Historical Marker

"Neighborhood House"

Historical marker location:

Louisville, Kentucky

( 428 S. First St., Louisville)

Begun in 1896 as first settlement house in Kentucky. The founders wanted to improve the lives of immigrants and urban residents by offering English and citizenship classes, job skills, public baths, kindergarten, and a playground. Mary Belknap donated Neighborhood House's first permanent site here, 1902. In 1996 this area park was renamed Settlement House Park.

Reverse

Settlement Houses - Before cities addressed issues such as child labor and housing, settlement houses were started by citizens to provide some relief. Neighborhood House and its sister agencies (Cabbage Patch, Louisville Central, Presbyterian Community Center, and Wesley House) still serve Louisville's urban families with cultural and educational services.