Cherokee Park
Encyclopedia
Cherokee Park is a 409 acres (165.5 ha) municipal park
located in Louisville, Kentucky
, United States
. It was designed, like 18 of Louisville's 123 public parks, by Frederick Law Olmsted
, the father of landscape architecture
. Beargrass Creek
runs through much of the park, and is crossed by numerous pedestrian and automobile bridges.
According to The Trust for Public Land
, Cherokee Park has 500,000 visitors annually, making it tied for the 69th most popular municipal park in the United States.
A 43 acres (174,015 m²) portion of the land passed to Judge Joshua Fry Bullitt, who sold it in 1868 to foundry magnate Archibald P. Cochran. Cochran established an estate there called Fern Cliff, which operated as a museum for a while but has since been demolished.
As the land was located around Beargrass Creek, it was hilly and ill suited to farming. Prior to its conversion as a park, the land was used primarily for animal grazing, although much of it was wooded. By 1893 the land was carved into six estates, including Cochran's (which was sold to the city after his death in 1889). The other estates belonged to the Bonnycastle 63 acres (254,952.2 m²), Barret 20 acres (80,937.2 m²), Morton & Griswold 106 acre (0.42896716 km²), Alexander 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) families, respectively. Those and two small lots under 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) were bought by 1891. Additional land from the Longest, Barringer and Belknap families would be added to expand the park to its modern size.
Cochran's name lives on in Cochran Hill, which became notable in the late 1960s when two tunnels were dug under it at a cost of $1.9 million so that I-64 would not have as extreme an impact on the park as it was run through it. The twin tunnels remain, running for about 425 feet (129.5 m) in length under the hill. Various groups, including one called Save Our Parks, formed as early as the 1940s to oppose running highways through the parks, and were largely responsible for forcing a tunnel as a compromise.
The tunnels, which opened in 1970, are one of three sites in Kentucky deemed "exceptionally significant" by the Federal Highway Administration
. This designation, in turn, means it will be very difficult for the stretch of interstate running through the park ever to be widened.
In 2010, a proposal by the city to replace the Hogan Fountain Pavilion
with two smaller structures created public opposition that led to a citizen fundraising effort to repair the existing structure, rather than replace it.
Super Outbreak
. The tornado was an F4 on the Fujita scale
. A city forester surveying the aftermath said, "I don't believe that anyone alive today will see Cherokee Park as it was before the storm."
Because of the loss of thousands of mature trees, a massive re-planting effort was undertaken, financed in large part by a grant from the United States government under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974
. However, to qualify for these funds, the park had to be restored to its pre-tornado design as faithfully as possible. The original Olmsted plans were consulted for the park's "rebirth" (as it was called at the time), with 2,500 trees and 4,600 shrubs planted in the restoration effort.
A 1970 newspaper article looked back on the tradition of turtle thievery with nostalgia, reporting that Hogan's Fountain had by the 1970s become a nightly gathering place for hundreds of teenagers, who openly sold and used drugs, despite an increasing police presence, usually arresting youths on loitering charges and chasing out dealers of more serious drugs such as heroin.
Portions of the park were redesigned both to remove popular loitering locations and to increase the park's usability to families and individuals for recreation. Combined with an increased police presence, these tactics greatly deterred drug use and gay cruising
, however vandalism remains a minor problem. During periods of good weather, the park is invariably full of local residents engaged in a wide range of fitness activities as well as leisurely strolling or picnicking. On those rare occasions that two or more inches of snow fall, hundreds of locals take to the parks hills for informal sledding and snowboarding.
Cherokee Park contains many landmarks and points of interest. Many are self-contained areas within the larger park, set apart from each other by the natural terrain and creative use of landscaping. Because of the size and design of the park, many events can occur at the same time without interrupting each other.
. As the city of Louisville expanded around the park, many developers donated land to the park in exchange for the right to connect roads to it. The numerous entrances have made navigating the park notoriously confusing to visitors. Neighborhoods with entrances to the park include Cherokee Triangle, Bonnycastle, Highlands-Douglass, Crescent Hill
and Seneca Gardens.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was designed, like 18 of Louisville's 123 public parks, by Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, the father of landscape architecture
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
. Beargrass Creek
Beargrass Creek
Beargrass Creek is the name given to several forks of a creek in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The Beargrass Creek watershed is the largest in the county, draining over ....
runs through much of the park, and is crossed by numerous pedestrian and automobile bridges.
