| On an evening cruise down the Ohio on the Belle of | | | | horse racing training, jockeying, maintenance of horse |
| Louisville we listen to beautiful nostalgic country and | | | | health, their training, breeding, dressing and the science |
| bluegrass music of yesteryears or even dance to the | | | | of the art. Churchill Downs is America's most historic |
| infectious rhythms or watch others do so whilst | | | | and famous thoroughbred racetrack. |
| watching the historic steamboat, the Belle of Louisville | | | | Established in 1874, it is the oldest continuously |
| gliding past idyllic scenes on the rolling banks of | | | | operated racetrack in the U.S. After the first Kentucky |
| greenery offered to our thirsty eyes by the Ohio River. | | | | Derby held in 1878 each year is marked significantly by |
| This majestic Belle of Louisville is historic because it is | | | | a stall in the backside of the Museum being given a |
| the oldest Mississippi -style stern wheel steamboat still | | | | name of a winning horse or jockey except for one or |
| in existence. It is in fact one of an elite group of only | | | | two years when no race took place. |
| six steam powered paddlewheelers operating on | | | | After viewing all these stands and listening to the lurid |
| American waterways today. | | | | and flowing commentaries of the guides we are led in |
| Constructed in 1914 as the Idlewild, this vessel spent 48 | | | | to the race grounds. The horses are being led in by |
| years as a packet boat, a tramp steamer and had a | | | | their jockeys all in radiant colors. The first set of |
| brief military stint during World War 11. It is the oldest | | | | horses are set to the track and there is tension as |
| steamboat still working the river with little fanfare. It | | | | they await the signal for the start. They speed on to a |
| entered into service among thousands of other | | | | running commentary on the communication set and |
| steamboats traveling the waterways. Several changes | | | | with spectators' nerve on edge as the horses struggle |
| have taken place to it since then in its structure, jobs, | | | | to outstrip each other on approaching the end. The |
| description and names. | | | | track is a one mile oval and the facility covers 166 |
| Now one of Louisville's crowning attractions, the | | | | acres. The grand stand with its twin Edwardian spires |
| beautiful "Belle of Louisville" designed as a ferry and | | | | was built in 1895 and is itself a national historical |
| packet vessel started off with her first assignment for | | | | monument. |
| her owners (the West Memphis Packet Company) as | | | | Since the opening of these tracks in 1875 scores of |
| a ferry boat between Memphis, Tennessee and West | | | | heroic three-year-old thoroughbreds have thundered |
| Memphis, Arkansas. By early 1920's it had changed its | | | | past these famous twin spires into legend. During the |
| job to an excursion boat on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois | | | | regular racing season its most exciting when at 'Dawn |
| and the Missouri Rivers, a change necessitated by the | | | | at Downs' the track opens shortly after daybreak on |
| decreasing need for packet boats and the growing | | | | Saturday, allowing throngs of avid visitors to watch the |
| trucking industry taking away much transportation | | | | horses exercise and see the infield grass and flower |
| work away from ferries. | | | | beds peaceful and still covered in dew. |
| Its first experience in the Louisville area was in the | | | | The entertainment and diversions here at Louisville are |
| early 1930's when it was brought in to replace the | | | | as varied as there are differing classes, races and |
| excursion boat "America" which had burned. It was | | | | social orientations of people. Some revolve on sports, |
| then running between Fontaine Ferry Park, Louisville | | | | others on fads or private passions of astonishing |
| and Rose Island Amusement Park located at fourteen | | | | variations. As for sports, there are swimming for which |
| mile creek. She eventually got settled in Louisville as | | | | there are many public as well as private pools; there |
| her home-port in 1934. | | | | are tennis, squash and of course a great craze here is |
| During World War 11 the vessel got deployed in the | | | | reserved for baseball with many massive stadiums set |
