The Lore of Louisville's Seelbach Hotel | Encore Episode

Southern Gothic

Southern Gothic Media LLC

Society & Culture, History, Documentary, True Crime

4.7 • 980 Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

Since its grand opening on May 1, 1905, the Seelbach Hotel has stood as one of Louisville, Kentucky's most lavish and luxurious establishments. It has hosted an array of notable figures, from U.S. Presidents and legendary actors to notorious bootleggers and mobsters. As a result, the hotel is steeped in lore, with some claiming it was here that F. Scott Fitzgerald first encountered the inspiration for Jay Gatsby in the underground Rathskeller barroom, while others say Al Capone used the tunnels beneath the hotel to evade the law. Yet the most notorious resident of the Seelbach is the mysterious spirit of a lady in blue, an apparition as integral to its storied history as the men who helped build it. This episode is made possible through the support of our sponsors: If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at ⁠⁠https://square.com/go/gothic⁠⁠. Elevate your summer bedding with Quince. Go to ⁠⁠quince.com/sogo⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:27.1	Southern Gothic is a podcast that explores the history behind some of the American
0:37.3	South's darkest days,
0:39.6	greatest mysteries, and most chilling ghost stories.
1:07.0	Thank you. They call it the most exciting two minutes in sports. A Kentucky Derby.
1:10.0	A high-stakes horse race run at Churchill Downs out in Louisville.
1:15.3	Last year, over 150,000 people attended the event that takes place on the first Saturday in May.
1:23.3	Folks come from all over the country to watch, transforming Bourbon City into the epicenter
1:29.3	of southern elegance and high-stakes excitement. Since its inaugural run in 1875, the Derby has become
1:39.5	a cultural touchstone, a grand celebration of tradition, fashion, and competitive spirit.
1:47.0	2024 marked the 150th running of the race that originated with Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.,
1:54.0	grandson of the famous explorer William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 1872, Clark had taken a trip to Europe and was
2:06.2	inspired by England's Epsom Derby and France's Grand Prix to Paris and began to envision a similar
2:12.9	spectacle here in the United States. So when Clark returned, he founded the Louisville Jockey
2:20.0	Club and began to raise money for a permanent racetrack that would eventually become Churchill Downs.
2:27.5	Then, on May 17, 1875, his vision came true. The very first Kentucky Derby featured 15 three-year-old thoroughbreds competing for a purse of $2,850
2:43.0	in front of about 10,000 spectators, a number that, as I said, has only grown exponentially in the century and a half since.
2:53.6	Today, the Kentucky Derby's allure is woven from a rich tapestry of traditions as well as the stories that surround it,
3:03.6	and the spectacle of Churchill Downs with its iconic twin spires
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