According to The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land is a land conservation nonprofit founded in 1972 by Huey Johnson and based in San Francisco, California in the United States. TPL works throughout the United States to conserve land for people as parks, gardens, and other natural places.- TPL Conservation Initiatives :TPL...
, Cherokee Park has 500,000 visitors annually, making it tied for the 69th most popular municipal park in the United States.
History
Cherokee Park opened in 1892, has always been a major draw, and was a key factor in sparking development in nearby parts of town.Pre-development
The land comprising Cherokee Park was originally part of a 4000 acres (16.2 km²) military land grant in 1773 to James Southall and Richard Charlton.A 43 acres (174,015 m²) portion of the land passed to Judge Joshua Fry Bullitt, who sold it in 1868 to foundry magnate Archibald P. Cochran. Cochran established an estate there called Fern Cliff, which operated as a museum for a while but has since been demolished.
As the land was located around Beargrass Creek, it was hilly and ill suited to farming. Prior to its conversion as a park, the land was used primarily for animal grazing, although much of it was wooded. By 1893 the land was carved into six estates, including Cochran's (which was sold to the city after his death in 1889). The other estates belonged to the Bonnycastle 63 acres (254,952.2 m²), Barret 20 acres (80,937.2 m²), Morton & Griswold 106 acre (0.42896716 km²), Alexander 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) families, respectively. Those and two small lots under 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) were bought by 1891. Additional land from the Longest, Barringer and Belknap families would be added to expand the park to its modern size.
Park development
In 1887, a city park system was proposed with three large suburban parks: east, west and south. The initial name of the eastern park was to be Beargrass Park, but in 1891, as was fashionable in the late 19th century, a name that evoked the romantic imagery of native Americans was chosen.Cochran's name lives on in Cochran Hill, which became notable in the late 1960s when two tunnels were dug under it at a cost of $1.9 million so that I-64 would not have as extreme an impact on the park as it was run through it. The twin tunnels remain, running for about 425 feet (129.5 m) in length under the hill. Various groups, including one called Save Our Parks, formed as early as the 1940s to oppose running highways through the parks, and were largely responsible for forcing a tunnel as a compromise.
The tunnels, which opened in 1970, are one of three sites in Kentucky deemed "exceptionally significant" by the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
. This designation, in turn, means it will be very difficult for the stretch of interstate running through the park ever to be widened.
In 2010, a proposal by the city to replace the Hogan Fountain Pavilion
Hogan Fountain Pavilion
The Hogan Fountain Pavilion is a unique modern architectural structure located within Cherokee Park, Louisville, Kentucky built in 1965. This picnic shelter is available for rental for a variety of events. When not rented, the pavilion is available, at no charge, to all park visitors...
with two smaller structures created public opposition that led to a citizen fundraising effort to repair the existing structure, rather than replace it.
Tornado damage in 1974
Much of the park was heavily damaged in the April 3, 1974 tornadoTornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
Super Outbreak
Super Outbreak
The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period, just behind the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, 2011...
. The tornado was an F4 on the Fujita scale
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
. A city forester surveying the aftermath said, "I don't believe that anyone alive today will see Cherokee Park as it was before the storm."
Because of the loss of thousands of mature trees, a massive re-planting effort was undertaken, financed in large part by a grant from the United States government under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974
Disaster Relief Act of 1974
The Disaster Relief Act of 1974 is a United States federal law that established the process of presidential disaster declarations. At one point, more than one hundred federal agencies were involved in handling disasters and emergencies...
. However, to qualify for these funds, the park had to be restored to its pre-tornado design as faithfully as possible. The original Olmsted plans were consulted for the park's "rebirth" (as it was called at the time), with 2,500 trees and 4,600 shrubs planted in the restoration effort.
