Fort George

A peaceful tribute, a memorial park and neighborhood gathering spot.

Background:

Fort George is a tree-filled, fenced-in, park-like area about the size of four building lots in the 1200 block of Floyd Street. A portion of the property is a memorial to Revolutionary War Captain George Gray and his wife, The Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association (TTNA) bought Fort George from a private entity in 2009. In 2021, TTNA received a large grant from H&R Block Foundation as part of their “Make Every Block Better” campaign. The funds were used to develop a portion of Fort George into a community gathering space. The grant helped to purchase a shed to house tools to properly maintain the property, add security, picnic grounds, historical signage, and a fence to separate the memorial area from the community use area. A detailed core sampling was completed in mid-2021 to verify that no persons were buried in the community use area of Fort George. The community space for by the neighborhood for association meetings, get togethers, small events and a place for kids to play.

History:

George Gray, born April 10, 1756, in Stafford County, Virginia, had distinguished relatives: cousin Gen. George Weedon and second cousins James Monroe and Zachary Taylor. Gray served during the Revolutionary War in the 3rd Virginia Infantry one year and as Captain in the daring 4th Continental Light Dragoons until 1779. He became a charter member of the Order of Cincinnati, married Mildred Rootes Thompson in 1781, and, as a planter in Culpeper, Virginia, owned land worked by enslaved people.

Although George Gray received warrants for 2,000 acres of land in Kentucky for his service in the war, he did not settle on them when his family immigrated to Kentucky about 1798. Instead, he leased and farmed 200 acres owned by Transylvania Seminary on Harrod’s Creek. Plans to develop the land caused Gray to move to Louisville where he operated hotels from 1813-1815 while establishing a farm on twenty acres owned by his son, John T. Gray. George invited the public to dinners celebrating the Fourth of July and chaired the Committee of Arrangements for the June 1819 visit of President Monroe and General Andrew Jackson to Louisville. George Gray died December 26, 1823, and was buried on his farm (in this location) with full Masonic and military honors led by Major General Winfield Scott.

Mildred Thompson Gray was born September 12, 1761, the daughter of wealthy Rev. John Thompson of St. Mark’s Parish, Virginia. She had ten children in Virginia, the youngest being a year old when the family arrived in Kentucky, and two more after that. She saw all reach adulthood and died February 21, 1828. Three sons entered the military, and five sons and four husbands of daughters contributed to the growth of Louisville as merchants, entrepreneurs, financiers and professionals. Son John Thompson Gray was postmaster for two decades, built a large warehouse at the mouth of Beargrass Creek, and invested in the first steamboat and other improvements in commerce. He bought twenty acres in Lot 29 for his father’s farm and set aside the land where George and Mildred are buried as a permanent memorial. His son, J. T. Gray, Jr., later gave the name “Fort George” to the site.

In the early 20th century, the property was turned over to the Catholic church and a Sunday school was added to the south side of the property. However, the building was removed after several decades. The cemetery site “degenerated into a neglected vacant lot” over many years until the John Marshall Chapter of the DAR became interested in rehabilitating the cemetery in 1941.

In 2009, the Toonerville Neighborhood Association acquired the property and with the help of local neighbors, has undertaken the care, maintenance, and research as how to best preserve the history and physical aspects of this site, which falls within its boundaries.

By April 2015 a generous Old Louisville family had the property cleaned up and an illuminated flagpole installed. In 2021 a major investment and transformation has taken place to share the history and encourage community use of the property.

Park Address:

1260 South Floyd Street
Louisville, KY 40203

Ownership & Acquisition: 

Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association (2009)

Park Hours: 

Daily; Dawn-Dusk

Size: 

.49 acres

Toonerville Trolley Park

Where Toonerville families meet.

Toonerville Trolley Park was incorporated into the Metro Parks’ system in 1978. It is located on the eastern edge of the Old Louisville neighborhood at the intersection of Brook and Oak streets. It is a small urban park, covering approximately two acres with a majority of the park tucked in the center of the surrounding houses. There is currently a small playground and a tennis court in the park.

Park Address: 

1215 South Brook Street
Louisville, KY 40203

Park Map: 

Toonerville Trolley Park Map Legend

Year Acquired: 

1978

Park Hours: 

6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Size: 

2 acres

Amenities: 

• Fenced Dog Run

• Multi-purpose Field

• Playground

Old Louisville Dog Run

Old Louisville’s only official dog run!

In the heart of Old Louisville, the dog run is located in the Toonerville Trolley Park at the intersection of Oak Street and Brook Street. The Louisville Dog Run Association, Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association, and Louisville Metro Parks worked together to establish the Old Louisville Dog Run. The dog run consists of two 100' x 115' areas, one built over the old tennis court and the other on the grassy area at the back of the park. For information about other Louisville Dog Runs and Louisville Dog Run Association visit Louisville Dogs.

Park Address:

1215 South Brook Street
Louisville, KY 40203

Year Acquired: 

2009

Park Hours: 

6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Size: 

.53 acres

Amenities: 

• Dog Run

Old Louisville Community Garden

Growing Community.

The Old Louisville Community Garden was established in 2013 when two members of our garden leadership, Jean Christensen and Karen Mullen, saw a lot that was covered with trash right next to a planned kids playground. They requested to use the land at the permission of the owner, Dan Borsch. From the garden’s inception, we wanted the garden to be a place not only for the gardeners, but also the community members. To that end, community gardeners have installed edible borders (with thornless blackberries, raspberries, and native chokeberries), benches and a picnic table (which anyone may use), and a Monarch Waystation and pollinator garden to help our neighbors’ and the park’s horticulture to benefit from the presence of healthy and happy pollinators. The edible borders, in particular, was planted to encourage children who come to the recently built playground (merely a city plan five years ago) to learn about plants, gardening, and healthy eating.

Park Address: 

1221 South Brook Street
Louisville, KY 40203

Year Acquired: 

2013

Park Hours: 

6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Size: 

2 acres

Amenities: 

• Gardens

• Picnic Area

Park Address:

1407 South Second Street
Louisville, KY 40208

Park Map: 

Magnolia Park Map Legend

Year Acquired: 

1980

Park Hours: 

6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Size: 

less than one acre

Amenities: 

• Picnic Shelter

• Playground