| off-season as a tow boat for oil barges and as a | | | | apart for it. |
| floating U.S.O nightspot up and down the mighty | | | | Garden parties are a regular affair as much as are |
| Mississippi. After the end of the war it was reassigned | | | | parties of a multitude of clubs, organizations, |
| to her old job as an excursion boat. But in 1947 she | | | | campaigns for health disabilities amongst many other |
| was sold to J. Herod Gorsage and in a few months | | | | causes, sometimes even for animals who are given an |
| time made into an illegal gambling boat. But this activity | | | | exceeding amount of respect and attention as well as |
| was soon discovered resulting in a raid of the boat | | | | office parties. The entertainment clubs are countless. |
| and the arrest of the captain, Ben Winters. Trying to | | | | But I will mention just a few that represent the diversity |
| clear the ship of a bad name, the captain on his | | | | and vivacity available here. The Comedy -Caravan |
| deathbed requested that the name of the boat be | | | | Nightclub at Bardstown Road showcases local and |
| changed to the "Avalon" which was the name given to | | | | regional stand-up acts. The Connection, a giant |
| the first boat he had served on. So in 1948 the boat | | | | entertainment complex, has a bar and the biggest |
| became the Avalon and for the next 12 years cruised | | | | dance floor in Louisville. Talent shows and revues are |
| the Mississippi River as an excursion boat again.in | | | | done by a female impersonator in the theater. |
| 1961because the Avalon was in dire need of repairs, it | | | | Coyotes plays live country music to a raucous but |
| was sent to the auction block. Then in 1962 Jefferson | | | | friendly clientele. Café Kilimanjaro down Fourth |
| County Judge Marlowe Cook together with Louisville | | | | Street hosts Latin Nights on Saturdays whilst Club |
| mayor bought it for 34,000 dollars and had her | | | | Salsa at Main Street hosts it throughout the weekends. |
| renamed Belle of Louisville. Having been repaired the | | | | Santa Barbara goes beyond Latin music playing salsa, |
| new "Belle of Louisville" was ready for the first year of | | | | meringue, Caribbean and romantic 1960's American |
| the famous annual Kentucky Derby Festival. Every | | | | ballads. |
| year during Derby week, it races Cincinnati's Delta | | | | More variety could be heard at the Kentucky Center |
| Queen before thousands of cheering people along the | | | | where The Fifth World Rhythms Music Series offers |
| riverbank. | | | | four annual performances of music and dance from a |
| Now priceless, this National Historic Landmark graces | | | | wide variety of world cultures preceded by a fun-filled |
| the Louisville waterfront front where it is boarded, as | | | | Cultural Marketplace celebrating arts, crafts and |
| we did a year ago, for its regular musical cruises, with | | | | cultures from all over the globe. |
| her tall smoke stacks belching out white smokes and | | | | Elimo's Martini Lounge downtown at Main Street is |
| impressive red paddlewheel steering it on amidst | | | | Louisville's newest and hottest spot with a |
| rollicky laughs and chatter. For its last days are to bring | | | | sophisticated big city feel. It has added a state of the |
| continuous cheer to people's hearts as they listen or | | | | art music video with a live D.J. taking requests from |
| dance or dine whilst the music from the resident band | | | | the 70's up to date plus a menu of over 50 specialty |
| spins ever popular tunes. | | | | Martinis. There is also a gallery room. A dance floor |
| The visit to Churchill Downs was a very exhilarating | | | | with six different flavors of entertainment under one |
| experience starting from the 360 degree projector | | | | roof: Coyote's music and Dance Hall features Country, |
| screen with a theater on the round and matching | | | | honky-tonk and live local national acts. The Rock it club |
| resounding acoustics tracing the history of the horse | | | | plays mostly hip-hop . Sing Karaoke at the Coy-o-Kee |
| racing sport, showcasing memorable races along the | | | | saloon. Vinnie3's dance Club spins hits from the |
| years and documenting the careers of its many | | | | mid79's. Club E's is a hot top 40 dance-club with |
| champions. This museum features various aspects of | | | | Louisville's only revolving dance floor. |