Curious Louisville
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Ever had a question about the Derby City that you just can't answer? That's where Curious Louisville comes in. Listeners submit their questions, the public votes on which questions to investigate, and 89.3 WFPL finds the answers.+
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Jan 31, 2020
What’s That Door In A Hill On Lexington Road?
You may have seen it while driving down Lexington road, away from downtown, just before Headliners Music Hall. A retaining wall in the side of the hill… with a door in the middle. What’s behind it? It’s a question we get a lot at Curious Louisville. On this episode, Ashlie Stevens takes us behind the door.
Nov 27, 2019
Curious Louisville: Do White Outer Lines Make Roads Safer?
For fourteen years, Robert Miles has seen cars in ditches, in neighbor’s yards and in his own fencing that borders the boundary of the horse farm his family owns. He lives off Todds Point Road in Shelby County. “It’s horrific, you’re taking your life in your hands every time you go through,” Miles said of a particular curve in the road. Todds Point is an idyllic rural road going through horse country. But it’s narrow, and doesn’t have white outer edge lines that could help drivers stay on the road. Miles asked Curious Louisville: “Why do some roads have white outer lines and others don’t? What determines who gets what paint?” WFPL reporter Lisa Gillespie went looking for the answer.
Jun 14, 2019
Why Is A Stretch Of Louisville Highway Measured In Kilometers?
The United States prides itself on a kind of rugged individualism. We like to think we do things our own way here.
So while the rest of the world uses the metric system, here in America, we use a system based on inches, feet, yards and miles.
Except on a particular stretch of Louisville highway. Lots of you asked us why. On this episode, WFPL's Ashlie Stevens finds out.
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May 17, 2019
Why Does The U of L Cardinal Mascot Have Teeth?
Woody Woodpecker. Donald Duck. Iago from “Aladdin." Louie, the U of L cardinal. All these birds have something in common: at various points in their histories, they have been depicted with a full toothy grin.
Which leads to our latest Curious Louisville question from Rachel Peterson: “Why does the U of L cardinal mascot have teeth?”
“Birds don’t have teeth,” Rachel said. “I get that it’s trying to look fierce, but it’s just biologically inaccurate."
WFPL’s Liz Schlemmer and Ashlie Stevens looked for an answer.
Apr 26, 2019
Curious Louisville: Why Is There An Omar Khayyam Blvd In Valley Station?
Nadeem Saddiqui and his family recently moved to Valley Station, in the southeastern part of Louisville. "It's stereotypically not the most multi-cultural area of Louisville," he said. So it surprised him to see a street named Omar Khayyam Blvd. "It was a medieval Persian poet," he said. "Growing up my parents had a lot of books of his poetry."
Nadeem wanted to know how this street came to be, in this neighborhood. So we went looking for the answer.
Apr 4, 2019
Curious Louisville: Who Were The Caldwell Sisters?
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History is full of untold stories, and today on Curious Louisville, we're telling one. It's about two sisters who had a lasting impact on Louisville, and whose graves are here, even though they never lived in the city: Mary Elizabeth and Mary Gwendolyn Caldwell.
Listener Chuck Rogalinski wrote us: “Will you tell the story of the two sisters who weren’t born in Louisville, owned property in the city, married into European aristocracy and are buried in Cave Hill?”
In today's edition of Curious Louisville, we do just that.
Mar 21, 2019
Curious Louisville: Who Cleans Up Graffiti On The Backs Of Freeway Signs?
Is it art? Is it crime? A little bit of both? Whatever it is, it's part of your morning commute.
"Every morning when I commute to work, no matter which way I go, I started to see more and more graffiti on the back of the signs," Joe Sullivan reported. "I saw it and I thought, I hope they take that down, because if they don't take it away, it's just going to embolden people to do more. And it seems to have."
Joe says he sees the artistic talent on display in some graffiti. But he also thinks it's distracting to drivers, and a bad look for the city. "It sort of gives the impression that we're not taking care of things."
So Joe asked Curious Louisville, who's cleaning that up? WFPL's Ryan Van Velzer took up the mantle. And the answer takes us on a commute of our own, through both sides of the art/vandalism debate.
Mar 7, 2019
Curious Louisville: Why Are There So Many Fish Fries In Louisville?
