THEN & NOW

Bardstown Road and Longest Avenue, 1936 vs. 2023

In this 1936 photograph, trolley tracks run down the middle of Bardstown Road, once a bricked street and former turnpike toll road. On this particular corner, Longest Avenue opened wide so that street cars could pass as they turned off Bardstown Road toward Cherokee Park. OateyForbes Drugs occupied the corner at this time and, in the 1960s, the same site was home to Neubauer Drugs.

Carmichael's, Louisville's oldest continuously operating independent bookstore, opened on the corner of Bonnycastle Avenue and Bardstown Road in 1978. The shop moved to the corner of Bardstown Road and Longest Avenue in 1983. Ramsi's Café on the World, on the north side of the store, reflects the range of ethnic cuisines available in Louisville Metro, and is one of the many dining establishments along Bardstown Road giving rise to the street's identification as Louisville's "Restaurant Row."

The University of Louisville’s Archives and Special Collections Department collects, organizes, preserves, and makes available for research rare and unique primary and secondary source material, particularly relating to the history and cultural heritage of Louisville.

Audience Magazine is excited to share the stories and photos of the collection through our content partnership with the group. We hope you enjoy them!

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