About the Louisville, Kentucky Area
LOUISVILLE FACTS
THE BELLE OF
LOUISVILLE |
Founded in 1778, Louisville is named for
King Louis XVI of France. Our city colors are blue and gold; our city flower is
the fluer-de-lis.
Within a day's drive of half of the
population of the United States, strategically located at the intersection of
I-65, I-64, and I-71, Louisville is located on the banks of the scenic Ohio
River between St. Louis and Cincinnati.
The metropolitan area of Louisville is
comprised of Jefferson, Oldham, Bullitt and Shelby counties in Kentucky and
Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties in Indiana, and totals a population of
approximately one million.
Louisville offers more than ten thousand
hotel and motel rooms throughout the city. The majority of rooms are clustered
in three convenient locations: downtown, the airport area, and the east
end.
The climate offers four distinct seasons
with average summer temperatures of 88 degrees and average winter temperatures
of 48 degrees. The annual 1 precipitation is 43 inches per year.
UNITED PARCEL
SERVICE, LOUISVILLES' LARGEST EMPLOYER, HAS BECOME A BUSINESS MAGNET IN RECENT
YEARS. |
Why are so many businesses setting up shop
in Louisville? No doubt it is because of the same factors that have earned
Louisville its ranking as one of the ten best places to live in North America.
Louisville has affordable housing, a stable economy, good schools, low
unemployment rate, and a moderate climate. A 1996 study, which tracked labor
costs, energy costs, office rents, and state and local taxes, gave Louisville
the rating of fourth lowest cost of doing business of America's 100 largest
cities.
The presence of United Parcel Service at
Louisville's International Airport offers another important advantage. As the
area's largest employer, UPS is a mainstay of the local economy. Distribution,
manufacturing and repair operations have discovered that locating near the UPS
gives them a leg up on their competition
It is hard to beat Louisville's combination
of air, water, rail and highway connections. Louisville International Airport
is the fourth busiest cargo airport in the U.S; the Ohio River allows
inexpensive barge deliveries of coal, oil, timber, and other resources; the
area is served by five railroads, and is the meeting point of highways 65,64,
and 71.
POLAR BEAR CUBS
FROLIC AT THE LOUISVILLE ZOO |
Louisvillians often say something like, "
Louisville is a big city with a small-town feel". Its commerce, art, education,
and entertainment give it the vibrancy of a big city, while its cohesive
neighborhoods, a relatively relaxed pace of life, and a strong sense of
community gives it many of the comforts of a smaller town. Traffic is not much
of a hassle. Rush hours rarely last even an hour. Opportunities for shopping,
cultural activities and recreation are varied and plentiful. And residents
enjoy living costs that are about seven percent below the national
average.
Louisville has led the region in fighting
air and water pollution and in recycling used materials.
DESPITE A
RELATIVELY MILD CLIMATE, WINTER SPORTS ARE ALSO POPULAR |
Water sports, including fishing, skiing and
sailing, are popular on the Ohio River and in area lakes and streams from May
through September. Extensive park systems provide opportunities to participate
in nearly every popular sport.
Despite a relatively mild climate, winter
sports are also popular. Two nearby ski resorts use artificial snow machines to
provide skiing. Two indoor rinks offer ice skating Three parks, the historic
Shawnee, Iroquois, and Cherokee, form the main beads in a necklace of parks and
parkways that surround Louisville on three sides.
