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.
Tag: Louisville
Brolly’s Bodega Opens on Griffiths
Portland residents bemoaning the lack of dining and grocery options in the neighborhood now have another location to try. Brolly’s Bodega, at 2441 Griffiths Avenue, opened in late July, offering up not only grocery items like chips and snacks, toiletry and cleaning items and school supplies, but also a full menu of burgers, wings and fries. And perhaps most significantly, aside from kitchen hours, Brolly’s will be open 24/7.
The Portland Free Wedding Day!
I am happy to announce that the Portland Free Wedding Day was a success! The first wedding was of Stephane and Charles “Pico” Mitchell, and the second; Tiffany and Matt Cotton. Each wedding was uniquely lovely and memorable. The day was so wonderful and we are hoping to make the Portland Free Wedding Day an annual event!
Neighborhood House Serves Portland’s Young and Seniors Alike
Read this month’s round of Neighborhood House News to learn about their new Pathways program for young adults, a senior’s trip to Shepherdsville, and preschool graduation!
Nardie’s Education Continues at Now-Defunct Black Trade School
We pick up Nardie’s story as he graduates from Shawnee High School in 1970 (“which was 75% white” at the time, he said). He capitalized on a phenomenal scholarship opportunity to go to the West Kentucky Technical College in Paducah, where he lived in a dorm with around 500 other students.
Portland Now Welcomes New Directors With Community Picnic
In June of every year, Portland Now has an annual meeting to elect a board of directors for the coming year. We are proud to announce that we added nine new directors this year, who will join the ten returning members. All of our Portland Now directors have strong ties to the neighborhood and a deep desire to work in collaboration with others to advocate for the common good of Portland.
Schoppenhorst Chapel Continues to Serve Portland Community After 100 Years
Readers of the Portland Anchor know the value and importance of the monthly obituaries. The warmth and humanity that these brief articles convey goes a long way towards demonstrating the pulse of a neighborhood, the deep bonds of generations of families and the unique details and personality traits that made someone’s life special. “It’s hard to summarize someone’s life in such a small snippet,” said pastor Joey Hightower, who serves part time at the Legacy Funeral Center Schoppenhorst Chapel at 1832 West Market Street. “It’s like going back in time, and it’s amazing to be part of such a rich history and staple in community for more than 100 years,” Joey said.
American Legion Shawnee Post 193 Member Spotlight: Kendrick Ready, Post Service
Kendrick grew up in the area, was active in the community as a youth, and remains active as a member of Post 193. He is energetic, optimistic, and compassionate. He enjoys helping people and giving back to the community. The son of an Army veteran (father/Vietnam era), the grandson of an Army veteran (paternal grandfather/WW II), and the brother of a veteran Air Force Officer (sister), Kendrick knew by the end of his junior year of high school he was going to join the military.
Squallis Puppeteers Returns to Portland With New Headquarters
Squallis Puppeteers have moved into the neighborhood with a new headquarters next door to the Portland Museum! Read their history here in Portland from Executive Director Nora Christensen.
Now, That’s Some Mighty Fine Print: Reflections from CeLOUbrate Print 2025
This spring, I worked with the Portland Museum to reprise our annual community printmaking project CeLOUbrate Print. Sustaining the heart of our programming, we again hosted free traveling woodcut workshops, culminating in a day of collaborative printing, during which these community woodcuts (hand-carved wooden stamps) were inked up and driven over with a steamroller to print them.