One Thing I Love About Louisville: Michael Schnuerle of Metro Mapper

In this essay Michael Schnuerle of Metro Mapper not only shares some of his love of Louisville but also some really interesting Louisville geography information. I'm smarter about our city for having read his essay (do you know how Poplar Level got it's name?).

I love how Louisville occupies its place in the world.

After searching across four continents for 10 years for a better place to live, I came back to the place I was raised and decided it had everything I needed. Our residents know we have it good here, and we have an unabashed optimism for the future of the city. Louisville straddles that line between big city and town, a small place with big dreams. I love Louisville's geography because:

• the city was founded so that river travelers could traverse the treacherous Falls of the Ohio, a geographic barrier. Link
• the area the Highlands occupies actually is higher than the surrounding land. Link
• Spring Drive is the site of a natural spring. Link
• Poplar Level Road is so named because it was originally built using planks of readily available poplar trees. Link
• the history of Louisville's neighborhoods is still visible, and residents take pride in their own neighborhood while still appreciating other areas. PDF Link
• change in the landscape is slow to stick in people's minds, so directions are given based on long-gone landmarks. Link
• Frederick Law Olmsted used the land's natural features to define a wonderful system of parks and parkways for us all. Link

Despite these interesting geographic tidbits, there are also barriers that geography can create for our city. The Metro Mapper website came out of the idea that we all could learn more about our city and neighborhoods. I've heard plenty of blanket statements about certain neighborhoods over the years, such as "the Highlands is a dangerous place to raise children," or "there is so much crime that happens in Old Louisville," or "I'm scared to drive downtown at night," or "Portland is a rundown area."

I wanted to build a tool that would allow people to research these misconceptions on their own, and learn to stop stereotyping geographic areas. Using the Crime Map for two years now, I am constantly surprised by the lack of crime in areas considered dangerous, and the unexpected pockets of trouble in the areas you might least expect it.

Decades of misconceptions can damage our admirable city and prevent it from thriving. Louisville has a geography that I love, and I hope our community can continue use it as a source of strength for the future of our city.

Michael runs Metro Mapper an interactive mapping site for the city and region that lets residents and visitors become more familiar with our neighborhoods and take an interest in our surroundings.