“Country Houses of Louisville, 1899-1939” Captures Bygone Era of Elegance

Some books are just pure joy. “Country Houses of Louisville, 1899-1939” is such a book, according to architect Mark Alan Hewitt. In the book’s forward, he states that the volume “is that rare combination of splendid book design and sprightly narrative that should delight any fan of southern history or art.”

 

Co-authored by Winfrey P. Blackburn, Jr. and R. Scott Gill, and published by Butler Books, “Country Houses” showcases more than 30 estates built by wealthy Louisvillians from 1899 to 1939 in the hills around Cherokee Park and on the bluffs above the Ohio River. 

 

Locals will recognize family names that include Belknap, Bingham, Brandeis, Norton, Seelbach and Speed. These families hired locally and nationally renowned architects to build their palatial homes, and hired equally famous landscape architects to create breathtaking gardens. The architects used a range of styles, including Georgian, Mediterranean, Tudor, Colonial Revival and Shingle Style, and drew inspiration from French, Italian and English estates. More than 300 archival and contemporary photos, many in color, capture a bygone era of luxury.  

 
Both of the book’s authors have deep connections to Louisville. Blackburn, who took many of the photographs for the book, lives in a home near Cherokee Park that was designed by famed architect Stratton Hammon. Blackburn was born and raised in Frankfort, earned a law degree from the University of Virginia and is now a local civil defense attorney.

 

Gill was born in California, but moved with his family to Louisville in 1972. His interest in architectural history had its seeds in a paper he wrote during his senior year at Ballard High School. Gill went on to earn a master’s degree in architecture at Rice University and a masters of business administration degree at MIT. 

 

Blackburn and Gill, who previously co-authored “Kentucky Houses of Stratton Hammon,” were surprised and impressed by the number of nationally recognized architects and landscape architects who worked on the country houses featured in the book. The list includes the Olmsted Brothers, Carrère & Hastings, Wilson Eyre and Charles Adams Platt. “There is so much underappreciated and unrecognized architecture in Louisville – architecture that is really good and often truly exceptional,” says Gill.

 

Blackburn contacted current owners of the properties and descendants of the original builders to obtain access to the properties to take new photos. “I wanted to capture the architectural beauty of the houses and the wonderful design of the gardens so Louisvillians can know and appreciate what their forebears left for us to enjoy,” he says. Blackburn is also thankful to the many local people who furnished building plans, old photos and other material for the books.

 

Among his favorites, Blackburn includes the William Speed house, named Kanawha, and Senator Frederic Sackett’s house, Edgecombe (now gone) among his favorites, although he notes that he likes all the featured homes. Gill also particularly admires Edgecombe for the house’s superb relationship to the landscape, Ladless Hill Farm for its “presciently modern plan,” and Gardencourt for its grandeur. Both authors appreciate the work of Townsend & Fleming landscape architects, the firm that would later design the gardens at Cheekwood in Nashville. The firm also designed the gardens at Lincliff, as well as the Carrier estate in Glenview. 

 

The book includes short architect biographies and extensive endnotes, and will appeal to readers interested in local history, architecture, landscaping and garden design. 

 

“Country Houses of Louisville, 1899-1939” is available locally at Carmichael’s, Barnes & Noble, Dover House Antiques, Bittner’s, the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Dolfingers and Celebrations.  It can also be found at www.ButlerBooks.com and at other online book retailers.