833. A Snowy Day in Louisville - the view from First and Main

Photo by SamHunterPhoto

Downtown Louisville earlier today, looking west on Main Street. This is the point from which Louisville's addresses are numbered. The view is west on West Main Street. To the right is north on North First Street. At the bottom-center-left is southbound South First Street and at the bottom right corner is looking back eastbound on East Main Street.

All of these points begin as the 100 block with even numbers on the west and south sides and odd numbers on the east and north sides. Most, but not all, of Louisville's streets conform to this numbering system.

The north-south divide extends westward along Main Street to the Ohio River (including some blocks where Main doesn't exist and streets divide in the middle of a block). It extends eastward back to the railroad crossing where E. Main becomes Mellwood Avenue, then follows the CSX Railroad Old Road subdivision to Frankfort Avenue, then follows Frankfort Avenue and Shelbyville Road to the county line.

The east-west divide extends northward on First Street, in theory, to the Ohio River, although River Road not does comport to the system. It extends southward on First Street to the old City Limits line at Southside Drive and Strawberry Lane, where it then becomes irregular, sometimes following the CSX Railroad mainline, while at other times following Third Street Road, and at other times following the CSX Railroad Henderson subdivision line.

The most obvious bastardization of the block numbering system is the 100 block of Outer Loop, which runs for just over one mile, from Third Street Road to just east of New Cut Road. There are also several streets which skip large sets of blocks. Dixie Highway skips the 5400-6400 blocks. The west side of Preston Highway skips the 3500-3900 blocks. Shelbyville Road skips the 5100-7300 blocks. Westport Road skips the 4900-7300 blocks. Highland Avenue skips the 1600-1900 blocks. Taylorsville Road skips the 4800-8900 blocks. Mellwood Avenue skips the 2000-2100 blocks. There are several others.

Finally, for many years a road existed connecting W. Manslick Road with New Cut Road in the Fairdale area. It had been built by the Commonwealth when the Jefferson Freeway, later known as the Snyder Freeway, came through in the late 1970s. There were no developed properties fronting on it and it went unnamed and unaddressed for many years. Eventually, it was developed with warehousing and later a hotel. That posed a problem - what to call it. It seamlessly went from New Cut to unnamed to W. Manslick. Lord knows we didn't need yet another Manslick Road in Jefferson County and New Cut jutted off to the south where it met - you may have guessed - one of our several Manslicks. Eventually the Fiscal Court changed the name of the New Cut which jutted to the south to Old New Cut and let the road continuing south toward Fairdale be known as New Cut.

Someday I'll talk about Old Shep.

© Jeff Noble, Louisville, Kentucky, January 6, 2022.

823. It's going to be a great week in America! Happy 2021.

 

38-3-51

100.305, 321.39, 323.10, 323.12, 323.13

35 Pa. CS 7301 (b).

You might ask, "What are these cites?"

Let me begin by saying starting next week, when the Kentucky General Assembly convenes, the veto-proof Republican-controlled legislature will be taking up 39A.100, which is the equivalent cite in the Kentucky statutes that the above numbers are in the Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania codes respectively.

They are all cites to state laws approved by their state legislatures granting governors (and in some cases other elected officials) broad (sometimes undefined) extensive authority in times of peril or pandemic. These are the times we are in.

We've been hearing our president (and many of the few supporters he has left) making the argument that the laws under which most of the states conducted their elections, because they were different, amended or altered in their operations by the governors or the officials in charge of elections, somehow nullifies the elections themselves because those laws were not approved by the legislatures themselves.

The stupidity in this argument, and stupid is a word I rarely use but it is most applicable here, is that I am able to cite to Georgia Code 38-3-51; Wisconsin Statutes 100.305, 321.39, 323.10, 323.12, and 323.13; and Chapter 35 of the Pennsylvania Code of Statutes, Section 7301(b), all passed by members elected into the legislatures of the respective states, just as KRS 39A.100 was codified into our Kentucky laws after being passed in last year's General Assembly, all of these granting the authority that the uninformed president and his uninformed supporters say doesn't exist.

Now that the GOP has complete control of the Kentucky General Assembly, and given we have a Democratic governor, they will likely reverse many of the laws they passed in 2020. Republican legislators clearly lack logic.

But lacking even more logic than Republicans in the Kentucky General Assembly is the president and his supporters who make the argument, stupidly, that laws do not exist which allowed the states to conduct last year's elections in the fashion they were conducted.

