The city of Watterson Park is a largely industrial area interspersed with residential streets in south Louisville, Kentucky. The ideal location means that residents are only a few minutes away from some of the region’s best green spaces, restaurants, and shopping. “Everything’s within 15 minutes of everywhere,” says Watterson Park councilman Steve Fortwengler, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1987. The area is largely commercial, with lots of businesses and warehouses within the city limits.
Watterson Park has Ranch and Cape Cod style homes.
Watterson Park is a small community nestled within a large commercial industrial area.
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Central location to Louisville
The location of Watterson Park is convenient to all the central attractions of Louisville. I-264 runs to the north of the neighborhood, which connects to I-65 and can take residents into downtown Louisville with 7 miles, a commute that will take around 15 minutes. Watterson Park is only 3 miles from the Louisville International Airport, which is served by eight different airlines. Norton Audubon Hospital is within 4 miles of the neighborhood, which may take within 11 and 15 minutes depending on traffic. Numerous bus stops along Newburg Road and Poplar Level Road help residents get around without a car.
Watterson Park residents have easy access to the Watterson Expressway for travel.
Watterson Park is within a few miles of the Muhammad Ali International Airport.
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Charcoal chicken and sushi tacos
Two commercial streets on the eastern and western sides of Watterson Park offer shopping and dining options for residents. On Newburg Road to the east, residents can enjoy Peruvian charcoal chicken with cilantro rice and yucca fries at Yummy Pollo, a counter-serve restaurant with colorful ambience. Just off of Poplar Level Road to the west, Blue Bay Seafood Sushi offers Cajun-style seafood boils with garlic butter and lots of creole seasoning, as well as hibachi dishes and sushi – even deep-fried sushi tacos.
To the east of Watterson Park off of Campions Trace Road, residents can find a shopping center that houses a Target, a Kroger, a Walmart Supercenter, and a Lowe’s for all their essential shopping. Bodega Mi Sueno, near Target, offers prepared Cuban food as well as groceries and baked goods.
You can get a 1/4 or 1/2 chicken at Yummy Pollo near Watterson Park.
Costco is another big retail option for the Watterson Park neighborhood.
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Urban forestry at the Beargrass Creek Nature Preserve
The neighborhood’s Lillian Wild Walking Path is an ideal escape for recreation, while Petersburg park just outside of the city limits includes a splash pad, walking paths, and pavilions for visitors to enjoy. There’s even a 12-acre campground, Progress Park, located nearby. Visitors to this “all-inclusive glamping resort” can stay in aluminum Airstream campers and spend their days fishing, kayaking, or playing volleyball. 3 miles outside of the neighborhood, the 41-acre Beargrass Creek Nature Preserve is an urban forest that houses the Louisville Nature Center campus. At the nature center, visitors can explore the sensory garden, rain garden, nature play area, bird blind, and a nature library. The nature preserve also includes nearly two miles of public trails to explore.
The City of Watterson Park has a beautiful walking path filled with trees.
The Louisville Nature Center near Watterson Park strives to teach people about the nature.
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Meet the Colonel himself
Residents who want to learn about the history of Colonel Sanders, the Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot, can visit the free Colonel Sanders Museum at the north end of Watterson Park. The extensive collection of KFC memorabilia and life-sized Colonel Sanders animatronic is a whimsical detour in the neighborhood. Residents can also visit the Louisville Zoo, about 3 miles from the neighborhood, which features exhibits from regions across the world, including Africa, Australia, and The Americas. There’s also a splash park, playgrounds, and adventure course for families to enjoy. The Louisville Mega Cavern, about 2 miles outside of the neighborhood, offers adventure courses in a 100-acre cavern created from a historic limestone quarry that was mined for 42 years.
Quiet streets with affordable homes
Although commercial districts make up most of Watterson Park, the residential streets are unexpectedly idyllic, with mature trees that blossom during the spring, quiet streets that end in cul-de-sacs, and well-kept brick bungalows. “It’s a nice, quiet, forgotten place that nobody knows about,” Fortwengler says. “I’ve been here a long time, and there are no block parties.” There are no sidewalks and streetlights are sparse, but the self-contained layout of the streets keeps traffic to a minimum. Most of the homes were built in the 1960s, and most 3-bedroom homes will sell for around $185,000.
Watterson Park residents have well manicured lawns and landscaping.
Lot sizes in Watterson Park are around .25 acres in size.
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Spanish immersion at Jefferson County schools
Watterson Park is served by Jefferson County Public Schools. Students in the neighborhood may attend Hawthorne Elementary, which has a B-minus rating from Niche and offers the only Spanish Immersion program in JCPS. Thomas Jefferson Middle has a C-minus rating, and their band, chorus and orchestra programs have won regional awards. Seneca High School offers a wide range of electives including African-American history, psychology and ecology. The school has a C-plus rating.
Seneca High School offers a 14-1 student to teacher ratio according to Niche.com.
Hawthorne Elementary School is a public school located in Louisville, KY.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School is a public school that has 958 students in grades 6-8.
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Written By
Caitlin Coakley
Video By
Antoine Allen
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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On average, homes in Watterson Park, KY sell after 1 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Watterson Park, KY over the last 12 months is $245,900, down 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Beautifully maintained 3-bedroom, 3-bath home offering space, comfort, and flexibility in one of Louisville's most convenient locations. The main level features a cozy living room, open-concept kitchen with modern finishes, and 3 spacious bedrooms. The finished walkout basement includes 2 non-conforming bedrooms, a dedicated office, a family area, and a kitchenette—perfect for guests, hobbies, or
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