LOUISVILLE LANDMARKS COMMISSION DESIGN GUIDELINES, CHEROKEE TRIANGLE, PAGE 1

CHEROKEE TRIANGLE

FROM FARM TO SUBDIVISION

Efforts by James Henning and Joshua Speed, localreal estate developers, provided the initial impetusto establish Cherokee Triangle as a residentialcommunity. During the late 1800s, Henning andSpeed bought and subdivided 134 acres of hillycountryside to the east of Louisville, calling it theHenning and Speed Highland Addition.

DISADVANTAGE OF DISTANCE

Sales of lots proved slow at first. Most could notafford the expense of maintaining horse-drawncarriages or were not willing to endure the discom-fort of commuting by mule-driven streetcar. Anumber of wealthy residents built country residencesthere, complete with carriage houses, stables, andservants� quarters. One of the first residents wasHenning�s daughter, who received a spacious two-story brick home, still standing on the corner ofCherokee and Grinstead Drive, as a wedding presentfrom her father.

ELECTRIC TROLLEYS EDGE OUT THE COMPETITION

By the 1890s, development of the Highland Addition,known as the Highlands, increased significantly.Louisville�s emergence as a major manufacturingcenter created a rising professional and managerialclass that sought high-quality, modern housing.Cherokee Triangle offered opportunities to buildhomes with up-to-date electricity and plumbing onits many open lots. Newspapers advertised theneighborhood as a quiet place in the countryside farfrom the noisy city. Arrival of electric trolleys in 1889enabled quick and comfortable access to downtown.Old Louisville, on the other hand, had few remainingopen lots, and members of the rising middle classwere rarely willing to retrofit older homes. Conse-quently, older neighborhoods like Old Louisville slowlybegan losing population to newer areas like theCherokee Triangle.

THE PARK AND COMMUNITY IDENTITY

In 1892, the newly opened Cherokee Park clinchedthe success of the suburb as one of Louisville�s most

Courtesy of the University of Louisville Photographic Archives

PRESERVATION DISTRICT

A Brief History

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fashionable places to live. Designed by Frederick LawOlmsted, a nationally renowned landscape architect,Cherokee Park was an instant success. Its naturalscenery provided an antidote for the bustle ofmodern life, and buyers scrambled to acquire landadjacent to the park. The park was an essentialelement of the community�s identity, and soonresidents began calling the area Cherokee Trianglefor the semi-triangular boundary the park provided.

IMPACT OF AUTOMOBILES

Development maintained a rapid pace through theturn of the century, and businesses sprang up alongBardstown Road, the streetcar route. Communityleaders saw to the construction of a local library,schools, and churches. By the beginning of WorldWar I, houses lined the streets, and streetcars andhorse-drawn carriages began to share the road with

the new automobile. In the post-war years, thenumber of cars on the road increased dramatically.Consequently, dirt roads were paved and the streetcarservice came to an end.

FALLING OUT OF FAVOR

Fashionable through the early 1940s, CherokeeTriangle�s popularity began to dwindle after WorldWar II. Newer suburbs surrounded it, undermining itsrural character and enveloping it within the urbanlandscape. Developers offering new houses designedwith the latest technology drew residents away fromthe Triangle, perpetuating a cycle that has beendevastating to historic neighborhoods.

COOPERATION AND REVITALIZATION

Deterioration set in by the 1950s and 1960s, and theoverall quality of the area began to decline. Inresponse, residents organized the Cherokee TriangleAssociation and began efforts to revitalize theircommunity. Through the work of the Association andcity officials, the Historic Landmarks and Preserva-tion Districts Commission designated CherokeeTriangle a local preservation district in 1975.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Soon after, the National Register of Historic Placesdesignated the Cherokee Triangle a National Registerdistrict. Following this designation, people began toreinvest in the area, renovating many neglectedhistoric houses. Today, Cherokee Park has streets linedwith well-preserved homes occupied by families whovalue the community�s quality architecture and historiccharacter.

• A former buffalo trace, settlers trail, and street-car route, Bardstown Road is one of the oldestroads in the city. Streetcar tracks still lie underthe asphalt.

• Cherokee Road is the oldest street within theboundary of the preservation district.

• Early Triangle residents sought the services oftalented local architects to design their homes,churches, and businesses in the revival stylespopular during the late nineteenth century.

• During the 1960s, city residents transformedelegantly- designed carriage houses into homes.A beautiful example of a renovated Victorian-eracarriage house is 2101 Cherokee Parkway.

• The statue of General John B. Castleman,erected 1913, stands as a neighborhood land-mark. Castleman was Presi-dent of the Board of the ParksCommission and helped createthe city�s park system. Hisstatue faces Cherokee Park.

• Hogan�s Fountain in CherokeePark once provided drinkingwater for horses pullingcarriages up the park�s manysteep hills.

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DID YOU KNOW?