Every year at the beginning of Lent, (the period in the Christian calendar between Ash Wednesday and Easter) WFPL publishes a guide to all the fish fries in Louisville. It's always one of our most popular stories of the year.
There are Facebook groups dedicated solely to rating the different fish fries around town. And hundreds upon hundreds of people line up in our city's churches every Friday night to eat fried fish, hush puppies, and macaroni and cheese.
This made US curious: Why exactly are there so many Catholic fish fries in the city? And what (aside from the delicious food) makes them so popular? WFPL's Ashlie Stevens investigates, in this edition of Curious Louisville.
Mar 5, 2019
Curious Louisville: What Was Old Louisville Called Before It Was 'Old?'
Louisville is a city of neighborhoods. For a lot of people, where they live is a big part of their identity.
And Curious Louisville listener Evan Patrick wondered about how one neighborhood developed an identity of its own.
WFPL’s Ashlie Stevens looked into the answer.
Feb 28, 2019
Curious Louisville: What Happened To Muhammad Ali's Olympic Medal?
In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, a young Muhammad Ali -- then called Cassius Clay -- defeated three-time European boxing champion Zbigniew Pietrzykowski.
He returned to Louisville with a gold medal, which he wore around his neck for days afterwards; some biographers say he even slept with it around his neck.
But then, the medal disappeared, and its fate has long been the topic of sports media speculation (despite the fact that he received a replacement medal in 1996).
One prevailing theory is that Ali had been turned away from a restaurant because he was black, so he tossed his medal off the Second Street Bridge into the Ohio River. But in interviews, Ali never gave a definitive answer regarding the medal’s location.
An Ali fan named Ray Watkins asked Curious Louisville to help him find out, once and for all. WFPL's Kyeland Jackson took on the challenge.
You can ask your own Curious Louisville question at curiouslouisville.org.
Feb 14, 2019
Curious Louisville: Whatever Happened To The Falls Fountain?
It was supposed to be Louisville’s answer to the St. Louis arch. But in the press, it was eventually called ugly. A turkey A good idea gone bad. It’s been gone since 1998, but not entirely forgotten.
In fact, it’s been on Curious Louisville listener Mark Friedland’s mind: Whatever happened to the Falls Fountain?
In this edition of Curious Louisville, we find out the answer.
Jan 25, 2019
Curious Louisville: Why Is The Bridge Being Painted Yellow?
If you're driving downtown near the river, you can't miss it: a brand new paint job in progress on the Clark Memorial Bridge.
We've heard it compared to a school bus, a canary, and butter. Curious Louisville listener Allan Steinberg wanted to know how the color was chosen. (Allan's not a fan: "I was hoping it was only the primer!")
WFPL's Amina Elahi went to Rebecca Metheny, the director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. They're responsible for the paint job, and they also oversaw the KFC Yum Center design and construction--and it turns out, the two are related.
Great questions make great stories, and Curious Louisville wants yours! Send us your question at CuriousLouisville.org. You and your curiosity might be featured in a future story.
Jan 10, 2019
Curious Louisville: What's Up With That Stone Circle In Champions Park?
In a park off of River Road, nearly hidden by scrubby grass is a mystery: an about 50-foot wide stone circle marking long-ago infrastructure.
This ring intrigued Curious Louisville listener Jim Turner, and he asked about it.
“I heard [the circle] was a wading pool administered by the Louisville Water Company in the late 1800's. Is that true?” he wrote.
Turner grew up in Louisville, not far from the stone circle. He remembers riding his bike from Field Elementary to the waterworks on Zorn Avenue.
“The waterworks was my playground because I grew up very close to it. I rode along and through the waterworks property going places I probably shouldn't sometimes. But when you're a kid, an indestructible kid, adventurous, that's what you do.”
So when one day Turner saw an old picture, taken from the distance that appeared to show a body of water — he thought maybe a pool — at the site of the stone circle, it made him curious.
Turns out, this stone ring in that's now in a fair…
Nov 9, 2018
Curious Louisville: What Is On Shippingport Island?
In the middle of the Ohio River, visible from I-65 and Louisville’s Portland neighborhood, is a tiny island called “Shippingport.”
You can drive to the base of the island, but you’ll be met with an array of “no trespassing” signs and wire gates.
And Curious Louisville listener Ruby Fields wanted to know what was behind them.