LOUISVILLE
NURTURES A THRIVING PERFORMING ARTS SCENE THAT IS THE ENVY OF MANY LARGER
CITIES. |
In 1996, Time magazine went so far as to
suggest that "from now on, maybe Broadway should be called 'off-Louisville.' "
The Greater Louisville Fund for the Arts, the nation's oldest united arts
campaign and support of eighteen arts groups and programs, raised more than
five million dollars in its 1996 campaign. Fund-raising drives provide on-going
support to the Actor's Theatre, the Kentucky Arts and Craft Foundation, the
Kentucky Opera, and the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. Over the past decade,
Greater Louisville has seen a three hundred percent interest in arts-fund
donors and revenues. The arts pump more than eighty million dollars into the
local economy each year. About 350,000 schoolchildren from across Kentucky
attend art events each year. More than 200,000 people attend nearly five
hundred Actors Theatre performances each year. Actors Theatre is one of the
most highly regarded regional theatres in the nation. The Louisville Ballet has
one of the nation's highest per-capita subscriber basis.
KOSAIR'S
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
HOSPITAL |
Kosair's Children's Hospital and the
University of Louisville Hospital are located in the heart of Louisville's
downtown medical center, a 24 square block area that contains six
hospitals.
Regional health care costs are about seven
percent lower than the national average. Internationally recognized work is
being done in the fields of spinal disease, organ transplants, cancer research,
microcirculatory research and hand surgery. Health care accounts for more than
45,000 jobs in the metropolitan area.
SHELBYVILLE FACTS
Shelbyville lies nestled in the heart of the
Bluegrass Region an area characterized by rolling hills, thick forests and
wide-open fields. Named after bluegrass, which has been used extensively in the
rich pastureland abundant throughout the area, the Bluegrass Region was the
area most quickly settled in the state and is currently home to over half the
state's population. Shelby County is part of the "Golden Triangle" a
geographical reference to a commercially advantageous area that includes
Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati. As part of this triangle, Shelbyville is
within close proximity to major centers of transportation resulting in economic
benefits from a manufacturing and distribution perspective and is a key factor
in the city's financial success.
Shelbyville is located in the heart of
Shelby County, which in turn is located in the heart of the state of Kentucky.
Founded in 1792 and named after Isaac Shelby, Shelbyville is a delightful
mixture of small town charm and big city amenities. Appealing to both young and
old, families and singles, professionals and students, Shelbyville has a
something for everyone.
Known also as "The Gateway to the
Bluegrass", Shelbyville is first and foremost horse country. Grazing
thoroughbreds dot the vibrant green pastures of the many prominent stables that
have made Kentucky famous, and the nearby Saddlebred horse farms attract
thousands of visitors annually. Considered to be the American Saddlebred Show
capital, each year thousands of horse lovers descend upon the town to enjoy the
much-anticipated Annual Shelbyville Horse Show. Rich in tradition and history,
downtown Shelbyville is a lively center of shopping, dining and
entertainment.
With a land area of 7.6 square miles and a
population of just over 10,000 residents, Shelbyville is small and intimate but
not at all isolated. Easily accessed by I 64, Shelbyville lies within
comfortable traveling distance of many large cities and is 36 miles from
Louisville and 302 miles from Chicago. Shelbyville's nearest neighbors are
Simpsonville (8.8 miles), Eminence (11.2 miles) and Pleasureville (12.2 miles).
Both the Louisville International Airport and the Blue Grass Airport located in
Lexington service Shelbyville.
Residents of Shelbyville have the best of
both worlds: small town solitude and big city vitality. The spectacular beauty
of the Kentucky countryside is world famous. Louisville, the center of culture,
entertainment and recreational activities is a mere 45-minute drive. In
Louisville you will find something to suit every interest from professional
sports teams, world-class cultural attractions including the Louisville
Symphony, Louisville Opera and the Louisville Metropolitan Ballet to exciting
nightlife, award winning restaurants, museums and art galleries. "Derby Town"
as Louisville is also known is the center of the Kentucky Derby a landmark
event that attracts thousands of visitors annually and is preceded by a wealth
of festivals and celebrations. Steeped in history, the area also has many
historical sites and fully restored period homes. Popular family activities
include a visit to The Belle of Louisville, Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom,
Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby Museum the Louisville Science Center and the
Louisville Slugger Museum home of the world's largest bat. Louisville's two
riverboats The Belle of Louisville and The Spirit of Jefferson
offer daily excursions of the Ohio River.