LOUISVILLE LANDMARKS COMMISSION DESIGN GUIDELINES, CHEROKEE TRIANGLE, PAGE 3

�Reading� Your Building�A Crash Course

Property owners planning to make exterior changesto a historic building should start by identifying thefeatures and materials that give their structure itsunique character, as well as its historic and non-historic elements. By taking the time to recognizeand understand significant features, you will bemuch more likely to plan a project that is compatiblewith the original style of the building.

If, after looking over these guidelines, you would stilllike more information, the staff will be happy toarrange a pre-application meeting. Staff memberscan provide additional advice on the character ofyour building and how it relates to your upcomingproject.

Learning to read a building and identify its signifi-cant elements is not complicated. Begin by thinkingabout and answering the questions below.

STEP ONE

Identify the overall visual aspects of a building. Donot focus on the details, but on the setting andarchitectural context. Begin by working through thechecklist below.

SHAPEWhat is there about the form or shape of thebuilding that gives the building its identity? Is itshort and squat, or tall and narrow?

ROOF AND ROOF FEATURESHow does the roof shape or pitch contribute to thebuilding�s character? Are there unique features likeweathervanes, cresting, or cupolas?

OPENINGSWhat rhythm or pattern does the arrangement ofwindow or door openings create? Are there unusu-ally-shaped window openings or distinctiveentryways?

PROJECTIONSAre there parts of the building that are character-defining because they project from the walls of thebuilding like porches, cornices, bay windows, orbalconies? Are there turrets, or widely overhangingeaves, projecting pediments, or chimneys?

TRIM AND SECONDARY FEATURESHow does window and door trim contribute to thecharacter of the building? Be sure to consider the

decoration, color, or patterning of the trim. Whatabout secondary features like shutters, decorativegables, and railings?

MATERIALSFrom a distance, what contribution do the color,texture, and combination of exterior materials maketo the overall character of the building?

SETTINGWhat aspects of the setting are important in estab-lishing the visual character of the site? Think aboutthe building�s setback, alignment with adjacent build-ings, plantings, fencing, terracing, and outbuildings,and its relationship to the street and alley.

STEP TWO

Identify the character of the building at close range.Assess the color and texture of the building materi-als as they convey the craftsmanship and age thatgives the building its unique appearance. Begin byworking through the checklist below.

MATERIALS AT CLOSE INSPECTIONAre there one or more materials that have aninherent texture that contribute to the close-rangecharacter, such as stucco, exposed aggregateconcrete, or brick textured with vertical grooves?

CRAFT DETAILSIs there high-quality brickwork with narrow mortarjoints, or hand-tooled or patterned stonework? Arethere hand-split or hand-dressed clapboards ormachine-smoothed beveled siding? Craft details,whether handmade or machine-made, contribute tothe character of a building because they are manifes-tations of the time in which the work was done andof the tools and processes that were used.

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Cherokee Triangle�Picturesque Suburb

BENEFITS OF HIGH GROUND

During the mid-nineteenth century, expansive farmsspread across the land now comprising CherokeeTriangle. By the mid-1880s, after a series of floodsdevastated the lowlands, people began to see thedevelopment potential of the district�s high ground.

COUNTRYSIDE WITH CONVENIENCE

Developers promoted the area as a natural retreatfrom the din of the workaday world, near Cave HillCemetery and surrounded by the newly createdCherokee Park. Although the installation of electrictrolley lines greatly eased the commute of theneighborhood�s up-and-coming professionals, resi-dents cultivated picturesque rusticity as an integralpart of the district�s character.

BUILDING USE

The Cherokee Triangle Preservation District isresidential in character, although the hectic commer-cial corridor of Bardstown Road runs parallel to oneof its boundaries. Predominately comprised of single-family homes, the district also contains a significantnumber of apartments housed in large- and small-scale apartment buildings and converted residences.

CIRCULATION PATTERNS

The irregular and curvilinear quality of the streetsreflects the neighborhood�s historic subdivisionpatterns and contributes to the district�s picturesquecharacter. Alleys run behind many blocks, creating animportant secondary circulation network. Manyhouses have garages that are accessed via thesealleys, and although some front-yard driveways doexist, they are the exception rather than the norm.

SITE CHARACTER

Lawns and side yards provide buffers betweenhouses, but they vary considerably in size andextent. Some houses are nestled close together,while others are set amidst expanses of green.Ornamental plantings, including many mature canopytrees, convey a sense of pastoral character thatdifferentiates Cherokee Triangle from its urbancounterparts. The neighborhood�s rolling topographyand its attendant stone retaining walls and continu-ous flights of exterior steps seen on many blocks areother notable, distinguishing features.

ARCHITECTURAL EXPERIMENTATION

Architects and builders experimented with myriadarchitectural styles during the neighborhood�s majorperiod of development, and the character of thebuildings varies block by block. Consequently, a widerange of styles and periods of development arerepresented. Common building styles include QueenAnne, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Tudor;however, houses within each block often sharesimilar traits of scale, massing, and setback. Tidy,frame, Queen Anne developer-built houses lie a merestone�s throw from opulent Renaissance Revivalmansions. In general, buildings within the districtappear less monumental and flamboyant than those

Courtesy of the University of LouisvillePhotographic Archives

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typically seen in Old Louisville. Even the largermansions are somewhat restrained in overall orna-mentation.

