Smoketown sign on fence

Smoketown Historic District

U.S. National Register of Historic Places & U.S. Historic district

Join Smoketown organizations, businesses & community members as we celebrate our neighborhood's 150th anniversary.
The Smoketown Neighborhood Association meets at YouthBuild & Bates Church on the 3rd Monday of every month, at 6:30pm.

Smoketown is a neighborhood one mile (1.6 km) southeast of downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Smoketown has been an historically black neighborhood since the Civil War. It is the only neighborhood in the city that has had such a continuous presence. Smoketown is bounded by Broadway, CSX railroad tracks, Kentucky Street, and I-65.

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Community rising

Historical marker #1985 notes the history of the Smoketown community of Jefferson County.

This historically black community began to flourish following end of slavery in 1865, when thousands of African Americans moved to Louisville. Shotgun-type houses on closely spaced streets and alleys allowed both black and white landowners to profit from the dense settlement. Washington Spradling, Jr., a prominent African American, owned vast real estate in area.

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Community building

Smoketown, strong community building for 150 years

Historic Area - Many in Smoketown worked in tobacco warehouses as cutters, processors, and haulers. Community had one of city's first African American public schools, founded 1874. Smoketown is only post-Civil War neighborhood settled mainly by African Americans that remains in city of Louisville. Presented by Louisville and Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee, Inc. - from Andrew Patrick, “Smoketown,” ExploreKYHistory, accessed December 1, 2019,

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Smoketown GetDown

Community events you can find on our Facebook page. Events are co-hosted by: Smoketown Neighborhood Association, The Wheelhouse Project, Bates Memorial Baptist Church, Kertis Creative, Children at Play Network, YouthBuild Louisville, Smoketown Family Wellness Center, Studio Kremer Architects & Hope by Hope.

Neighborhood Association

Call us at 502-422-0913 or text us at 502-422-0913

Neighborhood Plan

Read more about the RFP

Smoketown Family Wellness

760 S. Hancock St., Suite B100 Louisville, KY 40203

Building community

For 150 years we've been building community. Join us to continue this tradition.