Fools like Congressman Louie Gohmert, Senator Ted Cruz, and Gov. Ron DeSantis should be tried for sedition, if not treason, against the Republic based on the United States Constitution and cites such as the Georgia Code 38-3-51; Wisconsin Statutes 100.305, 321.39, 323.10, 323.12, and 323.13; and Chapter 35 of the Pennsylvania Code of Statutes, Section 7301(b).

Next week is going to be a great week in America. The Republican Party is going to be seen as the anti-American, anti-Constitution, anti-Rule of Law, anti-Voter, and anti-Election fanatic cult it truly is.

© Jeff Noble, Louisville, Kentucky, January 2, 2021.

808. A little journey - figure it out.

So here was the path having left from my mother's house. South Park Road, Louisville to KY1450W to KY1526W to I-65S to KY245N to KY61S to KY733S to US62E to N. 5th Street, Bardstown to KY1430E to US31E N to KY245S to US150E to BG Parkway E to KY555S (a note on this later) to KY433S (where I piddled around a bit in Mackville - they have a really cool old bank building) - to KY152E to KY442S (the narrow highway full of cattle farms) to KY1920S to the park.

Leaving the park on KY1920S to US150E (where I piddled around a bit in Perryville - I had come across a house for sale online a few weeks ago that I remembered and found it at 216 S. Bragg Street) to US68E to US127N to US127BYP N to US127N (these last two changes require no turns) to I-64W to US42E to US42W to US60W to the Noble Abode in Butchertown.

794. Where is Crittenden Drive?

Mt friend Michael and I took a drive out to South Louisville this afternoon to enjoy the traditional Green River Style fish dinner at the Suburban Lodge on the corner of S. Third Street and W. Collins Court.  Our after dinner drive turned into an impromptu tour of the neighborhoods and streets - old, new, and gone - of the area.

We progressed out of the Suburban parking lot, itself a new location prompted by the extension of Central Avenue east of 2nd Street up and over the L&N yards over to Crittenden Drive, thereby connecting Freedom Hall with Churchill Downs.

Our first neighborhood was that of Wilder Park.  We were in fact on what was at one time called Wilder Parkway but now goes by the more mundane S. 2nd Street. We followed through the area passing the Wilder Park Park, renamed for Huston Quin, a one term judge on the Kentucky Court of Appeals and later, from 1921-1925, a Republican mayor of the old City of Louisville.

Cutting over to the east a few blocks we ended up on the western edition of Louisville Avenue, the only one which is left.  There was also at one time an eastern edition of Louisville Avenue with the L&N Railroad running down the middle.  One point of the drive was to point out to Michael, who was born just over 27 years years ago, where Highland Park was, since it isn't there anymore.

I had mentioned Highland Park while we were eating as the only real competition Suburban has for its style of fish is served up at the Highland Park Lodge which at one time was on the eastern Louisville Avenue in what was at one time Highland Park.  The Highland Park Lodge has since relocated to the former Okolona Post Office building on a street called Pinecroft Drive but what originally known as Lambert Road.  But, I digress.

Tracking down the two Louisville Avenues led us to the multiple Crittenden Drives in the area.  I have complained now and then over the last twenty-five years about the name-identification problems in this area to the various Public Works directors and offered solutions but to no avail.  As all of this area was new to Michael, he clearly saw the problems.

At the intersection of Crittenden Drive and the cross-street just north of the Watterson, the sign to the west identifying the cross-street said Park Boulevard while the sign to the east said Phillips Lane.   I told him neither sign was correct.  It should or could read Seneca Avenue or maybe Ashton Avenue to the east.  It should not read Phillips Lane.  It is hard to say what it should read to the west.  Park Boulevard is and has been for a century about two blocks west of Crittenden Drive, back when Crittenden Drive was known as Ashbottom Road.  S. Floyd Street turns into Park Boulevard where the old Highland Park city limits used to begin just north of the Dakota Street right-of-way.

All of the east-west streets, like Dakota and Seneca, were named for the Native American tribes which once owned and occupied the North American continent before the illegal immigration of white Europeans.  Oh, wait.  This isn't a political post.  It is a geography post.

At the intersection of this newly built and misnamed east-west street which the city has labelled as Park Boulevard and the other Park Boulevard, there is a sign indicating the continuation of this new road to the west and south along the L&N is called Crittenden Drive, this despite the fact there is another Crittenden Drive, the original one, the one formerly called Ashbottom Road, two blocks to the east.  There is, in fact, a U. S. Post Office, at 4440 Crittenden Drive on that original roadway.  Oh well.

