♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HI AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE TO YOU LOUISVILLE'S PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD.

LOUISVILLE'S LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A COMPLICATED PAST.

TECHNICALLY PART OF THE WEST END, PORTLAND SITS JUST WEST OF DOWNTOWN.

ONCE A PORT TOWN OF ITS OWN BUSTLING WITH BUSINESSES AND WEALTHY IMMIGRANTS, TODAY PORTLAND IS ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT'S ALSO LOUISVILLE'S LARGEST, HOME TO SOME 13,000 PEOPLE.

IN RECENT YEARS, NEW INVESTMENT AND FAMILIES ARE MOVING TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, DRAWN TO ITS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND RICH HISTORY.

TO UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE OF PORTLAND, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT ITS PAST.

WE BEGIN AT THE PORTLAND MUSEUM.

♪ ♪ >> IT'S NOT PORTLAND, OREGON OR EVEN PORTLAND, MAINE, BUT A LESSER KNOWN PORTLAND SITS NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE.

>> I'VE HEARD THAT IT WAS A PARCEL OF LAND THAT WAS WON IN A POKER GAME BY GENERAL WILLIAM LEITLE WHO ESTABLISHED CINCINNATI AND GOT THIS CHUNK OF LAND AS AN AFTER THOUGHT.

>> SAID TO BE LOUISVILLE'S OLDEST NEIGHBORHOOD, OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1811.

PORTLAND'S HISTORY DATES BACK MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT.

>> NATIVE SETTLEMENTS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 15,000 YEARS.

IT'S JUST ALWAYS BEEN A PRETTY AMAZING NATURAL PART OF THE RIVER BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE RIVER KIND OF CURVES AROUND ALL SORTS OF WILDLIFE CONGREGATED AND STILL CONGREGATE HERE MAKING HUNTING AND FISHING DESIRABLE AND EASY.

>> IT WAS THE EARLY 1800s WHEN THE FRENCH FIRST SETTLED ON SHIPPING PORT ISLAND AND ESTABLISHED A CHURCH IN PORTLAND BEFORE IT WAS EVEN CONSIDERED A TOWN.

OUR LADY CHURCH OR INVENTORY DAM de PORT STILL STANDS TO THIS DAY.

GENERAL LEITTLE WHOSE NAME STILL GRACES THE THOROUGHFARE AS PORTLAND.

BEFORE THE LOCKS AND DAMS WERE BUILT, THE FALLS OF THE OHIO WERE THE MOST TRECH RES STRETCH OF THE OHIO RIVER DROPPING 23 FEET IN 26 MILES.

MOST BOATS STOPPED AT THE PORT TO GO AROUND THE DANGEROUS WATERFALLS, RAPIDS AND CHUTES.

IT IS A BUSY AND POPULATED TOWN WITH GERMAN AND IRISH SETTLER MAKING UP A DIVERSE PORT TOWN.

>> IT BECAME A REAL HOTSPOT FOR IMMIGRATION AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS, GOOD AND BAD.

THE BAD BEING HUMAN TRAFFICKINGING AND THE SLAVE TRADE WHERE THE ENSLAVED FOLKS WERE SOLD DOWN THE RIVER, LITERALLY THAT TERM ORIGINATED HERE IN THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD AS THEY WERE BEING SOLD TO NEW ORLEANS.

>> IT WAS EVENTUALLY ANNEXED INTO THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE, PORTLAND RETAINED ITS INDEPENDENCE PARTLY BECAUSE ITS GEOGRAPHY PHYSICALLY SEPARATES IT FROM THE REST OF THE CITY.

>> IT WAS SET UP EARLY ON AS KIND OF A ST. PAUL MINNEAPOLIS KIND OF THING WITH LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND BEING TWIN CITIES.

PORTLAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN STAUNCHLY INDEPENDENT.

AT ONE POINT THEY TRIED TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ALL NATIONS ON EARTH I BELIEVE THE CHARTER WENT AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THEY GOT BUT THAT MIND SET STILL EXISTS.

>> HISTORIC BACK TO BACK FLOODS IN 1937 AND 145 RED LINING AND SUBSEQUENT WHITE FLIGHT DRASTICALLY CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS OF FREE PROPERTY HOLDING BLACK PEOPLE AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

>> THE DESIGN, YOU KNOW, IS JUST FLOODS AND FEAR.

THE RED LINING THING DIDN'T DO ANYONE ANY FAVORS.

THAT STILL EXISTS.

I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL JUST LEARNING TO BREAK DOWN THESE BARRIERS AND KIND OF INSTILL PRIDE AND, I DON'T KNOW, CURIOSITY INTO OUR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW?

