To unravel the mystery of Louisville, Kentucky’s first transportation token you have to go back to the early 1830’s. Louisville developed into a major commercial center and river port because of its location above The Falls of the Ohio River. Boats were forced to stop, unload their cargo and then carry it around The Falls in order to continue their trip South. Portland, Kentucky grew up just South of The Falls because the lucrative transfer business provided the foundation for a strong economy.