Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company. Founded in 1840, the Louisville-based company was a leading national manufacturer of metal tools like hammers, nails, and pocket knives. The company ceased operations in 1985.

    If the Belknap name sounds familiar, here’s why:
    • The University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus was named after the company’s founder, William R. Belknap.
    • Louisville’s Belknap Neighborhood — located west of Bardstown Road near Bellarmine University — was also named after the family.

    Demolition day

    When Humana purchased the property and announced an intention to demolish it, MTV and Warner Bros. got involved to promote the 1993 action movie, “Demolition Man.”
    More on how it all went down
    The Buy

    The Buy 10.03.24 (Affiliate)

    This stretchy knit lounge set. Take this versatile, v-neck tracksuit with you on your next travel adventure or wear at home for maximum comfort and style.
    More worth The Buy
     
    The Wrap
     
    Jeff-Milby-headshot-LOU

    Today’s edition by:
    Jeff

    From the editor
    Speaking of landmarks — and lost landmarks — one of the first pieces I wrote here at LOUtoday was about another iconic downtown building that is no longer with us: The U.S. Post Office and Customs House would be a sight to behold today.
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