Kentucky School for the Blind, 1867 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY,56-LOUVI,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky Owner or custodian: Hiss Catherine Kiori&rity, Superintendent Address : Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky Date built: (approx) Architect F. Costigan or builder: Present condition: Excellent dumber of stories; Five stories, and basement Material used Fou.nds.tion: Native stone. in construction Exterior walla: Brick, stuccoed, except east and west annex, which are brick not stuccoed. Interior partitions: Brick and frame, plastered. Floors: Wood, covered with linoleum (some of them). Basement: earth. Roof; Fraroe construction, covered with standing seam tin. Description: The portico on tho south elevation has architectural cast-iron columns and cornice. Floor and historical and steps are of cut stone.

All other cornices are of wood, box type, lined with tin. The first story of the main body of the building on the south elevation Is of cut stono, rusticated ioints. . ,. . . S(a Louir.g p Above the main roof of the center portion of the building., a large dona rises above an octagonal base and is crowned with a circular cupola having eight columns, A similar cupola rises above the roof of each flanking wing of -the main structure. The interior of the "building is generally very plain except for the two reception rooms and office on the second floor, which have ornamental plaster ceilings and carved wood beads over doors and windows. The gymnasium on the third floor has a metal ceiling 25' x 8" above the floor.

The room is equipped with an organ and is used for assembly purposes as well as for physios 1 culture classes. The building is equipped with two metal, enclosed type, spiral fire escapes, accessible from each floor. This building is used for white pupilsj another structure, which was not recorded, being used for colored. The Kentucky School for the Blind was created by an Act of the General Assembly of Kentucky, approved February 5, entitled, "An Act to establish the Kentucky Institu- " tion for the education of the Blind" (First Annual Report, page Kentucky Legislative Documents).

Two buildings in other locstions were occupied by the school before this building was erected, The second build- ing on Broadway, near First Street, burned in As a result the Kentucky State Legis l^-Hurn, in passed an Act lDrovidine; for the erection of ail t^e buildings necessary for the Institution. A plan for the new building was presented to the Commissioners, and unanimously approved, and presented to the Governor, who also approved it. The Board of Visitors Immediately appointed L. Ruffner and B. h. Patten (Superintendent) as the Building Committee. From a report of the Building Committee, Kentucky Institution for the Blind, December- 31, the following information was obtained.

The contracts for the various trades were let in detail, some of* the lumber was purchased by the committee from mills in hississippi at rates lower than existing in Louisville in an effort to minimize the cost of the structure. Portions of the building were left unfinished to keep expenditures as low ay possible; the cost being or more than funds'available at the time. ;OU tfi 3 The building was occupied "by the pupils on October 8, In the building was taken over by the Federal forces and used as a hospital. The school returned to the building on March 17, but full possession was not re- fcainsd until June 5, more than seven months from the day on which the school were driven from it. (From Report of'the Kentucky Institution' for the Blind, # A