Design Details

An abundance of natural resources, such as hardwoods, limestone, and coal to fire furnaces to make iron, brick, and terracotta; an abundance of skilled immigrant craftsmen; the proximity to the Ohio River; the forces of capitalism, new efficiencies of production, the standardization of parts, and effective railroad connections between industrial centers and their hinterlands, all combined to make Louisville’s historic architectural details special, beginning with the facades of thousands of commercial buildings in the center of town and later on houses in the newly emerging suburbs.