Oct 3, 2018
Curious Louisville: What Is In The Tiny House On The 14th Street Bridge?
If you’re driving down I-64, and happen to look out over the Ohio River, you may catch a glimpse of a house-like structure on top of the 14th Street Bridge.
It’s small -- barely noticeable -- but a lot of people have questions about it. Including our latest Curious Louisville listener.
WFPL’s Ashlie Stevens has more.
Oct 3, 2018
What Happens To Your Recycling?
Over the last couple years, WFPL's Curious Louisville has received nearly a dozen questions about Louisville recycling. People want to know what happens after it leaves the curb, where it all goes, and how a 2017 Chinese policy impacts recycling in Kentucky.
In this installment of Curious Louisville, WFPL’s Energy & Environment Reporter Ryan Van Velzer visits the largest recycling center in Louisville to answer one of our most commonly asked questions.
Oct 2, 2018
Curious Louisville: What Causes Traffic Signals To Go Out?
Traffic signals: you barely notice them until they’re not working.
But what actually causes them to malfunction?
That's what a Curious Louisville listener wanted know; As WFPL's Amina Elahi found out
the culprit is often power, or -- more accurately -- the lack of it. Here's more:
Oct 2, 2018
Curious Louisville: How Do You Become A Kentucky Colonel?
What do Paul McCartney, Betty White and Muhammad Ali have in common?
All three, along with about 100,000 other people, have been given the title “Kentucky Colonel.”
But how does one gain the honor? That was listener Patrick Grantz’s question for Curious Louisville -- and our resident Kentucky Colonel, broadcast managing editor Rick Howlett, has the answer:
Oct 2, 2018
Curious Louisville: Where Is Pokey LaFarge's 'Carpet Alley?'
If you listen to our sister station WFPK, or attended Forecastle in 2016, you’ve probably heard of Pokey LaFarge
He’s an artist whose music, as NPR’s Stephen Thompson once said, “evokes the old-timey spirit of a thousand crackling 78 RPM records.”
LaFarge is based in St. Louis, but lived in Louisville for a time, which is what inspired his 2015 song “Home Away From Home” -- and our latest Curious Louisville question from listener Troy Richardson.
WFPL’s Ashlie Stevens has more:
May 25, 2018
A Curious Louisville News Special: Your Questions About The JCPS Audit
Earlier this month, Curious Louisville asked what questions you have about the JCPS audit and possible state takeover. You sent us more than 50 in the first 24 hours, and we realized we’d need to dedicate some extra time to answer them all.
Here's our hour-long news special, hosted by Kentucky Public Radio’s Ryland Barton and WFPL education reporter Roxanne Scott.
May 15, 2018
Curious Louisville: Could A State Takeover Of JCPS Affect Teacher Contracts?
Curious Louisville asked for your questions about the JCPS audit -- and you had lots of questions! In today’s edition, we take a look at the Jefferson County Teachers Association--also known as JCTA or the teachers union--to answer this question from former teacher, Paul Downs:
"With JCTA and JCPS set to renegotiate a new contract for teachers this summer, what happens if the state takes over and the contract has not yet been negotiated?"
WFPL's Laura Ellis and Roxanne Scott have the answers... lots of them.
May 14, 2018
Curious Louisville: Have There Been Other State Takeovers in Kentucky?
Last month, the Kentucky Department of Education released an audit recommending the state take over Louisville’s public school system. Curious Louisville asked for your questions about the audit.
Shawn Carroll and Karen Rippy wanted to know if there had been other state-takeovers in Kentucky. And if so, how were they working out?
Ashlie Stevens talked to Kentucky Public Radio's Ryland Barton for the answer.
May 4, 2018
Curious Derby: What Happens to Retired Horses?
As part of Curious Derby, we’ve reported on horse safety, injuries and even deaths while racing.
But this caused Rob Harris from Louisville to wonder: "What happens to race horses once they retire, winners or not?"
WFPL’s Ashlie Stevens went to a farm that specifically houses older thoroughbreds to find out the answer:
May 4, 2018
Curious Derby: What's The Cheapest Horse Ever To Win The Derby?
When you watch the Kentucky Oaks tonight, look for a solid brown filly whose jockey is in orange and brown checkered silks. Her name is Chocolate Martini, and trainer Tom Amoss bought her at a claiming race. That got listener Elizabeth Jesse thinking.
