West Point Class of 72

We’re going to Louisville!

First, the most important thing about this city is the correct pronunciation: LOO uh vull, with the second syllable almost gliding into the third syllable. And for you skeptics out there, the AI search engine in Google and countless U Tube offerings will confirm this! [I have been scolded many times by Louisvillians that only clueless outsiders pronounce it “Loo ee vill,” so we will all want to avoid that….] Now that the pronunciation is clarified, what does Louisville offer? Let’s start with its history: the city was founded in 1780 at the place from which you could travel down the Ohio River (and then down the Mississippi) unimpeded. Since the city was founded during the American Revolution, it was named in honor of our ally, King Louis XVI of France (the same king who later was guillotined during the French Revolution).

Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, and the history of both the city and the state are intertwined. In colonial times, Kentucky was the frontier beyond the Appalachians, explored by Daniel Boone and others. The area was found to be very fertile, and settlers poured in. Kentucky was admitted as the fifteenth state in 1792, the first state west of the Appalachians. You can explore more Kentucky history at the Frazier Museum in Louisville.

What will we find in Louisville and its surrounding area? Let’s start with horses and alcohol: Kentucky is one of the world’s best areas for breeding horses (and is the number one state for horse breeding in the US), because bluegrass and the limestone nutrients in the soil are excellent for raising horses. Louisville has Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum. While the horses munch on bluegrass, people can drink bourbon, the whiskey developed in Kentucky; to continue the French connection, this whiskey is named after the royal family of Louis XVI. The Bourbon Trail is most famously known for the distilleries known in the central and northern portions of the State (e.g. Woodford Reserve; Maker’s Mark); Louisville, however, has its own Bourbon Trail (e.g., Rabbit Hole; Evan Williams), within walking distance of our hotel. There is no shortage of places to sample this local firewater.

Louisville also has strong sports connections. The famous Louisville Slugger baseball bats are made here, and the company’s museum features the bats of some of baseball’s most noted hitters (e;g;, Babe Ruth and Pete Rose) as well as world’s largest baseball bat. In 1960, a young Louisville native named Cassius Clay won the Olympic gold medal in light heavyweight boxing. Changing his name to Muhammad Ali, he went on to become the world heavyweight champion three times; the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville explores his legacy.

Geographically speaking, the abundant limestone of this area has also created several caves. About 90 minutes south of Louisville is Mammoth Cave National Park, the world’s longest cave system. Within Louisville is Mega Cavern, a limestone cave and mine, which offers several activities, including the world’s only fully underground zip line.

Like all US cities, Louisville is revitalizing neighborhoods, and the most prominent example is NuLu, or New Louisville. NuLu has become a modern commercial dining hub, with quality dineries, multiple shops, stylish bars, and contemporary galleries. But whether you are looking for art in a gallery in NuLu or sailing on the Ohio River in the Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating steamboat in the US, there is no shortage of things to see and do in Louisville [remember – “LOO uh vull”].