Buechel carves its future from a solid past

Long before the area was known as Buechel, Revolutionary War veteran George Hikes moved here from Pennsylvania in 1791 and built this area's first grist mill, saw mill and a wool-processing machine.

Most people now might not know him but would recognize Hikes Lane, a road that ran from his property to Bardstown Road. At that time, that general area would have been called Two-Mile Town or Two Mile Precinct because its northern edge was about 2 miles from Louisville.

Fast-forward about 90 years. John Buechel, a Swiss cabinet maker, arrived in the area. He bought an inn and a tavern on Bardstown Road and eventually opened a post office.  He adopted the area, and the area adopted his name.

It grew quietly over the next half century but was far from silent. Several Kentucky Derby winners, Azra (1892), Manuel (1899) and Sir Huron (1906) were produced at Bashford Manor Farm, the current site of Kroger, Target, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart. Still another Derby winner, Lookout, lived at nearby Bray Place.

In the tragic flood of 1937, Buechel stayed dry, and the train depot played an important role transferring equipment and displaced residents to other areas until floodwaters receded.

The area continued to grow but was still mainly farms and small businesses until the early 1950s.

Sounds of life resonate in Newburg

General Electric was one of the major sparks for growth in the area. In 1950, when GE announced plans for Appliance Park, suburban development in Buechel surged -- as did traffic along Bardstown Road, prompting construction of a bypass around Buechel soon after.

Today low-slung, red brick ranch homes in tidy rows dominate neighborhoods. The area that once referred to as Two-Mile Town has been rebranded as “The Miracle Mile” in the business district. Buechel still shows its working class roots with tidy, well-manicured lawns and tree-covered lots.

Landmarks still exist and thrive in Buechel. Young and old still strap on roller skates and do the Hokey Pokey at Robben’s Roost, which was opened 44 years ago by Tony Robben’s father.

Folks can still grab a fish sandwich, or a game of pool or a bottle of Makers Mark at Fern and Moody’s, although owner “Wild Bill” Hildebrandt recommends the Thursday plate lunch special. You can shop for antiques at Derby City Antique Mall, formerly Hikes Graded School.

Hikes Lane is now home to more than a half-dozen churches of as many denominations. At the other end of the Miracle Mile, visitors will find the recently opened Kosair Shriners’ headquarters, a 41,000-square-foot facility that includes a grand ballroom with a cushioned wooden dance floor and a cafeteria open to the public for lunch.

Just down the street you might catch a glimpse of Patrick Henry Hughes and the Hughes family home that was built by Elite Homes as part of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

It’s a good bet that if George Hikes and John Buechel dropped by today they wouldn’t recognize their old haunts. Shopping malls and subdivisions fill what were once pastures and fields rich with wild game and quick thoroughbreds.

Passing through you might miss the Borsalino Café or Hikes family cemetery or Bruce Domeck in his father’s Model T Speedster. You may not notice the volunteers who keep the War Memorial mowed and trimmed and free of trash, or the YMCA’s new walking path, the old train depot or the Byzantine architecture of St. Michael Church.

But to miss these is to miss the spirit of Buechel, its history and the Miracle Mile.

Bashford Manor Farms home to three Derby winners

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