Tag Archive: louisville

The Thinker – Grawemeyer Hall – University of Louisville

The Thinker - Grawemeyer Hall - University of Louisville

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A view of Grawemeyer Hall with a close-up of the Thinker statue from the Oval, on the Belknap campus of the University of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Grawemeyer Hall was built in 1926, and currently houses adminstrative offices of the university president, provost, and vice presidents. The building is named for Charles Grawemeyer, a major benefactor to the University. At one time it served as the University’s library. The building was modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda on the grounds of the University of Virginia. And on its steps, stands one of the original castings of Auguste Rodin’s the Thinker.

The University of Louisville is a public research university founded in 1798, via a charter by the Kentucky General Assembly. The university moved to its current location, the Belknap campus in 1923, and became a public state university in 1970.

The university is home to the Louisville Cardinals, and includes athletic programs for baseball, football and soccer. As of 2013 the Cardinals have won 50 Big East Championships across all sports.

University of Louisville Seal – Grawemeyer Hall

University of Louisville Seal - Grawemeyer Hall

A view of the University of Louisville seal as seen in the pediment of Grawemeyer Hall.  The seal is a stylized depiction of the Roman goddess Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. Minerva is the oldest institutional symbol of the university, dating back to 1830’s. Louisville is Kentucky’s largest city, and founded by George Rogers Clark on the banks of of the Ohio River in 1780.

The Belle of Louisville at Sunset, Ohio River – Kentucky

The Belle of Louisville at Sunset, Ohio River - Kentucky

The Belle of Louisville at sunset. Docked at a wharf near Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere on the Ohio River between Kentucky and Indiana.  The Belle of Louisville is a historic steamboat that was originally launched in 1914, and has gone by a variety names since that time. It is currently owned by the City of Louisville and offers cruises of the Ohio River each summer for residents and tourists.