We followed the new roadway, the new Crittenden Drive, alongside the railroad, to its intersection with a somewhat reconfigured but still recognizable Woodlawn Overpass.  This is the overpass we long remember as starting out on (that old) Crittenden Drive as Nevada Avenue and ending up on the South Louisville side as Woodlawn Avenue.  We've always had fun with names changing like that.  Anyway, we followed this new Crittenden Drive which eventually rejoined the old one out past the FedEx plant where once stood International Harvester (1945-1985) and before that, the Curtiss-Wright Airplane shops (1942-1945).  But that Crittenden Drive comes to a dead end somewhere around the old city limits line of the old City of Highland Park which was also, later, the old city limits line of the old City of Louisville.  It was at one time Eagan Avenue but in the 1980s was changed to MacLean Avenue.

We circled back up to the Woodlawn Overpass in what I described to Michael would be a double-loop, crossing over to Allmond Avenue and the Iroquois Station Post Office, which houses the Zip Codes 40209, 40214, and 40215.  Allmond circles around and ends at Strawberry Lane, the southern appellation of the western edition of Louisville Avenue.  About two blocks south of where MacLean Avenue once crossed over the tracks, a new bridge has been built, largely at the urging and with the funding direction of long time Alderman and Councilman Dan Johnson.  This is the Crittenden Drive Connector which leads to a new street entirely, "South Crittenden Drive," a street which wasn't there when I was in high school.

I'll be honest - I cannot tell what was where back in the day.  It looks to be about where the old Kroger Distribution Center was next to the old GES Department Store, in the curve south of the airport, where the original "new" Crittenden Drive broke off from Ashbottom Road and made its way around the old "bottom" of Standiford Field, back before the great Airport Expansion Project which began in the 1980s.

This new road hugs the railroad and the spur lines which feed the Ford Motor Company and extend eastward to General Electric, although they are rarely used east of the Ford plant.  The new "South" Crittenden Drive joins Grade Lane about two blocks south of where the older "new" Crittenden Drive once did prior to 1985.

In our short drive, we were on three different "new" Crittenden Drives, plus the Crittenden Drive Connector.  While Highland Park is gone and Park Boulevard seems a little misguided, and Seneca Avenue and Ashton Avenue are out of place, Crittenden Drive is alive and well in several different and unconnected places.

788. Counties Visited in 2014

Every year since 1979 I've maintained a Kentucky Highway Map with the counties I visited through the course of the year.  In two of those years, 1979 (which prompted the idea) and 1987, I visited all 120 counties.  Both of those milestones can be attributed to participation in political campaigns.  I also maintain an Excel sheet of the visits so as to note how many times each county has made the list. And once again, two counties in particular escaped my driving, Lawrence and Elliott.  To date, the only two years I've made it to either were '79 and '87.

So attached is this year's map.  The westernmost point was in Fancy Farm of Graves County.  No surprise there although it is the first time I had made it down to the August event since 2011.  The easternmost point was crossing into Catlettsburg along I-64 in Boyd County just a few days ago.  I exited and spent a little time in Ashland and up to Greenup, where I had not been since Robin Webb's special election to the State Senate a few years ago.  The southernmost point was crossing through the Cumberland Gap in June on US25E.  Finally, the northernmost point was in northern Owen County during a summer drive.

I made it to a total of 47 of Kentucky's 120 counties.  So far the number for 2015 is 1.  For previous entries on this subject, see postings 258, 581, 671, 719, and 759.

Happy New Year.

787. 2015 Resolutions

On the Eighth Day of Christmas it is customary to look ahead and resolve to do this, that, and the other. My Ten Resolutions for 2015 are: 1) Everybody's favorite - lose weight. I currently weigh the most I ever have. It is depressing. 2) Go swimming. It occurs to me I never once went swimming in 2014. 3) More canoeing. This is misleading as it implies I canoe with some regularity. My first canoe trip, on Floyd's Fork, was in 2014 arranged by Councilman Stuart Benson and with the encouragement and great help of my friend Shane. I'm hoping Shane will help me again. 4) Go hiking and/or camping. This is something I have done here and there my entire life, just not enough of. 5) Write more (and not on Facebook). Readers of my blog, Ohio River 606 (which will celebrate its 8th Birthday on Sunday), know that my entries have fallen to just a few each year. Were it not for Sherman Brown allowing me to post his Counties game this past year, there would have been fifteen entries as opposed to 135. 5a) The writing directive implies I should start one of the three books I have been writing in my head for decades. 6) Take a foreign language class in the Jefferson County Public Schools Adult Ed program. In high school I had four years of Spanish, one of Latin, and two of Russian. Language and language development have always been interests of mine. 7) Work on my house. It isn't bad but it needs work. And I need to go through the fifty or so boxes which remain unpacked in either the front room or the garage. 7a) Work on the garage. I really don't need all those old yard signs, some dating back to 1985. 8) Get a little more involved in the causes in which I believe. While I run my mouth on Facebook and make nominal donations now and then, I need to dedicate a little more time and talent. My causes are generally limited to three fields - religion, politics, and theater. 9) Celebrate every day the friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances which make up every day of life. There is a 1936 song stating "Christmas comes but once a year." It is good to remember that other than February 29th all the other days do as well and are deserving of celebration. This also implies mending the fences I tend to erect now and then with certain souls. 10) Did I mention losing weight?