THAT WHO DON'T SHARE THEIR GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, PERCEPTION OF THIS AREA.

>> THAT'S WHERE THE PORTLAND MUSEUM COMES IN.

ORIGINALLY CREATED AS A PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO CONTRIBUTE PHOTOS OR SCRAPBOOKS ABOUT THE PLACE WHERE THEY GREW UP, IS NOW A THREE BUILDING COMPLEX THAT HAS A MOTTO OF PROMOTING ART, COMMUNITY AND HERITAGE.

>> IT'S A REAL COMMUNITY EFFORT.

WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF BE ON THE SAME PAGE OF KNOWING WHAT WE WANT AND NEED AROUND HERE AND THAT IS TO ENGAGE THE YOUNGER FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THIS OR THESE BURDENS OR THESE STEREOTYPES LIKE I TALKED ABOUT, THEIR FOLKS AND THEIR PAST.

THEY JUST HAVE THIS INNOCENCE WE WANT TO TRY TO CAPTURE AND FOCUS ON AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THAT INCLUDES PLANS FOR CREATING THE CITY'S FIRST CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.

AHOY IS TAKING SHAPE IN THIS ABANDONED BUILDING THAT THE MUSEUM RECENTLY PURCHASED AND STARTED OVERHAULING.

THE NAUTICAL THEME OF PORTLAND IS OBVIOUS BUT IT STANDS FOR ADVENTURE HOUSE OF YOUTH.

>> I THINK PEOPLE AND CURRENT GENERATIONS ARE LEARNING TO BE LESS SCARED AND MORE CURIOUS.

THE WEST END IN GENERAL IS SO FULL OF JUST BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE.

YOU KNOW, THESE UNPARALLELED RIVER VIEWS ANYONE I HAVE METAROUND HERE IS SO FRIENDLY AND WELCOMING.

AND, YOU KNOW I HEAR ABOUT THE NINTH STREET DIVIDE AND THESE SCARY STEREOTYPES AFTER LIVING HERE FOR A MINUTE AND I'M LIKE REALLY?

THIS IS A LOCK YOUR DOORS NEIGHBORHOOD?

I HAVE BEEN MET WITH THE MOST KIND, GRACIOUS FOLKS.

IT'S ALL A HIDDEN GEM.

IT TAKES PEOPLE THAT JUST TRUST THEIR GUT RATHER THAN TRUST OTHER PEOPLE'S SCEPTICISM.

>> WHAT A WAY TO LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE'S PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD THAN TALKING TO SOMEONE WHOSE FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE FOR THREE GENERATIONS.

>> YES,.

>> ED WHITE IS A THIRD GENERATION PORTLAND RESIDENT.

SO YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT DURING THAT TIME.

>> YES.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT YOU REMEMBER BACK THEN AND HOW, WHAT KIND OF CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN.

>> MY GRANDFATHER'S CAME HERE IN 1874.

AND THAT'S WHEN PORTLAND WAS A PORT CITY; MEANING THAT THE RIVER WAS THE INTERSTATE.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY DID ON OWN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKERS, PHYSICAL WORKERS.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A TEAMSTERS SO SHE HAD A STAGE COACH AND WAGON AND HE DID HAULING.

SO THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING.

SO AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT-- AND HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THE MERCHANTS, THE STORES, LIKE SHANE'S DEPARTMENT STORE, IS A GENERATIONAL STOR STORE.

KEVIN'S PROBABLY THE THIRD GENERATION, FOURTH GENERATION.

JAMES BROTHERS HARDWARE IS A GENERATIONAL STORE.

SO THAT WAS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN YOU COULD JUST GO UP AND, YOU KNOW, GET CHARGE ACCOUNTS.

>> YEAH.

>> AND I STILL HAVE A CHARGE ACCOUNT AT SHAINS AND STILL HAVE A CHARGE ACCOUNT AT JAMES BROTHERS.

JUST BASED ON THOSE GENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS THAT WERE EXISTED FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE ESTABLISHED >> SO IT IS VERY FAMILY ORIENTED.

AND YOU TALK A LOT, TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY ARE GENERATIONAL.

I MEAN PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEY STAY HERE FOR GENERATIONS.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

WHY IS THAT UNIQUE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> WELL, A LOT OF THE REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE 1: THEY OWN THE HOMES.

AND OWNING THE HOMES GIVES YOU A FOOTPRINT THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO STAY.

AND THEN A LOT OF-- FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THERE WAS REALLY NO PLACE ELSE FOR US TO LIVE YOU KNOW, GET IS LOANS, IT WAS AN ECONOMIC THING.

