Louisville Work House in 1900 (Lexington, Jackson: crimes, neighborhood, college)

[Olivache]

I am researching my ancestors (Ancestry.Com) and I found a name in the 1900 Census that is the same as my great-grandmother, living in the Louisville Work House. What type of facility was (is)this?

[tigerlillydownunder]

I don't know! I've never heard of this place. I may have to fire up Google and get to searching....
I love Ancestry.com--I think it's a great site!



Well, I just did a quick search, and it appears that the Workhouse was a detention facility, that "helped" people who'd been convicted of minor crimes--maybe like a half-way house?? Hard to say, but here is a fast link: http://digital.library.louisville.ed...ISOBOX=1&REC=2
A more in depth search should easily bring some results.

Cheers!

[louroclou]

It was at the corner of Payne and Lexington. Back when I was in college a friend of ours who was a spelunker convinced a bunch of us, including my future wife and me, to break into the then abandoned workhouse. It was night, and we had the crap scared out of us. I remember tiny cells and bars ... and holes in the floor we almost fell through. It was a dismal place.

After we climbed back over the wall, we scaled the wall at Cave Hill and went skinny-dipping in the pond.

Ah, the madness of college days.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by louroclou

It was at the corner of Payne and Lexington. Back when I was in college a friend of ours who was a spelunker convinced a bunch of us, including my future wife and me, to break into the then abandoned workhouse. It was night, and we had the crap scared out of us. I remember tiny cells and bars ... and holes in the floor we almost fell through. It was a dismal place.

After we climbed back over the wall, we scaled the wall at Cave Hill and went skinny-dipping in the pond.

Ah, the madness of college days.

My goodness that building is beautiful! That whole area is one of the most underdeveloped in the urban city. That area, as well as the Sobro area, are prime for retail development. I am thinking Urban Target, Home Depot, etc. Why has this not happened, and why has Louisville torn down so much of its history?

[louroclou]

There has been a longstanding project in the Irish Hill area, catticorner to the workhouse site, that the neighborhood association has, unfortunately, thwarted. Distillery Antiques, Headliners (which could stay open more as a neighborhood bar) and Jackson's would be beneficiaries, as would the whole area. Alas...

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by louroclou

There has been a longstanding project in the Irish Hill area, catticorner to the workhouse site, that the neighborhood association has, unfortunately, thwarted. Distillery Antiques, Headliners (which could stay open more as a neighborhood bar) and Jackson's would be beneficiaries, as would the whole area. Alas...

alas NIMBYism....I dont get why that is so prevalent in Louisville

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by stx12499

alas NIMBYism....I dont get why that is so prevalent in Louisville

I think part of it is that we just don't like change much. We like things to stay as we are used to. That could just be me though (creature of habit )

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

I think part of it is that we just don't like change much. We like things to stay as we are used to. That could just be me though (creature of habit )

No, I think you represent the typical Louisvillian. That is not totally bad, but everyone should be for sound development and economic growth, even if it is in their back yard.

[tigerlillydownunder]

People fear what they don't know; change means you don't know the result until after the change. It's also about maintaining control--how can you control what you don't know?

I'd go as far as to say a large population of the world doesn't like change.

Or rather, maybe it's not change per say, but more the rate of said change....

[nitae]

Originally Posted by Olivache

I am researching my ancestors (Ancestry.Com) and I found a name in the 1900 Census that is the same as my great-grandmother, living in the Louisville Work House. What type of facility was (is)this?

where was this place located at in louisville