James Russell Lowell Elementary School, 4501 Crittenden Drive, Louisville, Jefferson County, KY

Significance: The James Russell Lowell Elementary School is architecturally significant as an excellent example of both the vernacular, institutional architecture of the period (1916) and of the Art Deco style as it was incorporated into an institutional design. The original section of the building, originally known as the Highland Park School, is reminiscent of the residential styles of this same period. It is intact including the only bell tower on a public school building remaining in Louisville. In 1931, when several new school buildings were constructed in the south end, nearly all used the Art Deco style. Lowell Elementary is the finest example of these, and one of the finest citywide. The unusual entry tower with stone pilasters, panels and cornice with stylized motifs is typical of the style and well adapted here to an institutional use. Combined, these two very different building styles compliment one another and are an integral part of the development of Highland Park as a suburb of Louisville.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N54

Survey number: HABS KY-229

Building/structure dates: 1916 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: 1931 Subsequent Work

Building/structure dates: ca. 1993 Demolished

elementary schools louisville jefferson county russell lowell elementary school james russell lowell elementary school crittenden drive crittenden drive louisville jefferson county kentucky j meyrick colley henry f hawes historic american buildings survey george h rommel o m ryster dan scheidt photo education pilasters architectural diagrams library of congress

1915 - 1980

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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