conrad-caldwell house museum (conrad's castle)

Our first visit to this castle was a real treat. The guide was a decendent of the last private owners and had lot's of first hand info to add during the tour. House itself is a gem with lots of woodwork; and a bit unusual for a house like this is the use of many kinds of woods and not just featuring a single kind of wood. Located in a nice neighborhood of lots of old Victorina houses; although this one truly looks more like a castle than a house. Very ineresting to visit.

We are very sorry to hear that you feel this way about our site and your visit. We hope that the families' stories and attention to detail in this home will wow Victorian home enthusiasts and impress even reluctant museumgoers. We believe this home is a special gem that highlights one of the many wonderful parts of Louisville's vibrant history.The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum truly enjoys sharing the histories of the Conrad and Caldwell families who lived here and are proud to have Caldwell family members still involved with the museum today. We feel this gives the museum an incredibly unique and personal feel allowing visitors to really get an inside look at the home through the families recollections and original families' pieces on display within the home. On a larger scale the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum is more than just an old house. It gives visitors a snapshot of life during the Gilded Age and showcases a variety of topics which we feel appeal to a wide range of visitors:- Advances in technology - this home was one of the most technologically advanced residences in the area during the time highlighting the development of technology during the era with it's full indoor plumbing, electricity and intercom system.- Period trends in architecture - Old Louisville is proud to be the largest collection of continuous Victorian Homes in the country and the 3rd largest historic preservation district in the country. We are also considered to be one of the most haunted neighborhoods as well...but that's beside the point. :)- Victorian Interior design - we boast a large collection of original Caldwell family pieces, some really awesome wallpapers and if you love Downton Abbey you have got to check us out! - Development of woodworking - our grand staircase is any woodworkers dream plus the home uses not just 1 or 2 but 7 different types of wood throughout the home! - Life-style during the Victorian Era - What was day-to-day life like for both the working class and upper class? Not only do we highlight the pastimes and types of activities they enjoyed but we discuss the details too. What is was like being deaf during the time period (as one of the Caldwell family members was) and the stories behind Mr. Conrad and Mr. Caldwell, two true entrepreneurs worked to become some of the most influential men in Louisville during the time! Our tour also encompasses aspects of Louisville's history as a whole including a brief introduction to the Southern Exposition which was an incredible 'World's Fair" that took place here in Louisville and connections to important historical figures such as Thomas Edison. We hope our tours of the Conrad-Caldwell House will encourage visitors to think more in-depth about the Victorian Era. Using the stories that we share and the collection we have on display to truly imagine what life was like during this time period. What did they think and feel? What were their passions and priorities in life? And when we open our doors to visitors see the handcrafted woodworking and custom designed quilt patterned parquet floors, the attention to detail that went into every square foot of this 10,000sq. ft. home, we want them to really imagine what it would take to create something like this today?And then think about how they did all of it back then with the tools and resources of the late 1800's. It is incredible to think about! Overall this home really is a remarkable piece of our history and while yes we are surrounded by plenty of other gorgeous historic homes, we feel that this home is a prime example. We love being open to the public, sharing our stories and giving visitors the chance to actually step inside and step back in time.

There are houses similar to this in most old cities built during the "guilded age". The tour was conducted by the great granddaugther of Caldwell, the second owner of the house. She had first hand of the days when the castle was used as a family home. She provided personal details as to the various items in the home as well as personal stories of those who lived there. Time well spent.

My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Conrad Caldwell House. The CCH is an architectural masterpiece and is a woodcarvers dream. However, there are hundreds of beautiful houses across the country and in Europe and it’s the people and attention to detail that make a good tour experience. Jill, our tour guide, really knocked our socks off. She was knowledgeable, candid, and generous with her time. Give yourself plenty of time to really enjoy this house - we spent 2 hours. I loved that Jill pointed out things she personally liked and knew interesting stories about rather than staying to a script. Two of the docents are direct descendants of the owners which is one of the reasons their staff is so well informed. I also loved the styling of the exhibitions. Details like the table being set for dinner, personal effects strewn over the bed, games and toys stacked up on an ottoman were well curated and fascinating. Thank you, CCH team for all your hard work and efforts in preserving such a Louisville gem! Well worth the cash - will be back again.

We live in the area and finally went on our first tour of this mansion. It totally exceeded our expectations! We are not serious museum goers, but we were intrigued from beginning to end. We also learned things about Louisville that we did not know. We agree wholeheartedly with all the previous great reviews!