The mission statement of Shelby County
District Schools is as follows: Dedicated to Excellence and Success for
All and by all indications Kentucky's exemplary school district has held
true to their intention. Shelby County faces the education of their youth with
great enthusiasm focusing on the fundamental skills a child will need to
succeed as an active and responsible member of society. Drawing the child into
the community at an early age is an encouraged practice as the days of isolated
classroom education become more and more obsolete. Students are urged from the
beginning to view themselves as active community participants, not indifferent
observers, empowered to create and influence the world in which they live.
To that end, the Oldham County School
District supports a comprehensive curriculum enhanced by special programs that
engage the unique talents and interests of each individual child. Enrichment
programs focusing on technology and the arts have become a school priority. In
recognition of consistent educational excellence, the Shelby County School
District was named the pilot site for an innovative state technology project,
which resulted in the acquisition of over 1,100-networked computers.
Similar programs in a variety of subjects
have characterized the educational landscape of Shelby County as greater
support is channeled from statewide resources. By promoting leadership,
fostering teamwork and community involvement and meeting the most rigorous
educational criteria to date, the Shelby County School District exemplifies a
high standard of excellence.
OLDHAM COUNTY FACTS
Oldham County is also part of the Kentucky's
famous Bluegrass Region and residents are privy to the same natural beauty,
horse farms and quaint historic charm that characterizes Kentucky's heartland.
Comprised of the towns of Westport, Brownsboro, Buckner, LaGrange, Pee Wee
Valley, Crestwood and Ballardsville, Oldham County has a combined population of
over 44,395 residents and covers over 189 square miles.
Oldham County was founded in 1823 and named
in honor of Revolutionary War hero Colonel William Oldham. Currently, Oldham
County is one of the fastest growing areas in Kentucky as young professionals,
families and retirees take advantage of the area's close proximity to major
urban centers. Louisville is a mere 26 miles away while Lexington is 87 miles
making both cities possibilities for employment.
Predominantly rural, Oldham County has
greatly benefited from the well-planned system of Interstates and Highways that
has galvanized the region. Both US 42 and I 71 bisect Oldham County while
Kentucky highways 146, 22, 323, 53 and 329 efficiently connect the rest of the
area. Located in the heart of the state, Oldham County lies along the Ohio
River and is bordered on the north by Trimble County, on the east by Shelby and
Henry Counties, on the south by Jefferson County and by the state of Indiana to
the west.
Life in Oldham County is easy and relaxed.
Friendly and safe, steeped in history and surrounded by scenic splendor it is
no wonder so many people are calling Oldham County home. A drive along US 42, a
14-mile corridor designated as the Kentucky Scenic Byway reveals all the beauty
of the surrounding countryside. Horse farms and professional training
facilities are abundant throughout the area, breathtaking views of the Ohio
River make the drive worthwhile and historic homes of national landmark
distinction are everywhere. The Rob Morris Home, the Duncan Memorial Chapel and
the Westport General Store are waiting to be explored. Local festivals promote
tourism and encourage community intimacy. Or take a drive to nearby Louisville
and enjoy a wide world of cosmopolitan delights. 
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Financing Your Home >Financing Contingencies
Standard real estate purchase agreements usually contain language that releases the purchaser from an agreement if they are unable to get financing within a specified period of time. This contingency includes a full return of the earnest money deposit. If you are buying a home, you should read the financing clause carefully and be sure that you fully understand the terms of the agreement.
You are usually required to apply for your loan promptly and to comply with requests from the lender for any documentation needed to complete the loan application. The contract will also set a time limit by which you must have loan approval. If your lender cannot meet the financing deadline and needs additional time to complete the loan, you must ask the sellers for a written extension.
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| Q |
What unique contribution did the town of Flushing, New York make to the American home?
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| A |
The flush toilet was invented in Flushing. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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