Rose Island amusement park, 1926. Attendees of the Fourth of July celebration at Rose Island amusement park sit along the bank of the Ohio River.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Drawing of Fontaine Ferry Park, Louisville, Kentucky, 1927. Detailed drawing of aerial view of Fontaine Ferry Park amusement park.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Idlewild at Fontaine Ferry Park, Louisville, Kentucky, 1934. A line of people walk down a dock as the Idlewild steamboat prepares for a cruise to Rose Island. Known as The Belle of Louisville since its purchase by Jefferson County in 1963, this steamer became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Fontaine Ferry Park, crowd of boaters and swimmers, Louisville, Kentucky, 1934. A crowd of people at Fontaine Ferry Park amusement park.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Shawnee Park sunset point, Louisville, Kentucky, 1927. Two automobiles parked at a lookout in Shawnee Park in Louisville, Kentucky
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Sailboat on the Ohio River, Louisville, Kentucky, 1930. A sailboat travels along the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Fireworks on the Ohio River, Clarksville, Indiana, 1935. A night time view of fireworks on the Ohio River.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Calvert Motor Boat Regatta on the Ohio River, Louisville, Kentucky, 1937. People line up along a wharf on the Ohio River to watch hydroplane races. From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Municipal Boat Harbor, Louisville, Kentucky, 1941. The Municipal Boat Harbor located along the Ohio River in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville.
From the Caufield & Shook Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
The Belvedere and Riverfront Plaza, Louisville, Kentucky, early 1970s.
From Louisville Chamber of Commerce Photographs Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Fair View River Beach, Prospect, Kentucky, 1923.
From the Herald-Post collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Men and Boys Fishing at Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, 1930.
From the Herald-Post collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Riverside Park, Louisville, Kentucky. A couple identified as Wilna and "Tersie" sits under a large tree.
From the Furnas Family Album Collection, University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Sections:
Louisville
Section 6. Leisure By The WaterThe Ohio River also plays a major role in Louisvillians’ leisure activities. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, amusement parks, including Rose Island and Fontaine Ferry Park, were located on the banks of the Ohio. They capitalized on the natural beauty of the river, while providing the usual excitement offered by amusement parks. Public parks, such as Shawnee Park (part of a series of public parks designed for Louisville by Frederick Law Olmsted, known for designing New York City’s Central Park), also offered urban dwellers access to nature. Louisvillians took to the river in boats – both human-propelled and motorboats – and fished for relaxation. In the late 20th century, Louisville reclaimed the riverfront, developing the Belvedere, Riverfront Plaza, and Great Lawn, which provide space for concerts and other events – including Thunder Over Louisville, a massive fireworks display that opens the Kentucky Derby Festival each year.