SB-120. Woodford County. See Entry #777 for an Explanation

Sherman A. Brown

November 12 at 7:37am · 

For all of you who have participated, today is the last day. We have gone through all 120 counties of our Commonwealth...

#120 is WOODFORD COUNTY (named for William Woodford; county seat is Versailles). Where do you eat & who do you visit? ‪#‎KY120Game‬ ‪#‎lastcounty‬

— with James Kay and 20 others.

LikeLike ·  · Share

• Brian Todd Perkins, Stephen T. Shepard, James Kay and 38 others like this.
• 1 share
• 

  Sara Luna Osborne Wallace Station, Grey Goose, Holly Hill Inn. Visit the MayorBrian Traugott, Rep James Kay and Liles & Robin.

  November 12 at 7:40am · Like · 6
• 

  Chad Aull Go see James Kay, Cara Endicott Kay, Emily Kay, Liles Bennett Taylor, and Robin Lowe Taylor. Eat at Wallace Station.

  November 12 at 7:41am · Like · 5
• 

  Travis M. Scott What they said.

  November 12 at 7:42am · Like · 4
• 

  Matt Osborne Woodford is my favorite of all the counties and one day I may be able to talk Sara Luna Osborne into moving there. In addition to what's already been said, I'm going to see Brad McLean and eat at 815 Prime.

  November 12 at 7:46am · Edited · Like · 4
• 

  Julia Bright Crigler Catherine D Bell and heirloom!

  November 12 at 7:47am · Like · 2
• 

  Matt Osborne And I will just say for the record, this game has been fun, it has been a pleasure interacting with you all, I think it would be a great idea to work in a bi-partisan manner to publish a book with these things and political stories from each county, but 120 is way too many!!!

  November 12 at 7:48am · Like · 4
• 

  Katie Mueller Well. Visit the ever benevolent Mayor Brian Traugott, James Kay,Liles Bennett Taylor, eat at Grey Goose or Heirloom. 
  
  I feel kind of sad. :|

  November 12 at 7:49am · Like · 5
• 

  Marc Wilson Brad McLean & Brian Brian Traugott eat at Heirloom Sherman A. Brown it's been fun traveling the state with everyone. Cheers!

  November 12 at 8:02am · Like · 2
• 

  Wes Wright Where to start, where to start... Equus Run Winery, Wildside Winery (sense a theme here?). Wallace Station, The Glitz aka Irish Acres in Nonesuch (love the name) - great place to take mom, a favorite aunt, or grandma.

  November 12 at 8:11am · Like · 1
• 

  Julia Bright Crigler So when's the book come out?

  November 12 at 8:11am · Like · 1
• 

  Emily Kay You can visit Meredith Downey at Addie's at Addie's and The Woodford Inn or check out Ricardo's Grill & Pub, Madison's On Main or Melissa's Cottage Café in Versailles. Chef Ouita Michel Restaurants is awesome and serves great food at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery and Holly Hill Inn in Midway. Mayor-Elect of Midway Grayson Vandegrift is a great host at 815 Restaurant & Tavern in Midway. You can't go wrong. Enjoy Woodford County!

  November 12 at 8:15am · Like · 4
• 

  Robin Webb Holly Hill dining, visit Midway College Women's Basketball and Gov.Brerton and Libby Jones at Airdrie Stud.

  November 12 at 8:18am · Unlike · 4
• 

  Jared Smith I will retire to Midway, if they'll have me? Liz Roach Liles Bennett Taylor

  November 12 at 8:26am · Like · 4
• 

  Matt Erwin Michael Coleman Brian Traugott. The Legion. Where else?

  November 12 at 8:28am · Like · 3
• 

  Travis M. Scott We still have Beckham County.

