609 LaFarge_small Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL11282 Temporary Resource Number: 157508435009 V. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 31. Original use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 32. Intermediate use(s): N/A 33. Current use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 34. Site type(s): Urban residence 35. Historical background: This building is part of Jefferson Place, the first residential subdivision in Louisville. 609 La Farge and 617 La Farge (5BL978) have an intertwined history, having had the same sets of owners for most of their histories. The Leslie family owned these two properties for approximately 28 years, followed by a period of ownership of the two properties by members of the Williams family for 48 years (in the case of 609 La Farge) and 58 years (in the case of 617 La Farge). An interesting aspect of these two properties is that they were part of a trade of real property between the Leslie family and the Williams family, and both families owned and operated the nearby Commercial Hotel (no longer extant, at the southwest corner of LaFarge and Pine) at different times. To the extent that it is relevant to the history of 609 La Farge, some information about 617 La Farge is also given below. These properties presented some specific challenges for the research of their chains of ownership. Together, they occupy three lots (Lots 7, 8, and 9 of Block 7). Today, 609 La Farge occupies a lot and a half to the south, while 617 La Farge occupies the contiguous lot and a half to the north. However, it was found that these three lots were acquired separately and may have been used in separate ways for the first few decades after Jefferson Place was platted. Sanborn Maps for 1893 and 1900 show one house in the middle of these three lots on Lot 8, while the 1908 Sanborn map and the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville both show that house as gone from that location and instead show two houses, one to the south on Lot 9 and one to the north on Lot 7 and part of Lot 8. Also complicating the research is the strong possibility that a warranty deed for one of the lots, Lot 9, was not recorded with the County Recorder's office until years after the date that it was signed. It was additionally found that 609 La Farge for a long time consisted of only Lot 9, and 617 La Farge for a long time consisted of both Lots 7 and 8, until 1972. Based on the evidence in the online property records, it appears that William and Eliza Leslie had acquired Lots 7, 8, and 9 by the late 1890s. (William Leslie's name first appears in a Louisville directory in 1896.) The County gives 1896 as the date of construction for 609 La Farge. As noted above, the Sanborn maps for 1893 and 1900 do not show a house on Lot 9. However, the house that is shown on Lot 8 on these Sanborn maps has a similar footprint as the house that appears as being on Lot 9 on the 1908 Sanborn map and the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map. It could be speculated that William and Eliza Leslie moved their house, which could have been constructed by 1893 as indicated on the 1893 Sanborn map, to the south side of their three lots so that they would have room to construct another house (617 La Farge) to the north. The County gives 1900 as the year of construction for 617 La Farge. Louisville directories show the Leslie family living in this location, although it is not known for certain whether Leslie family members occupied the houses at both 609 and 617 La Farge, or just one of them. The 1904 directory shows William and "Elsie" Leslie living at "Lafarge btw. Pine & Hutchinson." William Leslie is described as being an engineer at the nearby Acme Mine that was located at Roosevelt & Hutchinson. In 1916, 1918, and 1921, members of the Leslie family are shown as residing at 120 La Farge. Based on evidence that is further explained below, this is believed to refer to 617 La Farge. According to Louisville Cemetery records, Eliza Leslie lived 1863 to 1925 and William Leslie lived 1869 to 1911. They had a son, also named William, who lived 1897 to 1973. The family could not be located in the 1900 federal census, but in 1910, they are in this approximate location. William is shown as having Irish born parents, while Eliza's parents were born in England, but both William and Eliza were born in the United States. In the 1920 federal census, Eliza and her son are stated to be living on La Farge (William Sr. having died in 1911) and Eliza is said to work at a boardinghouse. According to the Louisville Times Centennial Edition dated August 17, 1978, Eliza Leslie traded 609 and 617 La Farge for the Commercial Hotel that was owned by Laura and Dan Williams (this transaction was also mentioned in the 2000 Historical Survey for 617 La Farge, but the year and the names of the parties to the transaction were not 4