Between 1960 -1963, eight new groups were formed in the Louisville area.
- Jeffersontown – Sundays 3pm, Gateway July 1960
- East Broadway – Saturdays 8pm, Gateway December 1960
- Group 19 – Sundays 6pm, Gateway March 1962
- Hikes Point – Thursdays 8pm, Gateway April 1962
- Beargrass – Tuesdays 8pm, Gateway July 1962
- Bethlehem – Fridays 8pm, Gateway July 1962
- 11th Step Group – Tuesdays 8pm, Gateway January 1963
- Couples Meeting – every 4th Wednesday, Gateway January 1963
Although the Central Intergroup was well established in Louisville, it was not until 1960, an area meeting was started, including all the towns in Central Kentucky. It met once a month with a potluck supper. It wasn’t successful for long because the smaller towns had trouble accommodating the larger groups. There were several attempts, through the years, to start an intergroup. Markings VOL. XXI • No. 1 – 2001, A.A. Lexington, Kentucky – a Brief History
In Lexington, Kentucky, the first daytime meeting was started in the early 1960s. It was held on Saturday afternoon at Raymond L.’s house on Vine Street. After a fire destroyed this place the meeting was moved to Gratz Park. Kim U. also had a Saturday afternoon meeting at his home on Second Street. After the Token Club moved to the Bell House, a Wednesday morning group was started there, but it was several years before the other daytime meetings opened.
Markings VOL. XXI • No. 1 – 2001, A.A. Lexington, Kentucky – a Brief History
The January 1960 edition of the Gateway announced the first quarterly for 1980 was to be held at the Kentucky Hotel, 5th and Walnut Street (Muhammad Ali Boulevard), on Saturday, January 23, 1960. The speakers were Rufus S. and his wife from Fayetteville, Tennessee.
Back in the 1960s, a drunk had few places to go to get off the street. Many were taken to Dr. Stanton Baker on 4th Street. There he would give them a shot of B12 and send them on their way. If the person had nowhere to stay, he would pay $2.00 a night for a room at a hotel on Garvin Place. * Interview and timeline given by Bob W., March 20, 2019
On May 11, 1960, The Courier-Journal reported the 25th birthday of A.A. coming to Louisville. The event was to be held on May 12 at the Token Club (439 Baxter) and it was open to the public. The meeting featured several speakers who spoke briefly and Bill W., the co-founder of A.A. spoke at several sessions. The paper reported there were about 700 A.A. members in Louisville.
On August 21st and 22nd, 1962, the 18th Southeastern Conference was held in the Kentucky hotel’s Flag Room. The theme for the conference was, “Isn’t it wonderful to be sober?” Governor Bert T. Combs stated, “Kentucky has not done as much as we should have,” for combating alcoholism. He said the Division of Alcoholism of the Department of Health and institutions such as the Western State Hospital were steps in the right direction. The 45-bed Alcoholic Ward at the Hopkinsville Hospital had cured 50 percent of its patients. The article reported there were 20 A.A. groups in Louisville, an estimate of 500 members; world-wide, the article stated there were over 300,000 members. *Courier-Journal August 17, 1962
The September 1962 edition of the Gateway reported the annual membership and voting privileges at the Token Club cost $48.00 or $4.00 monthly; adjust for inflation, this would be $411.16 a year in 2020.
The November 1962 edition of the Gateway reported on a new program about alcoholism began in the Louisville courts – films and talks about the workings of AA and what can be done to help an alcoholic were provided in sessions held Monday through Friday at 7:30pm, Police Court at 6th and Jefferson.
In March 1963, Gateway celebrated its 10th anniversary, and in August 1963, the last known issue of the Gateway was published. *Louisville Intergroup Archives
On May 20, 1963, Oldtimers Night was celebrated at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Bill A., Bob D., Art L., Bettye R., Hilary S., Tip H., Ernie A., Bob W., Ed C., Bob W.(2), Zeke M., Charles H., Buford M., Ida Mae G., Chester J., Carl O., Gene D., Charlie R., Mary Hall M., Arthur A., Bill B., Irwin M., Bud C., George & Sally, George S., Helen & Leon S., Bill C., John F., Billie D., Mike E., Chuck C., Chet I., Garret H., Elizabeth & Doc K. and Gene C. were acknowledged for their many years of sobriety.
The Talbot House opened April 1965; it was named after recovering alcoholic Matt Talbot who devoted his sober life to helping other alcoholics. “A temporary home for men who have lost their families, jobs and self-respect because of drinking.” A bed was $2.50 a day. *Courier Journal, April 25, 1965
In the last 1960s, the Central Office address was 319 West Jefferson Street, room 214. The greater Louisville area had only one district – District 1, which was comprised of 43 meetings and four special meetings (Breakfast meeting, Quarterly meeting, Token 3 and Shelbyville). District 1 covered Carrollton, La Grange, Louisville, New Albany and Jeffersonville. *directory from Area 26 Archives
Currently Area 26 archives has no record of when Area 26 came into being. The archive has documentation that states for a while the Louisville Intergroup and Area 26 were tied tightly together, but eventually they were split apart becoming two different organizations.
Melanie P.