Crime
Vandalism and petty crime has long plagued Cherokee Park. Vandalism was reported as early as 1936. In the 1950s into the mid-1960s newspapers reported with amusement on the serial theft of elements of the Hogan's Fountain monument - especially a bronze turtle - with headlines such as "Cherokee Park Turtle on the Loose Again" and "Bronze Turtle Steps Lively - Flees Cherokee Park Nest". According to a park commissioner, after the vandals saw the stories in print, they would always deposit the stolen pieces, which weighed about 100 pounds, somewhere in the park. Eventually they were all bolted down from beneath such that vandals were unable to remove them. More seriously, the Daniel Boone statue at the park's Eastern Parkway entrance was toppled on May 21, 1962, causing severe damage to it. Park officials claimed police had seen but not arrested a crowd of youths drinking openly near the statue earlier in the day, police denied the charge.A 1970 newspaper article looked back on the tradition of turtle thievery with nostalgia, reporting that Hogan's Fountain had by the 1970s become a nightly gathering place for hundreds of teenagers, who openly sold and used drugs, despite an increasing police presence, usually arresting youths on loitering charges and chasing out dealers of more serious drugs such as heroin.
Portions of the park were redesigned both to remove popular loitering locations and to increase the park's usability to families and individuals for recreation. Combined with an increased police presence, these tactics greatly deterred drug use and gay cruising
Cruising for sex
Cruising for sex, or cruising is the act of walking or driving about a locality in search of a sex partner, usually of the anonymous, casual, one-time variety...
, however vandalism remains a minor problem. During periods of good weather, the park is invariably full of local residents engaged in a wide range of fitness activities as well as leisurely strolling or picnicking. On those rare occasions that two or more inches of snow fall, hundreds of locals take to the parks hills for informal sledding and snowboarding.
Landmarks
- Big Rock - A large rock in Beargrass Creek, which also lends its name to a picnic area and playground nearby. The rock itself is used for picnics, and as an ill-advised jumping spot (its flat surface offers about an 8 feet (2.4 m) drop into the shallow creek water below).
- Scenic Loop - A 2.43-mile (3.9-km) mixed-use road around much of the park, with separate lanes for pedestrians and motorized vehicles.
- Frisbee Field - A large open field used for many purposes, most commonly soccer and UltimateUltimate (sport)Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
. - Baringer Hill - Commonly called "Dog Hill," "Kite Hill," or "Hill Number One." Once popular for kites, after a renovation in the late 1990s it has become better known as a gathering point for dog owners. This occasionally attracts the ire of park visitors who do not appreciate canines, especially those who, in violation of local ordinances, are unleashed. A fenced dog park located at the top of Cochran Hill opened in 2007.
- Hogan's Fountain - A dog- and horse-watering fountain located atop a hill on the Scenic Loop, Hogan's Fountain was financed by the Hogan Family of Anchorage, KentuckyAnchorage, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,264 people, 729 households, and 643 families residing in the city. The population density was 744.0 people per square mile . There were 750 housing units at an average density of 246.5 per square mile...
, in 1905. The fountain was sculpted by Enid YandellEnid YandellEnid Yandell was an American sculptor who studied with Auguste Rodin and Frederick William MacMonnies. She was the daughter of Dr. Lunsford Pitts Yandell, Jr. and Louise Elliston Yandell of Louisville, Kentucky. Yandell was a prolific sculptor creating numerous portraits, garden pieces and small...
, and features the Greek God PanPan (mythology)Pan , in Greek religion and mythology, is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, as well as the companion of the nymphs. His name originates within the Greek language, from the word paein , meaning "to pasture." He has the hindquarters, legs,...
. It was officially unveiled on August 31, 1905. The name Hogan's Fountain is also often extended to the nearby hilltop area, which includes a large gazebo, baseball diamond, children's fountains and a basketball court. This spot was once known as Bonnycastle Hill. Hogan's Fountain is a popular place for group meetings, family reunions and picnics. - Lover's Lane - A secluded, heavily forested stretch of scenic loop just past Hogan's Fountain.
- Cochran Hill - A hillside between Frisbee Field and Lexington Road, and site of a dog park.
- Christensen Fountain - A recently restored fountain near the Lexington Road entrance.
- Nettleroth Bird Sanctuary - Located in a quiet corner of the park, between Scenic Loop and a residential neighborhood.
Entrances
The park is situated in the HighlandsThe Highlands (Louisville)
The Highlands is an area of Louisville, Kentucky which contains a high density of nightclubs, eclectic businesses, and many upscale and fast food restaurants. It is centered along a three-mile stretch of Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue and is so named because it sits atop a ridge between the...
. As the city of Louisville expanded around the park, many developers donated land to the park in exchange for the right to connect roads to it. The numerous entrances have made navigating the park notoriously confusing to visitors. Neighborhoods with entrances to the park include Cherokee Triangle, Bonnycastle, Highlands-Douglass, Crescent Hill
Crescent Hill, Louisville
Crescent Hill is a neighborhood four miles east of downtown Louisville, Kentucky USA. Area was originally called "Beargrass" because it sits on a ridge between two forks of Beargrass Creek....
and Seneca Gardens.
