St. James-Belgravia Historic District
Encyclopedia
The St. James-Belgravia Historic District, within Old Louisville
, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972. It comprises St. James Court (north) and the Belgravia Court (south). It was the site of the Southern Exposition
, and is bordered to the north by the scenic Central Park
, a popular summer destination of Shakespeare in the Park patrons. The area is famous for the St. James Court Art Show
that takes place the first weekend of October, and attracts thousands of visitors, artisans, and craftsmen. The Belgravia area features houses inspired by its namesake
in London
, England
, and has no immediate street access, as it is a "walking court" with a green area instead of a street where the main entrances face. It features two important houses: the Conrad-Caldwell House, and the Pink Palace.
for Theophile Conrad and his wife, Mary. Mr. Conrad found his fortune in the tanning
business. After Conrad died on February 13, 1905, William E. Caldwell bought it, and called it their home for 35 years. In 1947 the local Presbyterian church acquired it, and for the next forty years it was the Rose Anna Hughes Presbyterian Retirement Home.
This building's style is Richardsonian Mansion. Made of limestone
, it cost $75,000 to build. Its vertical framework comes from its heavy corner towers features and turrets that are one of three shapes: coned
, hexagonal, and pyramid
shaped. Randomly placed on the building are carving of animals, gargoyle
s, and other objects, fenestration, and intricate foliation. As fitting for a house to receive members of society in the Victorian Era
, the interior features marble
mantled fireplaces, stained-glass windows, high ceilings in parlors and dining rooms, with carved arched doorways leading the way into these rooms from the reception hall with its large staircase. The interior woodwork is cherry
, maple
, and oak
.
The St. James Court Historic Foundation has controlled the building since 1987, and uses it for a museum.
The Pink Palace got its name in the 1920s when it was painted this color by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, its owner at the time.
Old Louisville
Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972. It comprises St. James Court (north) and the Belgravia Court (south). It was the site of the Southern Exposition
Southern Exposition
The Southern Exposition was a five-year series of World's Fairs held in the city of Louisville, Kentucky from 1883 to 1887 in what is now Louisville's Old Louisville neighborhood. The exposition, held for 100 days each year on immediately south of Central Park, which is now the St....
, and is bordered to the north by the scenic Central Park
Central Park, Louisville
Central Park is a municipal park maintained by the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Located in the Old Louisville neighborhood, it was first developed for public use in the 1870s and referred to as "DuPont Square" since it was at that time part of the Du Pont family estate.During the Southern...
, a popular summer destination of Shakespeare in the Park patrons. The area is famous for the St. James Court Art Show
St. James Court Art Show
The St. James Court Art Show, colloquially called the St. James Art Fair, or just St. James, is a popular free public outdoor annual arts and crafts show held since 1957 in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, in the St. James-Belgravia Historic District...
that takes place the first weekend of October, and attracts thousands of visitors, artisans, and craftsmen. The Belgravia area features houses inspired by its namesake
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and has no immediate street access, as it is a "walking court" with a green area instead of a street where the main entrances face. It features two important houses: the Conrad-Caldwell House, and the Pink Palace.
Conrad-Caldwell House
The Conrad-Caldwell House, once nicknamed "Conrad's Folly", was built 1893 by Arthur LoomisArthur Loomis
Arthur Loomis was an architect who worked in the early 1900s in Kentucky, and Clarke & Loomis is one of the architectural firms in which he worked.He designed the Carnegie Library in Warder Park, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, from which he was a native....
for Theophile Conrad and his wife, Mary. Mr. Conrad found his fortune in the tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
business. After Conrad died on February 13, 1905, William E. Caldwell bought it, and called it their home for 35 years. In 1947 the local Presbyterian church acquired it, and for the next forty years it was the Rose Anna Hughes Presbyterian Retirement Home.
This building's style is Richardsonian Mansion. Made of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, it cost $75,000 to build. Its vertical framework comes from its heavy corner towers features and turrets that are one of three shapes: coned
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
, hexagonal, and pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
shaped. Randomly placed on the building are carving of animals, gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s, and other objects, fenestration, and intricate foliation. As fitting for a house to receive members of society in the Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, the interior features marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
mantled fireplaces, stained-glass windows, high ceilings in parlors and dining rooms, with carved arched doorways leading the way into these rooms from the reception hall with its large staircase. The interior woodwork is cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
, and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
.
The St. James Court Historic Foundation has controlled the building since 1987, and uses it for a museum.
The Pink Palace
Located at the corner of St. James and Belgravia Courts, the Pink Palace, built in 1891, was not originally a home, but an exclusive Gentleman's Club and Casino for the residents of the Court.The Pink Palace got its name in the 1920s when it was painted this color by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, its owner at the time.