"So my best friend, her name is Hayley Amoss, and her dad is a trainer, Tom Amoss," Elizabeth said. "And he claimed a horse that’s actually running in the Oaks. Her name is Chocolate Martini and they only paid 25,000 for her. So that kind of sparked my curiosity about if there’d ever been a claimer in the Derby."
Elizabeth asked Curious Louisville whether any claimed horses had run in the Derby, and what's the least expensive horse that has run. WFPL's Laura Ellis looked for an answer.
May 3, 2018
Curious Derby: What's The Origin Of The Call To The Post?
It’s 34 notes in the key of C -- no sharps, no flats. And it means the next race is about 10 minutes away. You know it as the Call to the Post. Listener Hannah Zimmerman wanted to know where it came from, so WFPL's Laura Ellis went looking for the answer.
May 2, 2018
Curious Derby: How Do Jockeys Stay In Racing Shape?
During the most exciting two minutes in sports, a lot of people pay attention to the athleticism of the horses -- and with good reason. But have you ever wondered what type of physical conditioning it requires to guide and stay balanced on top of a 1000-pound racehorse?
As part of our Curious Derby series, WFPL health reporter Lisa Gillespie looked into how jockeys stay in shape for races, and how they heal after injuries.
May 1, 2018
Curious Derby: Can Animal Lovers Make Peace With Horse Racing?
Every horse racing fan remembers Eight Belles’ death, said Michael Blowen, the owner of Old Friends, a retirement farm for thoroughbreds. It happened in 2008, minutes after the filly had placed in the Kentucky Derby; she collapsed on the track after both her ankles broke.
In television coverage from the race, cameras zoomed in on veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage.
“They immediately euthanized her because there was no possible way to save her," Bramlage said after the race.
“But I’ll tell you,” said Blowen, “Nobody loved Eight Belles more than her trainer, Larry Jones. I was on the backside of Churchill Downs every morning that week, and he had that horse out grazing every day. He adored her, and no one was more broken up about what happened to Eight Belles.”
And Blowen himself loves horses, especially racehorses.
Old Friends is an expansive farm outside Georgetown — the kind with wide pastures and volunteers who hand-feed carrots to retired racehorses. Every morning…
Apr 25, 2018
Curious Derby: What's Up With Men's Derby Fashion
The perfect dress. An outrageous hat. A pair of killer heels -- and a pair of backup flip flops. Everyone knows what the Derby essentials are for women. But what about men?
Tyler Franklin wanted to know, what's up with men's Derby fashion? How did it evolve? WFPL's Ryan Van Velzer needed the answer too -- he's going to his first Derby this year and had NO idea what to wear.
Tyler and Ryan teamed up for this Derby edition of Curious Louisville.
Apr 24, 2018
Curious Derby: How Many Planes Fly In During Derby Weekend?
During the first weekend in May, people from all over the world flock to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. But Fred Benz and his wife typically leave that weekend to avoid the rush of tourists.
Whenever they do, Benz notices how packed the tarmac at Louisville International Airport becomes, which led him to wonder how many planes fly into the city over the course of Derby weekend.
As part of Curious Derby -- a special series by the producers of Curious Louisville -- WFPL reporter Kyeland Jackson set out to find the answer:
Feb 13, 2018
Curious Louisville: What Happened To The Belvedere’s ‘Pan’ Statue?
When Donna Finnell was working downtown in the late 1970s, she spent a lot of lunch breaks walking around on the Belvedere. She especially liked to visit a small statue nestled in the landscaping there — a delicate bronze figure of the Greek god Pan. He was shown bending towards the ground, playing a flute.
Ashlie Stevens
Pan.
Eventually, she got a different job, and when she visited the Belvedere again years later, Pan was gone. So she asked Curious Louisville: What happened to it?
When I first saw this question, I thought it would be a relatively easy one to answer. A quick Google search revealed the Belvedere Pan statue, as seen in the photo above, had been created by Charlotte Price (and cast by Louisville’s Barney Bright).
LVA/Submitted
Charlotte Price and Louisville sculptor Ed Hamilton.
I pulled out the city’s directory of public art, scanned for “Pan” and “Price” — and that’s when the story became more complicated.
