Historical Marker

Seelbach-Parrish House


SEELBACH-PARRISH HOUSE Built in 1888 for German immigrant and hotelier Louis Seelbach (1852- 1925) and designed by architects Wehle and Dodd in a modified Richardsonian Romanesque form. This house set the tone for other houses built on this block. In 1905, Seelbach & his brother Otto opened the Seelbach Hotel, which was then the largest hotel in Ky. Louisville Historic League

SEELBACH-PARRISH HOUSE Charles H. Parrish, Sr. (1859-1931), purchased the house in 1919. Born a slave, Parrish moved to Louisville to pursue an education. He served as president of Simmons Univ. from 1918-1931. Charles H. Parrish, Jr. (1899-1989) and his family lived in the house from 1939-1969 and he became the first black professor at the University of Louisville in 1951. Parrish Family Descendants Dedicated April 7, 2019.