As Louisvillians drive down Third Street and St. James Court in Old Louisville, they might wonder what it would be like to step inside many of the centuries-old mansions that line the street.
Well, we took the guess work out for you loyal readers and toured three of the most historic — and elaborate — homes on the block, known in the Victorian Era as "Millionaire's Row."
The inaugural Old Louisville Mansions Tour includes many more of the homes in the neighborhood from noon to 6 p.m. next Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15. Until then, we'll disclose several of the secrets of the extraordinary and mysterious neighborhood streets.
Samuel Grabfelder Mansion, 1442 South Third Street
This home, built in 1896, was once an apartment building, but when it was purchased in 1973 by the Handy family it was restored into its original Beaux Arts-style single family home.
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The main room has period coffered ceilings, intricate woodwork and mahogany oak paneling. The light fixtures are gilded gold over brass and are all original to the home. The mantle place is surrounded by green onyx on flooring that is a Y-patterned parquet, all original.
The ladies' parlor is a French Renaissance style with sconces with hanging cherubs, a Greek Key inlay in the flooring and a decorative painted ceiling. The gold sconces are the epitome of "high-end luxury," said Shawn Williams, executive director of the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council.
In the men's parlor, the Handy family added a leather ceiling to complement the Tiffany stained glass over the onyx fireplace and carved woodworking. The room is styled as a music room with a baby grand piano.
The oval dining room has a built-in sideboard with mahogany inlays, paneling around the windows and beehive lighting in the decorative ceiling. The staircase, with a landing that includes a large stained glass window, was added by the Handy family when they made the apartments into one home.
The bedrooms upstairs have intricate details including deep crown molding, original heavy sliding doors, birdseye maple on the door frames and detailed ceilings.
Conrad-Caldwell House, 1402 St. James Court
The Conrad-Caldwell House, which is Richardsonian Romanesque-style, was once called "Conrad's Castle," according to Executive Director Kate Meador.
The home is known for its beautiful woodwork and parquet floors, elaborate archways and stone designs. There are seven types of hardwoods and magnificent stained glass windows, too, which was original to entrepreneur Theophile Conrad's home.
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Conrad's home was made from many local materials including tile from Valparaiso, Indiana and Bedford Limestone also from Indiana. There are at least 120 fleur de lis in the home, according to Meador, as an ode to Conrad's French heritage and Louisville's affinity for the culture.
The Conrad-Caldwell House is now a museum that opened in 1987. It was restored to the Edwardian Age, with many period items from the early 1900s when William E. Caldwell's family inhabited the home. Caldwell built onto the home, increasing the living space footprint from four bedrooms to seven.
Now, tours consistently go through the museum, which also holds archives and events such as weddings, almost every hour.
Century Court, 1355 South Third Street
Bill Gilbert's neoclassical home might be the funkiest home you see on the tour, with a large collection of Asian art, a stuffed peaco*ck and a bathroom devoted to Egyptian history.
When you walk into the home, the sweeping staircase will immediately catch your eye as will the arched stained glass at the center of the landing. The entryway has a masterfully painted gold leaf border that was done by Gilbert himself.
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The home was used as the Red Cross Headquarters until Gilbert moved into the home in 1995, so he and others scraped out carpet, took out ceiling tiles and added flashy chandeliers to replace the fluorescent lighting.
They did leave, however, the original detailed fireplaces with Renaissance detailing surrounding marble, original hardwood floors and deep framed doors. The library, which is also the music room, features a pump organ and 1700s-era chairs.
"The home is our taste," Gilbert, who loves to entertain, said. "It just feels right when people are around."
An upstairs bedroom holds hundreds of accumulated Asian artworks with bookshelves leading to an Egyptian themed bathroom, complete with a sarcophagus that doubles as a medicine cabinet, a handmade canopy over the shower and an authentic hieroglyphic that's thousands of years old.
(As you leave, don't forget to check out the taxidermy peaco*ck hanging out on the banister telling you goodbye.)
Who knows what else you'll find on the Old Louisville Mansions Tour. All your burning questions about "Millionaire's Row" will be answered next weekend as the tour opens up some of the most iconic Louisville homes.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Conrad-Caldwell House and the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council's Old Louisville Mansions Tour
WHERE: Tour begins at the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, 1402 St. James Court
WHEN: Noon to 6 pm. Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15
BUY TICKETS: $25 before the event, $30 the day of the event. https://squ.re/2EbJ7uh
MORE INFO: http://oldlouisville.org/mansions-tour/
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Tour three elaborate and historic mansions in Old Louisville
