Specialty Tours

The Secrets and Scandals of Old Louisville Tour Reveals Hidden History and Racey Rumors

Let one of our trained guides show you a side of Old Louisville that many haven’t discovered yet. You’ll hear tales about locations where famous people lived and died and stop in front of houses with interesting backstories and hidden architectural features. You’ll also learn about the places where some of the neighborhood’s most infamous scandals and grisly crimes occurred while getting a good dose of local gossip. What happened behind the walls of 1435 South Fourth Street the evening of June 17, 2010? How did widow Florence Irvin scandalize the city in 1897? Which famous Hollywood actor’s ancestors lived in the 1912 yellow-dormered mansion on Millionaires Row? Join the tour and you’ll hear the answers, and so much more!

Responding to the noticeable increase of visitors to the neighborhood, Louisville Historic Tours is excited to add The Secrets and Scandals of Old Louisville Tour to its repertoire of specialty walks for the 2023 season! Readers of stories by local author David Dominé will get the opportunity to see many of the sites made famous in his books about the legends and lore in this delightfully quirky historic preservation district.

This 150-minute walk will include sweet treats as well as a stroll through charming Belgravia Court and secluded, tree-lined St. James Court. View the carved lamplighter and the statue of Venus rising from the sea that has come to be the symbol of Old Louisville. Also included are stops at the Witches’ Tree, Fountain Court, and hidden Floral Terrace. When possible, the guide will also try to get you a short visit to view the interior of one of our local bed and breakfasts or house museums.

Limited to 15 people; $65 per person
7 days a week at 3pm and 5:30pm, and by appointment
Duration: 2.5 hours

Departs from the Old Louisville Tavern at 1532 South Fourth Street (free street parking)

Includes:

  • A friendly and informed local as your guide!
  • Complimentary local beer or cocktail at the bar
  • Sweet treats
  • A surprise gift

New “Paranormal Buff Supernatural Tour” to Explore the Dark Side of Old Louisville!

Have you ever wanted to get inside one of the many spooky residences in “America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood,” the impressive Old Louisville historic preservation district just south of downtown Louisville? Built mostly in the 1880s and 1890s, the houses in Old Louisville embody a wide variety of architectural styles and they have witnessed generations of tragedy and sorrow. With over a thousand Victorian mansions and charming cottages spread out over more than 40-square blocks, is it surprising that some of them are reportedly haunted?

Trained Orisha and Voodoo priestess and expert storyteller Angelique Stacy is excited to help you explore the occult and macabre in America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood on this new 3-hour, interactive tour! Participants are encouraged to bring along EMF readers and other devices as they investigate several neighborhood sites that are reportedly haunted. In addition to outdoor locations such as the infamous Witches’ Tree and Fountain Court, guests will stalk through gas-lit St. James Court and investigate a Third Street mansion that was once home to a family of poets and artists. Participants will also receive a signed copy of David Dominé’s True Ghost Stories and Eerie Legends from America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood as well as a surprise treat or two along the way. This is the walking tour for diehard ghost hunters, sensitives, or anyone just looking to explore the dark side of a hauntingly beautiful neighborhood!

Because of the huge uptick in visitors, Louisville Historic Tours is excited to add The Paranormal Buff Supernatural Tour to its new lineup of experiential walks for the 2023 season! Fans of author David Dominé will be excited to see up close and personal many of the locations made famous in his best-selling books about the haunted history and the legends and lore in this delightfully spooky neighborhood.

Limited to 12 people; $110 per person
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8pm, and by appointment
Duration: 3 hours

Departs from Dreamlight Antiques at 1201 South Third Street (parking in the lot)

Includes:

  • Trained Orisha/Voodoo priestess Angelique as your guide!
  • Autographed copy of TRUE GHOST STORIES AND EERIE LEGENDS FROM AMERICA’S MOST HAUNTED NEIGHBORHOOD
  • Entrance into at least one allegedly haunted location for a 30-minute paranormal investigation
  • Complimentary local beer at a neighborhood watering hole
  • A sweet treat or two

“Glitter Ball City” Walking Tour to Show off Spots Features in Best Selling True Crime Memoir!

Because of the huge uptick in visitors, Louisville Historic Tours is excited to add a new lineup of experiential tours to its roster for the 2023 season! Fans of author David Dominé will be thrilled to know that one of the new tours focuses exclusively on the spots and characters featured in his 2021 memoir, A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City. This run-away hit—which chronicles the bizarre murder of Jamie Carroll in a crumbling Fourth Street mansion and the subsequent trials of his accused killers—immediately captured the attention of true-crime buffs far and wide and soon had Hollywood knocking on many of the neighbors’ doors.

Those who’ve read the book understand why The New York Times said, “When one of the resident eccentrics captures Dominé’s attention, the story comes alive” and that his “passion animates some of the most memorable passages” in this “part true-crime mystery, part portrait of Louisville.” Spend some time exploring the neighborhood at the heart of the story and you’ll see why Publishers Weekly, in its starred review, assured that, “Fans of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will be captivated.”

So, starting in March 2023, we’re pleased to invite you to join the author himself as he guides you through the quirky Old Louisville neighborhood and shows you his favorite spots in the book. Guided exclusively by David Dominé, this 150-minute jaunt will include a stop at a popular neighborhood watering hole to enjoy drinks along the way, as well as a quick peek inside one of the local residences. Limited to just a dozen participants, this tour will showcase lovely St. James Court, the residential heart of the most well-known historic district in the city, not to mention other sites of interest. You’ll stroll through Central Park and visit the Witches’ Tree, where Candy used to hang out, and then you’ll head for the corner of “Fourth and Crazy” and the house where David used to live and began writing his books about Old Louisville. And, of course, tour-goers will stop in front of the large red brick mansion where Jamie Carroll met his unfortunate end and hear more about the history of this location, which has been featured on national true-crime shows such as “The First 48,” “Hell House,” “Deadly Sins,” and “After the First 48.”

To top it all off, participants will be showered with extra goodies like a disco ball souvenir, and (what else?) a personalized, autographed copy of A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City! Sign up now because David is looking forward to showing you around his favorite neighborhood when he’s in town!

Limited to 12 people; $90 per person
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2:30pm and 5pm, and by appointment
Duration: 2.5 hours

Departs from Birdie & Vi’s Fleatique at 622 West Magnolia Avenue

Includes:

  • Author David Dominé as your guide!
  • Personalized, signed copy of A DARK ROOM IN GLITTER BALL CITY
  • Complimentary beer or cider at Birdie & Vi’s
  • Happy Balls bourbon candy
  • Disco ball souvenir

The Secrets and Scandals of Old Louisville Tour

Let us help you make your next visit to Louisville special.

Private Tours – Available for small groups

Step-on Services – Available for your coach

Phone or text (502) 718-2764

$65

Paranormal Buff Supernatural Tour

Let us help you make your next visit to Louisville special.

Private Tours – Available for small groups

Step-on Services – Available for your coach

Phone or text (502) 718-2764

$110

The Glitter Ball City Walking Tour

Let us help you make your next visit to Louisville special.

Private Tours – Available for small groups

Step-on Services – Available for your coach

Phone or text (502) 718-2764

$90