Gardencourt

Originally built in 1908 for George W. Norton Jr.’s two unmarried sisters, Martha A. Norton and Lucie Underwood Norton, along with their widowed sibling Minnie Norton Caldwell, Gardencourt stood as a grand testament to early 20th-century estate living. Spanning nearly 15 acres in the Alta Vista subdivision, it was arguably Louisville’s first true integration of house and garden—a hallmark of refined domestic design—and became one of the most expensive properties in the Cherokee Park Estates at the time. The total cost of construction reached $127,172, not including the $22,925 spent on the stables.

The approach to the house led through pastoral flatlands, past an expansive vegetable garden, and through ornate iron gates into a walled forecourt. From its elevated lawn terrace, the estate offered spectacular views over Cherokee Park. Architecturally, the residence was a study in high Georgian style, accented with Beaux-Arts flourishes that lent it elegance and grandeur. In 1926, a terraced rose garden, shaped like a keyhole, was added to the formal gardens, enhancing the landscape design.

When Maddie Norton passed away in 1946, her executors donated Gardencourt to the University of Louisville for use by its School of Music. While the university made only modest changes to the house and grounds, the most notable alteration was the 1962 addition of an auditorium in the forecourt.

In 1987, the university sold the estate at auction to a private developer, who in turn sold it to the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The property was then combined with the seminary’s existing neighboring facilities—formerly the site of Norton Hall—to form a 68-acre campus. Today, the estate remains meticulously restored and in excellent condition.