AND FOR A LOT OF THE WHITE PEOPLE.

BUT AS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN LOUISVILLE WAS A BLUE COLOR TOWN.

YOU-- BLUE COLLAR TOWN.

YOU HAD FACTORIES.

YOU HAD THE CIGARETTE CONGLOMERATE.

YOU HAD G.E.

AT ONE TIME PROBABLY WAS MAYBE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE STATE BECAUSE THEY HAD LIKE 20,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT G.E.

AT ONE TIME.

AND THEN YOU HAD THE INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER.

SO THIS WAS A BLUE COLLAR TOWN.

SO AS PEOPLE STARTED HAVING JOBS , OPEN HOUSING LAW CAME, AND THEN THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO MOVE SO, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMICS, AND PEOPLE JUST MOVED OUT.

I AM'-- OF THE BLACK FAMILIES, THERE ARE PROBABLY ONLY FOUR OF US THAT ARE STILL HERE.

>> REALLY?

>> YES.

>> EVERYONE ELSE HAS MOVED.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?

>> I WOULD START FROM THE WORD WAS TO WHERE IT IS NOW.

AT ONE TIME THIS WAS AN IRISH WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY AND WHEN IT WAS AN IRISH WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY, 80% OF THE HOUSES WERE OWNER OCCUPIED.

NOW THREE GENERATIONS LATER, IT'S PROBABLY 30% OF THE HOUSES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED.

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE LEFT HERE AND WENT TO PRP, WHICH I CALL THE PORTLAND RELOCATION PROJECT.

OKAY?

AND THEN THEY JUST LEFT SO THEN THE ONE THING I WILL SAY ABOUT PORTLAND NO MATTER BLACK AND WHITE, IF THEY LOVED YOU, THEY LOVED YOU.

IF THEY HATED YOU, THEY HATED YOU.

THERE IS NO GRAY AREA.

THERE WAS BUT NOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF INTEGRATED STREETS AND A LOT OF INTEGRATED COMMUNITIES.

SO SO IT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS, BUT MY HISTORICAL MEMORY WILL NOT LET ME GO TO SOME PLACES.

THE HOUSE IS PAID FOR, MY CAR IS PAID FOR AND EVEN THOUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS PRETTY, PRETTY ROUGH, BUT THAT'S WHERE I GREW UP AT SO IT WAS EASY.

NOW, IF I HAD NOT HAVE HAD THE HISTORICAL TIES, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT AND SOMETIMES I WONDER, AS WE GO THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS, IF I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION, BUT I KNOW IT DID.

>> IT IS A COMPLICATED HISTORY AND WHEN WE COME BACK, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT AT LOUISVILLE VISUAL ARTS LOCATED IN THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD.

ANGELA HAGAN IS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

>> I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN TAKING ON THIS ROLE A FEW MONTHS AGO BECAUSE I HAVE MY DOCTORATE IN URBAN AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

MY KIDS CALL ME A CITY DOCTOR BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT WHAT MAKES HEALTHY, VIBRANT COMMUNITIES.

AND THE BOARD OF LVA REALLY WANTS TO MAKE THIS ORGANIZATION A CORNERSTONE OR A GATHERING PLACE FOR COMMUNITY.

AND WE ARE RIGHT ON THE PRECIPICE OF ALL THIS REVITAL LATION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> IT IS FULL OF ARTIST SPACES AND GALLERIES AND HOSTED EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, ALL FROM THIS BUILDING ON LEITLE STREET IN PORTLAND BUT SOON YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO MISS IT.

>> WE HAVE A DONOR WHO WAS VERY INTERESTED IN REALLY IGNITING, SO TO SPEAK, THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WANTED TO PUT US ON THE MAP AND SAY LOOK, THERE IS A PLACE HERE THAT WHERE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

IT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE SCULPTURAL PIECE THAT EXTENDS OFF THE BUILDING SEVERAL FEET AND LIGHT UP AT NIGHT AND YOU CAN SEE IT FOR BLOCKS AWAY.

I HOPE THAT IS NOT ONLY A PHYSICAL SYMBOL BUT A METAPHOR FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN PROGRAMS, NOT JUST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND GATHERING PLACE BUT FOR THE ART EDUCATION PROGRAMS WE ARE DOING, FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO FOR ARTISTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND JUST REALLY BE THAT SYMBOL OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.

>> IT WILL BE SEEN FOR MILES.

THAT INCLUDES I-64, WHEN YOU PASS BY THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD, WILL YOU KNOW IT.

WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET ARE HELPING TO FABRICATE THIS SPARK SCULPTURE AND ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES AT ROCKER BUILT WENT TO OUR CHILDREN'S FINE ARTS PROGRAMS AND HAS SPACE IN THE BUILDING.

THERE IS SO MUCH SYNERGY GOING ON HERE.

>> I GOT TO WELD IT ALL TOGETHER AND, YEAH, VERY COOL TO WORK WITH STAINLESS STEEL.

IS IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT.

IT WORKS A LOT.

BUT IT'S REALLY PRETTY AND IT WILL LAST A REALLY LONG TIME.

>> OUR BUILD ENVIRONMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

WE THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT COME TOGETHER, NOT ONLY FOOD, SIDEWALKS, PARKS, ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE.

ART AND BEAUTY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY SAYS THIS IS A SAFE AND HAPPY PLACE TO BE ART CAN HEAL.

ART SENDS MESSAGES TO PEOPLE AND SO BEING A PART OF THE BEAUTIFICATION AND REDEVELOPMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IT SAYS WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

>> A RELATIVELY NEWER RESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IS CASEY CHASE.

YOU HAVE JUST BEEN HERE 10 YEARS.

AND THAT IS RELATIVE TO Mr. WHITE, BUT TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE MOVING HERE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

>> YEAH, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR FOUR KIDS MOVED TO THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT LOUISVILLE: WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, WEST OF NINTH STREET OR ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WHEN WE MOVED IN, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO LIVE.

WE FOUND A GREAT HOME TO MOVE INTO WITH A REALLY NICE YARD.

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORS WERE VERY WELCOMING WHEN WE MOVED IN AND WE SORT OF IMMEDIATELY GOT SETTLED AND STARTED OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL AND FOUND A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS FOR THEM TO BE INVOLVED IN IN PORTLAND, AND SO THROUGHOUT THE 10 YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN HERE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN OUR KIDS GROW AND THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BEENIBLE TO BE INVOLVED IN, ALL THE WAY FROM, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TUTORING AND RESOURCES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO HAVE ARE READILY ACCESSIBLE HERE AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE JUST REALLY BEEN ABLE TO DIG INTO THIS COMMUNITY AND FIND OUT THAT THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON.

AND SO OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, I MEAN WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE PORTLAND NOW GROUP THAT MEETS EVERY MONTH.

WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS THAT ARE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE DOING SUCH AMAZING WORK.

AND NOW I'M SERVING AS THE BOARD CHAIR AT THE PORTLAND MUSEUM.

AND THE MUSEUM IS DOING REALLY AMAZING WORK.

AND SO I'M SO THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THAT, TOO.

>> YEAH, YOU HAVE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE, THOUGH, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IN LOUISVILLE A LONG TIME.

I MEAN WHY WOULD YOU LIVE THERE.

I BET YOU HEAR A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN LIKE I SAID, WE DIDN'T KNOW THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS INITIALLY BUT ONCE WE MOVED IN, WE DID START TO HEAR THOSE THINGS.

WE STARTED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, EVEN AS RECENTLY AS LAST MONTH, SOMEBODY SAY I DON'T WANT TO BRING MY CHILD OVER TO DO A 5K THAT I STARTED BECAUSE I STARTED A 5K FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S TURNED INTO THIS REALLY GREAT EVENT WHERE WE HAVE BETWEEN 50 AND 100 PEOPLE AND WE DO IT ON A SATURDAY MORNING.

EVERY FALL WE RUN OR WALK OR CRAWL OVER TO SHIPPING PORT ISLAND AND PEOPLE GET TO SEE A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE AND SEE THE CITY AND EVERY YEAR IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.

PEOPLE HAVE FUN, THEY GET TOGETHER BUT I DO HEAR SOMEBODY SAY I CAN'T BRING MY KIDS OVER THERE TO DO THAT.

IT'S TOO DANGEROUS.

LITTLE DO THEY KNOW, I MEAN BEE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS OF THE CITY IN PORTLAND, AND WE'VE HAD THIS 5K FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND IT'S WONDERFUL.

AND PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND THEY LOVE IT.

AND WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES.

SO WE HAVE LIVED HERE 10 YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A BREAK-IN.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD A SINGLE INSTANCE OF ANYONE DO ANYTHING TO OUR FAMILY WHAT I HAVE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES IS THAT I FEEL LIKE OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ALL WATCHING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

IT'S THAT TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE ALL OF THE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER.

AND TO BE HONEST, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE.

SO THEY WILL SIT ON THEIR PORCHES AND THEY WILL WATCH AND YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW IF SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

AND THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW.

>> WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE WHO SAY THINGS LIKE THAT TO YOU?