  November 12 at 8:31am · Unlike · 3
• 

  Liles Bennett Taylor We'll gladly welcome Jared, Sara & Matt, and anyone else who'd like to make the move. I'd also have to throw in my favorite Chinese restaurant, Wok N Go (best hand rolled egg rolls ever!) in Versailles, and Darlin Jean's in Midway (try their Debri sandwich).

  November 12 at 8:32am · Like · 2
• 

  Jared Smith Not funny Travis M. Scott

  November 12 at 8:33am · Like · 1
• 

  Travis M. Scott I take it Jared is part of the anti-Beckham faction.#GoebelHadItComing

  November 12 at 8:36am · Edited · Like · 2
• 

  Aaron Smither Don't forget Napa Prime Lori Lewis- best burger in Central Kentucky!

  November 12 at 8:49am · Like · 4
• 

  Charlotte Flanary James and Cara Kay, Liles and Robin, Joe Graviss. Grey Goose.

  November 12 at 8:51am · Like · 2
• 

  Jeff Noble Travis, we still have Helm and Slaughter as well. Well, actually we did those under their assumed name. And I presume Sherman is going to do a redo of Taylor.

  November 12 at 8:56am · Like · 2
• 

  Liles Bennett Taylor I don't appreciate a few of you tainting my county's feed with your pro-Railroad Baron nonsense.

  November 12 at 8:58am · Like · 4
• 

  Trey Hieneman Mayor Brian Traugott, T Brad, and the rest of the Thirsty Thursday crew at 815 in Midway. James Kay, Liles Bennett Taylor, Michael Coleman, and my political mentor - Joe Barrows.

  November 12 at 9:00am · Like · 3
• 

  Jeff Noble Growing up I had McGohon and Collins cousins there (down in Nonesuch) but they are all moved away. I'd stop at my mom's cousin's, Jean Moore, for starters. I'd eat at Wallace Station or somewhere in Midway. I'd end the day at Sunset Memorial Gardens just outside of Franklin County where most of my family (Hockensmith, Lewis, Moore, Collins, and others) is buried including my grandparents, Dan and Tommie Hockensmith, who raised me.

  November 12 at 9:03am · Like · 2
• 

  Elmer J. George Jr. In addition to see Liles and James Kay, I'd stop and see my cousin Alan George, county attorney. Grab a sandwich at Wallace Station.

  November 12 at 9:17am · Like · 3
• 

  Sandra Higgins-Stinson Thanks for the history review! Ive learned more about out counties and remembered things I had forgotten.

  November 12 at 9:40am · Like · 1
• 

  Jeff Noble I just noticed Travis's GoebelHadItComing tag on Gov. Beckham's county and wanted to comment but not quite sure what to say.

  November 12 at 9:42am · Like · 2
• 

  Colmon Elridge Visit James Kay, Liles Bennett Taylor and the fam, Carl Rollins, Mary Ann and Cary Blakenship, and eat at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery.

  November 12 at 9:43am · Like · 3
• 

  Theresa Sandusky Rakes My colleague and Mayor Brian Traugott and my Luckett uncles aunts and cousins

  November 12 at 9:53am · Like · 3
• 

  Morgan Miller Ive enjoyed - thanks Sherman, I think you said I won the game from my Jefferson County statement.

  November 12 at 10:10am · Like · 1
• 

  Scott Colston Thanks...really enjoyed!

  November 12 at 10:24am · Like · 1
• 

  Liz Roach Some great mentions here! I'd of course go visit my parents, along with my Aunt Robyn and Aunt Helen. Heirloom and fried chicken nights (Mondays) at Wallace Station are the stuff of dreams. I've been eating Bagel Melts at Darlin' Jean's since high school, and they're still the best. And last but certainly not least, I'd stop by Woodford Reserve!

  November 12 at 4:51pm · Like · 2
• 

  Holly Lynn Harris Love Mayor Brian Traugott. Also tossing in a rising starAubrey Vaughan and one of my all-time faves with all the best stories, Catherine D Bell. Also look up our State Vet, the distinguished Dr. Robert Stout. Darlin Jeans is a jewel I found from Michael Shea. Amazing bagel melts. Thanks for the journeySherman A. Brown. Invaluable info for the campaign trail!

  November 12 at 5:23pm · Like · 6
• 

  Donald T Mitchell Lunch @ Corner Grocery in Midway. Get the cheeseburger.

  November 12 at 6:06pm · Like · 2
• 

  Kristin Meadors Take the back roads from the Capitol to Woodford Reserve for lunch at Picnic on the Porch. Traveling along the ky river, you pass by Old Crow and Old Taylor Distilleries. Nothing better for an afternoon lunch in the summertime.

  November 12 at 10:56pm · Like · 2