Rick Bell History Lecture Series at PlayPort Schedule 

Sunday, October 12, 2025 2:00pm-3:30pm

It all began here…  PlayPort is located at the site of Fort-on-Shore, the first buildings erected in Louisville. It is just offshore from Corn Island, where the earliest settlers landed and built a stockade. George Rogers Clark led his Illinois Regiment against the British forts from this location.

Sunday, November 9, 2025 2:00pm-3:30pm

Below the Falls – We will discuss the founding of Portland, Shippingport and New Albany and the individuals who envisioned town building below the Falls of the Ohio.

Sunday, December 14, 2025 2:00pm-3:30pm           

C. Lee Cook – the genius from Portland – one of the most remarkable people in history, he overcame profound physical disabilities to invent mechanical devices that changed society and made him a wealthy man. He started his career from his home at 29th and Bank Streets in Portland.

Sunday, January 11, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Louisville between 1920 and 1940 – historic photographs tell the story of Louisville in the 1920s and 1930s, a time of unprecedented growth for the city. The photos display a vibrant downtown, shopping opportunities and fascinating individuals.

Sunday, February 8, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

The Great Flood of 1937 in Louisville – remembered as the greatest natural disaster in American history, this event impacted Louisville harder than anywhere else in the entire Ohio River valley. Over 175,000 people evacuated their homes and overcame challenges with ingenuity and courage.

Sunday, March 8, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Big Jim Porter, the Kentucky Giant – James D. Porter became internationally famous after being interviewed by Charles Dickens. At 7’9” tall, he maintained a famous tavern at his home in Shippingport and was actively involved in local politics.

Sunday, April 12, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Louisville and Portland Canal – Built from 1825 until 1830, the canal revolutionized river traffic and commerce in the Ohio Valley. A triumph of engineering, digging the canal brought thousands of Irish immigrants to Portland and changed the state of transportation in America.

Sunday, June 14, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Memorable characters from Louisville, Portland and Russell neighborhoods. Some fascinating personalities, some famous and others not, are included. People include internationally known film directors, artists, paperboys and other folks that make our community special.

Sunday, July 12, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Louisville Waterfront and the story of the Park – PlayPort is part of the award-winning Waterfront Park, which for the past thirty years has opened access to our riverbanks. We will trace the early history of the Louisville waterfront and how it became a beloved public park.

Sunday, August 9, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Transportation history of Louisville – Louisville is a crossroads of American commerce and industry. We will discuss the rise of steamboats, railroads and highways and their impact on this community over time.

Sunday, September 13, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Prohibition in Louisville – No community in America was more negatively impacted by the Prohibition era (1922-1933). Twenty-five distilleries, fifteen breweries and countless saloons went out of business, leaving 10,000 Louisvillians out of work, and speakeasies and bootleggers raised the crime rate.

Sunday, October 11, 2026 2:00pm-3:30pm

Photos from the Herald-Post – 1925-1936 – This newspaper, a Republican opponent of the Courier-Journal, featured powerful images of local buildings and people. This era saw the development of Fourth Street entertainment, industrial development and a changing population.

This schedule and topics are subject to change. There will not be a lecture in May due to scheduling conflicts.