Highlands-Douglass Neighborhood Association

Highlands-Douglass Neighborhood Association

HISTORY AND LANDMARKS OF THE HIGHLANDS DOUGLASS NEIGHBORHOOD

The original core of the neighborhood was “Woodbourne”’ an estate of approximately 200 acres assembled during the 1830s by Starks Fielding, a Mississippi cotton planter. The focal point of the estate was an imposing, white-columned Southern Colonial mansion, located today between Woodford Place and Douglass Boulevard adjacent to Douglass Boulevard Christian Church. The home was purchased by the church in 1949, renamed after Brinley, a former pastor , and now serves as a religious education facility.
In 1870 Woodbourne was purchased by George L. Douglass, an executive of Western Union. Upon Douglass’s death, the estate passed into the hands of his daughter, Mrs. S.R. Carter. Shortly after the creation of Cherokee Park, she donated several acres of the estate to the Board of Parks Commissioners as part of the park. Included in the donation was Big Rock, one of the park’s most popular features. But the vast majority of the property was laid out during the early twentieth century as Douglass Park Subdivision.
The combination of large historical revival and Victorian houses and apartment buildings located along Woodford Place, Douglass Boulevard, and Woodbourne Avenue between Bardstown Road and Ellerbe Avenue suggest that the western half of Douglass Park Subdivision developed at a fairly rapid pace. A major factor in this development was the extension of the Bardstown Road streetcar line to Douglass Boulevard, early in the 20th century. By the mid 1920’s the Douglass Loop was a thriving commercial district. The eastern half, however did not geow rapidly. A few older historical revival homes attest that some residential development did occur before the depression. But most of the area was resubdivided into six smaller units between 1938 and 1952. The numerous resubdivisions of the eastern portion of Douglass Park help to explain the mixture of historical revival and contemporary brick and stone ranch houses located along Valetta Lane, Moyle Hill Road, Millvale Road, and the eastern end of Douglass Boulevard.
Several other parcels of land near the Douglass estate were subdivided between 1906 and 1914. In 1907 Kenilworth, a small subdivision at the intersection of Bardstown Road and Taylorville Road, was platted by the Highland Realty Company. Kenilworth Place, the subdivision’s main street, interects Bardstown Road at a right angle. Its entrance is flanked by two tone pillers and the street is lined with large, closely placed Victorian houses.
One block east of Bardstown Road, Kenilworth eets Hampton Court. Immediately opposite the intersection is one of the neighborhood’s showcases – an impressive two-story, brick Italianate mansion with a tall central tower, bracketed cornice, and window hoods. The date of construction is unknown, but its design suggests that the residence wa built before the civil war.
In 1911 the Louisville Trust Company platted Woodbourne Heights. The residences in these areas consist primarily of frame Victorian houses and small bungalows.
Like most other neighborhoods in eastern Louisville, the Douglass area experienced a moratorium in development during World War 1, which was followed by a building boom during the 1920’s. More than a dozen new subdivisions were laid out in the Douglass neighborhood during the first half of the postwar decade. Two large ones among those were Lauderdale in 1920 followed by Cherokee Village in 1922.
The housing styles found in the subdivisions developed during the early 1920s are indicative of the socioeconomic character of the neighborhood’s residents during the period. North of Douglass Boulevard, large, expensive, historical revival style homes, especially the Colonial English, Tudor and Dutch revival are dominant, suggesting that the area had a heavily upper middle class population. By the same token, the homes south of Woodbourne, along such streets as Wrocklage, Weber, Wallace, and Talbott are primarily brick and frame bungalows. Suggesting a comfortable but not highly affluent working class populace.
As early as the 1870s and 1880s developers in such neighborhoods as Crescent Hill and Cherokee Triangle were forced to discard the gridiron pattern when dealing with difficult topography. For the most part, the grid prevailed. But to the north, in the upper middle class subdivisions, the street pattern exhibits an assortment of loops, curves, and circles calculated to respect the natural contours of the land. The same is true for the newer subdivisions which border Cherokee and Seneca parks.

Cherokee Park, Our Backyard

Whenever people ask:"Where do you live?", we answer, "By Cherokee Park" and often, they remark:"We would like to live there too." We tell them what a great place our neighborhood is and what a fine asset the park is. It offers not only great beauty, but also lots of recreational opportunities. Its meadows and woodlands, hills and creeks provide a wonderful background for our homes. We all agree: Cherokee Park is an integral part of our neighborhood. It is part of our idenity.

Louisville is fortunate to enjoy an outstanding park system. In the second half of the 19th century, a great park movement excited the American public. Our Louisville city fathers had the foresight to jump on board that movement and create our beautiful parks.

To read more....visit the Highland Douglass Neighborhood Associations' Fall Newsletter. Erna Gwinn, HDNA's Historian article will interest you greatly.

About our association

BECOME A MEMBER

Your Highland-Douglass Neighborhood Association is dedicated to:
• Uniting residents and property owners
• Promoting neighborhood harmony
• Promoting beautification
• Promoting community activities

Meetings, held on the first Wednesday of each month on the second floor of
Douglass Community, 2305 Douglass Blvd, are for all members and residents to:
• Present and address neighborhood concerns
• Plan neighborhood activities
• Meet and speak directly with Metro Councilman, Tom Owen

Get involved:
• Become a member
• Attend a monthly meeting and share your neighborhood concerns
• Volunteer in your area of interest
• Deliver your neighborhood newsletter

Information:
Rich Campbell
451-2188.
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Name _____________________________ Address_____________________________

Phone _____________________________ E-mail ______________________________

Ages of children in the home who may be interested in youth activities_____________________________

Annual Dues: $12.00 Mail to: Highland-Douglass Neighborhood Association
P.O. box 5194
Louisville, KY 40255-0194
Membership dues cover October 1 of the current year through September 30 of the following year.

I would like to help:  Newsletter development  Newsletter delivery  Social activities
 Offer advice in my area of expertise, which is ______________________
Your Highland-Douglass Neighborhood Association is dedicated to:
• Uniting residents and property owners
• Promoting neighborhood harmony
• Promoting beautification
• Promoting community activities

Meetings, held on the first Wednesday of each month on the second floor of
Douglass Community, 2305 Douglass Blvd, are for all members and residents to:
• Present and address neighborhood concerns
• Plan neighborhood activities
• Meet and speak directly with Metro Councilman, Tom Owen

Get involved:
• Become a member
• Attend a monthly meeting and share your neighborhood concerns
• Volunteer in your area of interest
• Deliver your neighborhood newsletter

Information:
Rich Campbell
451-2188.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Name _____________________________ Address_____________________________

Phone _____________________________ E-mail ______________________________

Ages of children in the home who may be interested in youth activities_____________________________

Annual Dues: $12.00 Mail to: Highland-Douglass Neighborhood Association
P.O. box 5194
Louisville, KY 40255-0194
Membership dues cover October 1 of the current year through September 30 of the following year.

I would like to help:  Newsletter development  Newsletter delivery  Social activities
 Offer advice in my area of expertise, which is ______________________