AND WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS THAT MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME HISTORY OF RACISM AND RED LINING AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, PUTTING IN THE INTERSTATE AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OFF FROM THE REST OF THE CITY.

AND THAT'S CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS THROUGHOUT HISTORY BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE IS THAT UNLESS THEY'VE COME OVER HERE RECENTLY IN THE PAST 10, 20 YEARS, I DON'T THINK THEY CAN REALLY KNOW WHAT THIS AREA IS LIKE.

OUR BEST FRIENDS LIVE HERE AND WE DO LIFE TOGETHER AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND IT'S GREAT.

>> LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR POSITION AS THE BOARD CHAIR AT THE MUSEUM BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT HERE AND A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN THE PAST 10 YEARS OR SO.

THIS MUSEUM PROJECT SOUNDS VERY AMBITIOUS.

>> YES.

>> TELL US ABOUT IT.

>> IT IS.

I MEAN WE OUR DIRECTORS HAVE SUCH A HUGE DREAM OF CREATING THIS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND AS THE BOARD, WE ARE 100% BEHIND THEM WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION THIS IS GOING.

I LOVE DANNY'S VISION OF TAKING THIS ABANDONED HOME AND RECREATING IT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE THERE FOR KIDS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING GOOD OR CREATIVE IN THE WEST END, BUT THEY COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST CREATIVE, MOST JUST ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE OVER HERE.

AND I LOVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THIS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> AND A WAY TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE CITY TO THIS AREA.

I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I MOVED HERE THAT THERE ISN'T A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.

>> YEAH, I GREW UP NEAR INDIANAPOLIS AND WE HAVE THE INDIANAPOLIS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THAT IS SO AWESOME, BUT SAME.

WHEN I WAS RAISING MY KIDS, I THOUGHT THERE IS NOTHING COMPARABLE HERE AND NOW WE ARE GOING HAVE IT IN PORTLAND?

I MEAN IT'S OUTSTANDING.

AND I WAS JUST SITTING HERE THINKING THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DRAWING PEOPLE TO PORTLAND, I THINK.

WE HAVE A SKATE PARK NOW OVER IN LANNON PARK AND IT'S A WORLD CLASS SKATING VENUE.

I MEAN PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER TO SKATE THERE.

AND WE'VE GOT THE MUSEUM UP AND COMING AND WE'VE GOT BREWERIES HERE AND WE ARE REALLY A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE SAY.

WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT.

>> YEAH EXPLAIN THE VISION FOR THIS SORT OF LIKE COMPLEX OF THE MUSEUM, WHAT IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S FINISHED?

>> SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE SITTING IN THE LIGHTHOUSE, WHICH IS SORT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL ARM OF THE MUSEUM.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS WILL HAPPEN HERE, INCLUDING ARTISTS, RESIDENCIES, CLASSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE TRADITIONAL MUSEUM, WHICH IS NEXT DOOR AND THAT BUILDING HOSTS OUR COLLECTION AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE HELD AS THE HISTORY KEEPER OF PORTLAND.

AND THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THAT IS GOING TO BE THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.

THAT IS THE ABANDONED HOME THAT DANNY JUST TOOK CHARGE OF AND IS GOING-- THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MAIN HUB OF WHERE THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IS GOING TO BE.

SO WE ENVISION, YOU KNOW, THREE STORIES OF INTERACTIVE PLAY AND ART AND LEARNING AND JUST A REALLY SPACE FOR CREATIVITY.

AND WE REALLY WANT TO USE ALL OF THE LAND THAT IS AVAILABLE.

SO EVENTUALLY THERE WILL BE OUTDOOR SPACE AND THINGS TO EXPLORE FOR KIDS ALL OVER THE ENTIRE GROUNDS.

>> IT IS A BIG VISION.

>> YES.

>> HOW IS THIS PROJECT BEING FUNDED?

>> WELL, MULTIPLE WAYS.

YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF GRANTS AND DONATIONS.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR NEW AVENUES OF FUNDING AND REVENUE STREAMS, SO I WOULD SAY IT'S A BRAIDED VENTURE.

BUT, YEAH, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN US AND BELIEVE IN THE VISION THAT WE HAVE AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DO.

>> CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON THE AHOY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM THIS YEAR.

THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT IS SLATED FOR COMPLETION IN LATE 2026.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT PORTLANDKY.ORG AND YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE AND ALL OF OUR EPISODES ONLINE AT KET.ORG/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

DON'T FORGET TO GIVE US A FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN SEE BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEOS WITH GUESTS AND MORE AND AGRAM@KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