The area at a glance
This part of Louisville covers the east side of the city along Frankfort Avenue and Shelbyville Road: Clifton, Crescent Hill, and most of St. Matthews. It runs from just east of downtown out to the Watterson Expressway (I-264), between the river and Lexington Road. Below is a short section on each one.
Clifton
Where it is
Clifton sits on the hills just east of downtown, along Frankfort Avenue between Mellwood Avenue and Ewing Avenue. It is named for its hilly spot on the edge of the Ohio River valley, and its homes were built over about 60 years, starting in the 1860s.
Getting around
Frankfort Avenue, which started out as the toll road from Louisville to Lexington, runs through the middle of Clifton. Brownsboro Road is on the north side and I-64 is on the south side, so downtown is only a few minutes away.
Shopping and food
Frankfort Avenue is lined with local restaurants, boutiques, and antique shops. On the last Friday of each month, the Frankfort Avenue Trolley Hop runs a free trolley to shops, restaurants, and galleries from Butchertown out through Crescent Hill.
Parks and outdoors
Waterfront Botanical Gardens is at the west end of Frankfort Avenue, at River Road. Off Brownsboro Road, the Bradley Greenway natural area has a short walking trail.
The homes
Most homes in Clifton are Victorian, built from the 1860s through the 1910s, in styles like Italianate and Queen Anne. Homes are a little more spread out than in nearby Butchertown or the Highlands, and you will find some newer condos along Brownsboro Road.
Crescent Hill
Where it is
Crescent Hill is about four miles east of downtown, from Ewing Avenue out to St. Matthews, between Brownsboro Road and Lexington Road. It was first called Beargrass, and it started to grow in the 1850s when the turnpike and the railroad came through.
Getting around
Frankfort Avenue runs right through the middle of Crescent Hill, with Brownsboro Road on the north side and Lexington Road on the south. All three lead straight west into downtown.
Shopping and food
Frankfort Avenue keeps going through Crescent Hill with more local restaurants, galleries, and small stores. Mall St. Matthews and the shops on Shelbyville Road are a short drive east.
Parks and outdoors
The Crescent Hill Reservoir has a flat, paved walking path of almost a mile around the water, open until sundown. Its historic gatehouse opens for Walking Wednesday tours in the summer.
The homes
Much of Crescent Hill is a historic district, with homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s in styles like Colonial Revival. You will also see homes from the 1930s and 1940s and a few condo buildings along Brownsboro Road.
St. Matthews
Where it is
St. Matthews is its own small city, about 7 miles east of downtown, and it was incorporated in 1950. It was once one of the biggest potato-growing areas in the country. St. Matthews is split between two MLS areas, and most of it is in this one. A piece of its east side is in the area with Middletown and Hurstbourne.
Getting around
Shelbyville Road (US 60) is the main road, and Breckenridge Lane and Westport Road meet it in the middle of town. The Watterson Expressway (I-264) runs along the south and east sides, so the rest of the county is an easy drive.
Shopping and food
Mall St. Matthews, Louisville’s first indoor mall, is here, and Shelbyville Road is lined with smaller shopping centers and restaurants. The Vogue, a landmark movie theater building from 1938, sits in the oldest shopping district.
Parks and outdoors
Brown Park has 28 acres with trails along Beargrass Creek, a big pavilion, and a playground. Draut Park has a walking path with little bridges over the creek and wetlands, and Warwick Park has basketball goals and a walking track.
The homes
Most homes are single-family houses on their own lots, many built from the 1920s through the 1950s as the old farms were split into neighborhoods. You will also find some condos and a few older and newer homes mixed in.
Thinking about this part of town?
I am happy to show you around or answer any questions about the area. Let’s talk.