Podcast
Curious Louisville
Hosted by Louisville Public Media · EN
Have you ever had a question about the Derby City that you just can't answer? That's where Curious Louisville comes in. Listeners submit their questions, the public votes on which questions to investigate, and 89.3 WFPL finds the answers.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What's the story behind Louisville's "Lovers Lane"?
Apr 2300:04:22Tap to summarizeUnless you’ve traveled through the area, you might not know there’s something very special about Springdale Road in northeast Louisville: over a hundred brightly-colored, signs with romantic messages. They range from homemade from scraps of wood to professionally printed on metal. Locals call it “Lovers Lane.” Dance instructor Lora Ruttan drives down Springdale all the time, wondering how this tradition started and what love stories might be behind the signs. On this episode of Curious Louisville, we go all the way back to the beginning.
Transcribe →How did U of L's David Isaacs become the 'Godfather' of college basketball stats?
Mar 1100:09:45Tap to summarizeDid you know that one team from the University of Louisville has been part of every NCAA men’s basketball Final Four since 1969? You won’t see them on the court, but look on the sidelines and you’ll spot a team of hardworking statisticians who learned from the best. David Isaacs was part of that team in ‘69. His son, Jesse Isaacs, knew he “had something to do with” basketball stats and the creation of a rulebook. He asked Curious Louisville to find out more about this little gem of Louisville history, and LPM’s Justin Hicks has the story.
Transcribe →Does road salt end up in the Ohio River?
Jan 3000:08:31Tap to summarizeThe city of Louisville has a fleet of around 50 salt trucks, and when it snows, each can carry 10 tons of snow at a time to scatter on our roads and expressways. When the snow melts, most of us never have to think about that salt again. But Annie McCanless, a retired social studies teacher in the Crescent Hill neighborhood wondered, "Does the salt put on the street to melt the snow end up in the Ohio River? How does it affect the fish and water fowl?" On this episode of Curious Louisville, we find out.
Transcribe →Were there Civil War barracks in Old Louisville?
Dec 1000:08:29Tap to summarizeHave you ever used the "places" feature in the Wikipedia app? It shows you interesting sites near your location. Michelle Kadikian, who lives in Old Louisville, used that feature while at home, and found fragments of information about a Civil War encampment called Taylor Barracks. There's not a lot of information about these buildings in the history books, but reaching them was a matter of life or death for thousands of formerly enslaved men. On this episode, we'll find out why.
Transcribe →Did a German spy really live in my house?
Aug 2700:07:18Tap to summarizeWhen Sarah and Lowe Sutherland bought their house back in 2007, a friend of a friend told her a titillating story: "I was a paper boy on your street back in that during the war, and when I was delivering the papers, I saw that they arrested a German spy in the house that you just bought." The Sutherlands have wondered since then, is it true? LPM's Joe Sonka takes the case, on this episode of Curious Louisville.
Transcribe →What's with the beeping box in NuLu?
Jul 2800:07:32Tap to summarizeIt sits alongside a brick building in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood. It’s a metal box, about the size of a dresser, or maybe a deep freezer, but a little taller. And it makes a beeping sound. Sort of an alarm, but so quiet you can't hear it until you're close to the box. It's been described as "quietly having a meltdown." Local lore says it's been beeping this way for years, and no one knows why. On this episode, a curious community member named Ben Falstrom joins LPM's Giselle Rhoden to find out more. Thanks to Mary Basso for submitting this question, and to BIGFAKE for creating the beeping box remix you hear on this episode. Ask a question of your own at CuriousLouisville.org.
Transcribe →Who are those faces on the old Manual High School?
Jun 1600:07:00Tap to summarizeAt the corner of Brook and Oak Streets in Old Louisville sits a building that started out as the duPont Manual Training High School, back in 1892. When Dan Trabue moved to the neighborhood around 25 years ago, he noticed something curious near the building's roofline: six round medallions, each with a face staring out over the neighborhood. "I was curious who they were and I couldn't really see them that well," Dan says. "I asked around a little bit and looked online, didn't find anything, and I've tried a couple times and then eventually gave up." Until he sent his question to Curious Louisville. Dan is a Manual High alum, and so were his dad and grandpa. And so is LPM's Breya Jones, who saw his quandary and decided to help find some answers.
Transcribe →Who is the voice of the crosswalk?
Apr 14, 202500:05:59Tap to summarize"Whose voice is that on the the walk sign at Douglass Loop and Bardstown Road? I go through that area quite a bit, and at some point I noticed that there was a voice, and that the voice didn't sound like they were from Louisville." That's what Dan Pike and many other people have been curious about over the years. So he sent his message to Curious Louisville, and LPM's Giselle Rhoden was up for the challenge. Have a burning question about our community? Visit curiouslouisville.org to share it, and we may help you answer yours next!
Transcribe →What's That Door In A Hill On Lexington Road?
Jan 31, 202000:03:42Tap to summarizeYou may have seen it while driving down Lexington road, away from downtown, just before Headliners Music Hall. A retaining wall in the side of the hill... with a door in the middle. What's behind it? It's a question we get a lot at Curious Louisville. On this episode, Ashlie Stevens takes us behind the door.From Louisville Public MediaMore Info Here
Transcribe →Curious Louisville: Do White Outer Lines Make Roads Safer?
Nov 27, 201900:05:55Tap to summarizeFor fourteen years, Robert Miles has seen cars in ditches, in neighbor’s yards and in his own fencing that borders the boundary of the horse farm his family owns. He lives off Todds Point Road in Shelby County. “It’s horrific, you’re taking your life in your hands every time you go through,” Miles said of a particular curve in the road. Todds Point is an idyllic rural road going through horse country. But it’s narrow, and doesn’t have white outer edge lines that could help drivers stay on the road. Miles asked Curious Louisville: “Why do some roads have white outer lines and others don’t? What determines who gets what paint?” WFPL reporter Lisa Gillespie went looking for the answer.
Transcribe →