Features
- Archery range - Near Beals Branch Road
- Ballfield - At Hogan's Fountain
- Baringer Spring - Rustic stream crossed by several wide wooden bridges and scenic walkways, entrances at Frisbee Field and at Baringer Hill
- Fullcourt basketball - At Hogan's Fountain
- Bike trail - Throughout park, crosses the scenic loop in many places. The scenic loop itself, with two moderately steep hills, is popular with road bikers.
- Bridle trail
- Golf course & clubhouse (9 holes). Opened in 1907.
- Hiking trails - All are mixed use trails
- Horseshoe pits - At Hogan's Fountain
- Picnic pavilions - Large pagoda-style structure at Hogan's Fountain
- Picnic tables - At and near Hogan's Fountain
- Playgrounds - At Hogan's Fountain, Big Rock and Baringer Hill
- Rugby field - Also used for Frisbee and Soccer
- Restrooms - At Baringer Hill, Hogan's Fountain and Big Rock
- Spray pool - At Hogan's Fountain
- Tennis - Off Barret Hill Road
- Willow Pond - Off Grinstead Drive, next to golf course
- Dog runDog parkA dog park is a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners...
- Opened August 2007, located atop Cochran Hill
Activities
- Walking/Hiking (see link below)
- Running/Jogging (see link below)
- Dog Walking (Baringer Hill - aka "Dog Hill")
- Bike Riding (trails and road)(see link below)
- Fishing (willow pond)
- Sledding
- Picnics
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Rugby (see link below)
- Soccer
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Geocaching
- Archery
- Weddings (occasionally)
- Live action role-playing
See also
- City of ParksCity of ParksCity of Parks is a municipal project to create a continuous paved pedestrian and biking trail around the city of Louisville, Kentucky while also adding a large amount of park land. The project was announced on February 22, 2005...
- The Highlands (Louisville)The Highlands (Louisville)The Highlands is an area of Louisville, Kentucky which contains a high density of nightclubs, eclectic businesses, and many upscale and fast food restaurants. It is centered along a three-mile stretch of Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue and is so named because it sits atop a ridge between the...
- Iroquois ParkIroquois ParkIroquois Park is a 739 acre municipal park in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Louisville's Cherokee Park and Shawnee Park, at what were then the edges of the city. Located south of downtown, Iroquois Park was promoted as...
- List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky
- List of parks in Louisville, Kentucky
- Seneca ParkSeneca ParkSeneca Park was the last park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The park system in Louisville was the last out of five designed by the Olmsted firm. The park resides in the Louisville neighborhood of Seneca Gardens, Kentucky...
- Shawnee ParkShawnee ParkShawnee Park is a municipal park in Louisville, Kentucky. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed 18 of the city's 123 public parks...
Informational
- Olmsted History
- Cherokee Park — The Cultural Landscape Foundation
- Bike-Trail review
- Metro Parks - Cherokee Park
- Bike Trail Information
- http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=grid&CISOGRID=thumbnail,A,1;title,A,1;descri,200,0;none,200,0;none,A,0;20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOBIB=title,A,1,N;subjec,A,0,N;descri,200,0,N;none,A,0,N;none,A,0,N;20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOTHUMB=20%20(4x5);title,none,none,none,none&CISOTITLE=20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOHIERA=20;subjec,title,none,none,none&CISOSUPPRESS=0&CISOTYPE=link&CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=title&CISOBOX1=&CISOOP2=exact&CISOFIELD2=coveraa&CISOBOX2=Cherokee+Park+%28Louisville%2C+Ky.%29&CISOOP3=exact&CISOFIELD3=descri&CISOBOX3=&CISOOP4=exact&CISOFIELD4=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOBOX4=&c=exact&CISOROOT=all Images of Cherokee Park (Louisville, Ky.) in the University of Louisville Libraries Digital Collections]
- Save Hogan's Fountain Teepee Pavilion
Maps
Groups/Clubs
- Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy
- Cherokee Road Runners
- Louisville Rugby Club
- Kentucky Mountain Bike Association
- Louisville Ultimate Frisbee Association Plays games in Cherokee and nearby Seneca Parks