Historical Marker

St. James Court

VISIONS In the 1890s, Wm. H. Slaughter envisioned and with the Victoria Land Co. developed St. James Court. Earlier (1874-1882) the land served as a sports and entertainment complex, including home field of Louisville’s charter-member National League team (1876-7). From 1883-1887 the main building of the Southern Exposition stood here.

RESTORATION AND REVITALIZATION In the mid-1950s, St. James Court had fallen into disrepair, when Malcolm Bird, Bob Smith & Jim Perry began a preservation movement. In 1957, Bird founded the St. James Court Art Show. It grew into one of the nation’s largest under the leadership of Ann Higbie. Old Louisville was established as an Historic Preservation District in 1974. Dedicated on September 3, 2018.