Check it out in the player above. You…
Jan 4, 2018
Curious Louisville: What Happens To Zoo Animals When They Die?
We know that all dogs go to heaven, but what happens to the Louisville Zoo animals when they die?
This Curious Louisville question actually has a variety of answers — ranging from the zoo’s educational programs to a baby pool on the rooftop of a Bellarmine University science building.
Dr. Zoli Gymesi is the senior staff veterinarian at the Louisville Zoo.
“Let me start by saying that any time we lose a zoo animal, it’s a sad day,” Gymesi said. “But with any loss, we try to maximize what we can learn from their death.”
He said that the zoo has a strict set of procedures after an animal dies.
“We have a dedicated necropsy room, and in the necropsy room is where we would do post-mortem evaluations,” Gymesi said. “That’s gross dissection of the animal after it has passed, you usually get a good feel there, and then you harvest tissues that gets sent off to a veterinary pathologist for microscopic evaluation.”
At that point, there is a full pathologic evaluatio…
Nov 22, 2017
Curious Louisville: How Did We End Up Here?
For our latest installment of Curious Louisville, WFPL listener Ben Taylor came to us with this inquiry:
“Why is Louisville located at this particular point on the Ohio River instead of somewhere else?”
Submitted
Curious question asker Ben Taylor.
The answer lies mostly in the river — and the Falls of the Ohio.
At the Portland Museum just west of downtown Louisville, Teresa Lee took me on a topographical tour of the Falls of the Ohio, past and present.
Lee is the museum’s education and visitor services coordinator.
For early navigators, the prehistoric rock ledge formations and rapids that once interrupted the flow of much of the Ohio River near Portland were an impediment. But they were integral to the development of Louisville.
Lee said prior to construction and expansion of the Portland Canal in the 1800s and — much later — the McAlpine Locks and Dam, navigating the falls was dangerous work for pilots of Ohio River vessels.
“You had to make a decision. There w…
Nov 17, 2017
Curious Louisville: How Do You Pronounce ‘Nachand’?
For our latest installment of Curious Louisville, listener Peggy Hoffman came to us with the question, “How do you pronounce N-A-C-H-A-N-D? It’s a street off of Watterson Trail — what’s the history of it?”
We found out this distinct name is actually found on streets and buildings in both Louisville and Southern Indiana — Jeffersontown and Jeffersonville, specifically — and it turns out that the origin differs based on what side of the river you are on.
Jeffersonville Parks Department
The Nachand Field House in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Since this is a story about pronunciation, you’re going to want to listen to the whole story in the player above. You can also download this story, and be sure to subscribe to Curious Louisville wherever you get your podcasts.
Submit your own question at curiouslouisville.org.
Oct 31, 2017
Curious Louisville: How Did Hillcrest Avenue Become Halloween Headquarters?
Ask anyone in Louisville the best place to see Halloween decorations, and you’ll likely be sent to Hillcrest Avenue in Crescent Hill. It’s just one of those things everyone seems to know. But how did it get started? And what’s it like being a homeowner there?
That’s what Curious Louisville listener Katharine Crawford wanted to know.
Some sources have the tradition going back to the 1980s — originally a competition between two neighbors trying to outdo each other. But historian Joanne Weeter said Halloween on Hillcrest really started picking up steam in the 90s.
“1995 was the first year that Hillcrest was formally mentioned in the local paper that it was a Halloween thing,” Weeter said.
Word got out, and crowds started showing up throughout the month of October. These days, they number in the tens of thousands.
Up and down the street, stretching from Frankfort Avenue to Brownsboro Road, houses are decked out by proud homeowners who spend months preparing.
“It takes…
Sep 18, 2017
Curious Louisville: Was The High-Five Really Invented In Louisville?
You see it performed everywhere. At sporting events, on television, maybe even at your workplace.
It’s the high five.
From the documentary ‘Doctors of Dunk’
But while this gesture seems like it’s probably been around forever, its origin story may actually have local ties.
For WFPL’s Curious Louisville project, I looked into where the high-five came from, which led me from the basketball court to the baseball field — and behind an elaborate hoax.
Listen in the player above, download this story, or subscribe to Curious Louisville wherever you get your podcasts. And submit your own question at curiouslouisville.org.