The site of the city of Louisville is located on low and undulating ground with downtown Louisville surrounded on three sides by the Ohio River. Throughout the city’s history, water has risen above flood stage on the average of once every seven years. The lowest residential areas, Portland, Shippingport, West Louisville and the Point have suffered many minor floods. Approximately every fifty years the city has been invaded by major flooding.
Year: 2025
Lafayette’s Visit to Portland
Portland in West Louisville has a colorful history that many people have forgotten. However, with the 250th Anniversary of the United States and the Bicentennial of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Portland on May 11, 1825, approaching, historical milestones are being remembered and celebrated.
From River to Imagination: Portland Museum Welcomes 50-Foot Shrimp Boat
This spring, something extraordinary set sail—without even touching the water. A 50-foot shrimp boat, built in 1949 by Robert Guidry, once cut through Gulf Coast waters and more recently floated (and occasionally sank) along the Ohio River. Now, thanks to the shared vision, tenacity, and logistical wizardry of a dedicated crew, it has found its forever home in the backyard of the Portland Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.
Louisville Thrift Settles Into New Portland Location
After about ten years at 26th and Main Street, Louisville Thrift owner Remy Jackson has found a home at 19th and Griffiths Avenue. A veteran of the thrift business, Remy spent years working in Lexington for Goodwill as a floating manager overseeing five different locations, before coming back to Louisville.
Delta Foundation Buys Old Portland Christian Building
In late December the Delta Foundation was able to close on the purchase of the old Portland Christian school building located at 2508 Portland Avenue. DELTA has provided free after school programs and summer camps to West Louisville youth in the gymnasium since 2019 and now are developing the campus into an opportunity center for West Louisville residents.
New and Upcoming Portland Nonprofit Events
Learn about the upcoming CeLOUbrate Print at Portland Museum and Louisville Grows’ Annual Seeds & Starts Sale, plus get an update on LVA’s SPARK Sculpture!
Derby Artist Kicks Off Open Studio Event Series
Richard Sullivan, Portland resident and artist of last year’s Kentucky Derby poster, has recently taken a departure from his self-described title of “sports artist” with new work that’s bold, colorful, abstract and marks a new chapter is his growth as an artist.
PlayPort Opens at Waterfront Park, Bringing New Connections to Portland
Waterfront Park will expand into the Portland neighborhood on March 26th with the opening of the first part of the phase IV expansion, PlayPort. The project, years in the making, is about more than just adding new park space—it’s about connecting neighborhoods and people in new and meaningful ways.
Sprak Hosts Wildly Successful Skater Curated Art Show
Cars were nearly lined up to the Shippingport bridge from Portland’s skatepark Sprak for the opening of “Raving Lunatics: An Art Show & Skate Jam.”
Nonprofit Promotes Good Business from Portland Headquarters
The mission of Canopy, located at 1500 Lytle Street, is to “grow Kentucky business beyond profit,” said chief of staff Stephanie Kelley. “We want to become a hub of social environmentally responsible business practices.”