BUILDING MATERIALS

A walk down any street reveals a range of suchbuilding materials as conservative frame construc-tion, brick ornamented with carved limestone,stucco, and Tudor �half-timbering.� Front porches arecommon and contribute to the human scale andneighborliness of the district. Delicate wooden trimornaments some while others exhibit solid masonrypiers. The more ornate facades often incorporatecarved stone and terra cotta, while simpler buildingsuse decorative windows, doors, and trim to conveytheir architectural style.

DIRECTIONAL EMPHASIS

Early Victorian-era houses tend toward verticalitywith upward-reaching towers and turrets, while laterPrairie-influenced buildings spread out horizontally.Most structures are between one-and-one-half andtwo-and-one-half stories in height and sit on a slightly-raised stone or concrete foundation with a narrowconcrete walk and concrete or limestone steps leadingup to the entry. The few large-scale apartmentbuildings, however, are notable exceptions.

Although a wave of movement out of the districttook place during the post-war suburban exodus,civic awareness has grown substantially over thepast twenty years. Pride of ownership is evidentthroughout the district in the well-maintained homesand grounds.

CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES

Site• exhibits a curvilinear pattern of streets and

design parkways with a secondary circulationsystem of alleys;

• possesses historic curving and paving materialsof limestone and brick;

• has varied topography, lot sizes, and front-yardberms; and

• is enhanced by mature plantings and streettrees.

Brick• is used in a range of building styles from all eras

ranging from Italianate to Craftsman;• is often in combination with carved limestone

and stucco; and• enhances architectural character through its

color, texture, dimensionality, and bondingpatterns.

Wood• articulates stylistic features in cornices, eaves,

porch elements, and decorative trim;• is a relatively common exterior cladding material,

especially for Queen Anne and Craftsmanhouses; and

• has remained relatively free from the applicationof synthetic siding.

Windows• are generally double-hung, wooden sash;• have one-over-one glazing patterns or a decora-

tive upper sash; and• often possess additional ornament when used in

upper-story gable ends or dormers.

Doors• are usually sheltered by front porches or cano-

pies;• include both single and double varieties, which

use a wide range of glazing patterns to convey abuilding�s architectural character; and

• stand alone or are accompanied by sidelightsand transoms.

Roofs• often establish relationships among houses on a

given block in their overall form;• exhibit a wide range of configurations−some

complex and some simple; and• employ various sheathing materials, color, and

types of ornament to add visual distinction.

Alleys• represent an important and historic feature of

the district�s transportation network;• provide a primary means of residential access for

those with rear parking; and• border a wide selection of secondary structures

ranging from architectural gems to undistin-guished, handyman�s-special garages.

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ROOF

SECONDARY STRUCTURESSITE

WINDOW

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SIDING AND TRIM

DOOR

TOPOGRAPHY MASONRY

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A number of guiding preservation principles modeledafter the Secretary of the Interior�s Standards forRehabilitation are outlined below. Reading throughthese principles will help you begin to think abouthow you can carry out your upcoming project in away that both enhances your historic building or siteand preserves its character-defining features.

RELATIONSHIPS

When evaluating the appropriateness of a givenproject, the structure, the site, and their relationshipto the rest of the district should be given carefulconsideration.

USE

Historic structures within a local preservation districtshould be used for their originally intended purposeor for an alternate purpose that requires minimalalteration to the building and site.

ALTERATIONS

Repair is always preferred over replacement. Whenreplacement is necessary, materials should replicateor match the visual appearance of the original.

A high level of craftsmanship distinguishes structureswithin local preservation districts. Distinctive fea-tures, finishes, and construction techniques shouldbe preserved whenever possible.

Removal or alteration of historic fabric compromisesthe original character of a building or site and shouldbe avoided.

Properties, however, do change over time. Thosealterations that have become historic in their ownright should be maintained as a record of aresource�s physical evolution.

NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ADDITIONS

Additions should be designed to minimize impact tohistoric fabric and should be compatible with themain structure in massing, size, and scale.

New, infill construction should be designed so that itis compatible with its neighbors in size, massing,scale, setback, facade organization, and roof form.

New construction and additions should also drawupon established stylistic elements to create asympathetic design that is clearly of its own era.

FALSE-HISTORICISM

Additions that use new or salvaged material tocreate a conjectural or falsely historical appearanceare inappropriate.

TREATMENTS

Chemical and physical treatments should always beas gentle as possible, since harsh methods likesandblasting can irreversibly damage historic fabric.

ARCHEOLOGY

Historic sites often contain archeological resources,which should be protected and preserved wheneverpossible. If artifacts are found, contact the Land-marks Commission for an assessment.

Preservation Principles