Then & Now
Fort Nelson Building
The Fort Nelson Building, located at Eighth and Main Streets in Louisville, dates back to the 1870s. The cast-iron, limestone, and brick structure is in the Romanesque-style. The building survived a fire in 1876, the 1890 tornado and the 1937 flood, but sat vacant for several decades. At one point, the structure was under threat of demolition until Mitcher's Distillery occupied the space in 2019. The space was revitalized by Joseph & Joseph + Bravura Architects.
Carter's Dry Goods Building
Built in 1878 by J. Clarke, the front features a distinctive cast-iron facade with geometric designs and head panels on the windows. The cornice on the top of the building reads "Carter Dry Goods." The city purchased the property in 1975 and the Louisville Museum of Natural History moved to the premises in 1977, serving as another example of a successful revitalization project to preserve the building. It is now home to the Kentucky Science Center.