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Curious Louisville Have you ever had a question about the Derby City that you just can't answer? That's where Curious Louisville comes in. Listeners submit their questions, the public votes on which questions to investigate, and 89.3 WFPL finds the answers.
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Curious Louisville

Curious Louisville

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Have you ever had a question about the Derby City that you just can't answer? That's where Curious Louisville comes in. Listeners submit their questions, the public votes on which questions to investigate, and 89.3 WFPL finds the answers.

Most Recent Episodes

How did U of L's David Isaacs become the 'Godfather' of college basketball stats?

Did you know that one team from the University of Louisville has been part of every NCAA men’s basketball Final Four since 1969? You won’t see them on the court, but look on the sidelines and you’ll spot a team of hardworking statisticians who learned from the best. David Isaacs was part of that team in ‘69. His son, Jesse Isaacs, knew he “had something to do with” basketball stats and the creation of a rulebook. He asked Curious Louisville to find out more about this little gem of Louisville history, and LPM’s Justin Hicks has the story.

How did U of L's David Isaacs become the 'Godfather' of college basketball stats?

Listen · 9:45
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Does road salt end up in the Ohio River?

The city of Louisville has a fleet of around 50 salt trucks, and when it snows, each can carry 10 tons of snow at a time to scatter on our roads and expressways. When the snow melts, most of us never have to think about that salt again. But Annie McCanless, a retired social studies teacher in the Crescent Hill neighborhood wondered, "Does the salt put on the street to melt the snow end up in the Ohio River? How does it affect the fish and water fowl?" On this episode of Curious Louisville, we find out.

Does road salt end up in the Ohio River?

Listen · 8:31
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Were there Civil War barracks in Old Louisville?

Have you ever used the "places" feature in the Wikipedia app? It shows you interesting sites near your location. Michelle Kadikian, who lives in Old Louisville, used that feature while at home, and found fragments of information about a Civil War encampment called Taylor Barracks. There's not a lot of information about these buildings in the history books, but reaching them was a matter of life or death for thousands of formerly enslaved men. On this episode, we'll find out why.

Were there Civil War barracks in Old Louisville?

Listen · 8:29
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Did a German spy really live in my house?

When Sarah and Lowe Sutherland bought their house back in 2007, a friend of a friend told her a titillating story: "I was a paper boy on your street back in that during the war, and when I was delivering the papers, I saw that they arrested a German spy in the house that you just bought." The Sutherlands have wondered since then, is it true? LPM's Joe Sonka takes the case, on this episode of Curious Louisville.

Did a German spy really live in my house?

Listen · 7:18
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What's with the beeping box in NuLu?

It sits alongside a brick building in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood. It’s a metal box, about the size of a dresser, or maybe a deep freezer, but a little taller. And it makes a beeping sound. Sort of an alarm, but so quiet you can't hear it until you're close to the box. It's been described as "quietly having a meltdown." Local lore says it's been beeping this way for years, and no one knows why. On this episode, a curious community member named Ben Falstrom joins LPM's Giselle Rhoden to find out more. Thanks to Mary Basso for submitting this question, and to BIGFAKE for creating the beeping box remix you hear on this episode. Ask a question of your own at CuriousLouisville.org.

What's with the beeping box in NuLu?

Listen · 7:32
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Who are those faces on the old Manual High School?

At the corner of Brook and Oak Streets in Old Louisville sits a building that started out as the duPont Manual Training High School, back in 1892. When Dan Trabue moved to the neighborhood around 25 years ago, he noticed something curious near the building's roofline: six round medallions, each with a face staring out over the neighborhood. "I was curious who they were and I couldn't really see them that well," Dan says. "I asked around a little bit and looked online, didn't find anything, and I've tried a couple times and then eventually gave up." Until he sent his question to Curious Louisville. Dan is a Manual High alum, and so were his dad and grandpa. And so is LPM's Breya Jones, who saw his quandary and decided to help find some answers.

Who are those faces on the old Manual High School?

Listen · 7:00
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Who is the voice of the crosswalk?

"Whose voice is that on the the walk sign at Douglass Loop and Bardstown Road? I go through that area quite a bit, and at some point I noticed that there was a voice, and that the voice didn't sound like they were from Louisville." That's what Dan Pike and many other people have been curious about over the years. So he sent his message to Curious Louisville, and LPM's Giselle Rhoden was up for the challenge. Have a burning question about our community? Visit curiouslouisville.org to share it, and we may help you answer yours next!

Who is the voice of the crosswalk?

Listen · 5:59
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What's That Door In A Hill On Lexington Road?

You may have seen it while driving down Lexington road, away from downtown, just before Headliners Music Hall. A retaining wall in the side of the hill... with a door in the middle. What's behind it? It's a question we get a lot at Curious Louisville. On this episode, Ashlie Stevens takes us behind the door.

What's That Door In A Hill On Lexington Road?

Listen · 3:42
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Curious Louisville: Do White Outer Lines Make Roads Safer?

For fourteen years, Robert Miles has seen cars in ditches, in neighbor’s yards and in his own fencing that borders the boundary of the horse farm his family owns. He lives off Todds Point Road in Shelby County. “It’s horrific, you’re taking your life in your hands every time you go through,” Miles said of a particular curve in the road. Todds Point is an idyllic rural road going through horse country. But it’s narrow, and doesn’t have white outer edge lines that could help drivers stay on the road. Miles asked Curious Louisville: “Why do some roads have white outer lines and others don’t? What determines who gets what paint?” WFPL reporter Lisa Gillespie went looking for the answer.

Curious Louisville: Do White Outer Lines Make Roads Safer?

Listen · 5:55
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Why Is A Stretch Of Louisville Highway Measured In Kilometers?

The United States prides itself on a kind of rugged individualism. We like to think we do things our own way here. So while the rest of the world uses the metric system, here in America, we use a system based on inches, feet, yards and miles. Except on a particular stretch of Louisville highway. Lots of you asked us why. On this episode, WFPL's Ashlie Stevens finds out. Curious Louisville wouldn't be possible without you! Click here to support the work we do:

Why Is A Stretch Of Louisville Highway Measured In Kilometers?

Listen · 5:45
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