Warm wishes, Louisville. We are taking a pause on newsletters to spend time with our loved ones. We’ll see you back in your inboxes at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 + Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
🎁 To Louisville, with love
The American Pearl is part of the Frazier History Museum’s “Cool Kentucky” exhibit. | Photo via Frazier History Museum
It’s a beaut, LOU, it’s a beaut.
This holiday season we’re unwrapping a few presents you won’t find under a tree or in a store. From commissioned artworks to museum donations and historical artifacts, check out these four gifts given to Louisville through the years.
Tori Murden McClure’s rowboat | This December the former Spalding University president donated the American Pearl, which was the boat that made her the first woman and first American to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, to the Frazier History Museum.
Hogan’s Fountain | This Cherokee Park landmark was gifted to the city in 1904 by prominent merchants Mr. and Mrs. William J. Hogan, who commissioned the artwork for $7,000 in 1903.
The beam has been used in 9/11 ceremonies at the Louisville Fire Department’s headquarters in the Russell neighborhood to throughout the years.
Photo by WHAS-TV
Steel beam from the World Trade Center | In 2011, a 116-lb beam recovered from Ground Zero was given to Louisville’s Mercer Transportation from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Lottie was made by artist Louis Paul Jonas for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York where over 50 million people came to see her.
Photo by Kentucky Science Center
Lottie the triceratops | Originally commissioned as one of nine fiberglass dinosaurs by the Sinclair Oil company for the 1964 World’s Fair, Lottie was gifted to Derby City by the fair after a tour across the US.
Last-minute gift hack: Go digital with a three, six, or 12-month Audible membership so they can listen to all their favorite genres + authors.*
The Buy
The Buy
That Escalated Quickly, a party game for friends and family who love quirky, interactive games. Work together to sort answers to a prompt from least to most intense — get it right, and everyone wins.
Hey, don’t forget to do something nice for yourself. Could be a quick stretch, could be your favorite beverage. We’re our best selves when we treat ourselves best, after all.
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