Water Filtration & Historic Louisville Neighborhood Topics Of Historical Markers

The Louisville Water Works and Pumping Station and a historic section of downtown Louisville are subjects of three historical markers that the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will dedicate in early March.

A new marker at the Water Tower will recognize the contributions of George Warren Fuller to Louisville’s modern water filtration system. Fuller, now known as “the father of sanitary engineering,” conducted the first scientific testing of water filtration at the site between 1895 and1897. The data he collected led to a three-part system that includes sand and gravel filtration. This system purified Ohio River water so well that when filtering began in 1909, the number of deaths from typhoid fever declined by 60 percent. Fuller’s purification system formed the basis of modern water filtration. The Louisville Water Co., sponsors the marker.

A second marker will be unveiled at the same event to replace one previously at the site. It tells the story of the Louisville Water Co., pumping station and water tower. Both have been National Historic Landmarks since 1971. Friends of the Water Tower sponsor this marker.

The dedication will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 1 at 3005 River Road.

A third new marker tells the history of a section of the Shelby Park neighborhood which C.P. Moorman, a distiller, developed between 1884 and 1885. It includes Italianate residences, Queen Anne row houses and commercial buildings.

The reverse side of the marker pays tribute to Mason Maury (1846-1919), a prominent Louisville architect credited with building the neighborhood. Maury was a Louisville native known for his use of the “Chicago School” design style. He began his career around 1880. By 1902, he had more than 700 buildings to his credit. Among his notable designs are the Kaufman-Straus and the Louisville Trust Building. The Shelby Park Neighborhood Association sponsors the marker.

The dedication will be at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 4, in the 300 block of St. Catherine St.

More than 2,400 historical markers statewide tell Kentucky’s history. More information about the marker application process and a database of markers and their text is available at history.ky.gov/markers. Also available on the site is the Explore Kentucky History app, a source of supplemental information about marker topics and virtual tours of markers by theme. KHS administers the Kentucky Historical Marker Program in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.