Conrad-Caldwell House Museum
The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum is the cornerstone of historic St. James Court, in Old Louisville. This gem of a house, also known as “Conrad’s Castle,” is an unusual combination of Richardsonian and Romanesque architecture ... and cost only $35,000 when it was built in 1895.
The impressive exterior is covered in gargoyles, swags, and fleur-de-lis, but the interior is just as breathtaking. Delightful antiques, beautifully hand-carved woodwork, and colorful stained glass echo the elegance of Victorian Louisville.
According to The Encyclopedia of Louisville, the house was built for Theophilus Conrad, a local leather manufacturer, and designed by Louisville architect Arthur Loomis. After Conrad’s death in 1905, the Caldwell family purchased the house and lived there for 35 years. For the next 40 years, it served as the Rose Anna Hughes Presbyterian Retirement Home.
In 1987, the St. James Court Historic Foundation bought the Conrad-Caldwell House and began a restoration project. It now operates as a museum and is a popular site for weddings. It also has been a stop on the Victorian Ghost Tour of Old Louisville.