Glendale is an unincorporated community. The Glendale Post Office is located at 428 East Main Street, Glendale, KY 42740.
Neighborhoods
Beginnings [1]
Glendale was established in 1859 as a station on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, known then as Walker's Station. It became a prominent crossroads and shipping center for the neighboring rich farming region. The community grew steadily through the early 1900s until the decline of railroad passenger traffic. Most construction took place along Glendale's Main Street (KY 222) which intersects the L&N tracks.
Most of the residential and commercial buildings in the community were built between 1900 and 1920. In 1903 a two story brick building was constructed along Main Street which served as the Glendale Bank until 1923. A lumber company, grain company and telephone company all opened during these years to serve the community and area farmers. By 1914 numerous frame stores had been constructed adjacent to the railroad tracks and over two dozen frame residences had been built to the west, north and south of Main Street. By 1914 Glendale contained 125 residents.
Most of the commercial buildings were constructed around 1900 or after 1916 when a fire swept the north side of Main Street. These buildings were predominately of frame construction and built with false fronts or with large porches on the main facades. A number of the buildings were erected with sheet metal siding which was stamped to resemble stone blocks. Residences built in these years were Folk Victorian designs such as gable front and wing, or Tee-plan designs. These houses often featured milled posts and eave vergeboard decoration. Other popular house forms were Colonial Revival influenced Foursquare designs and Bungalows.
From 1900 until 1920, Glendale reflected the general prosperity of the surrounding farming region. Freight and passenger trains stopped several times a day and a number of large warehouses were built adjacent to the tracks for shipment of corn, wheat, tobacco and other farm produce. The town's general stores did a brisk business and its commercial area was one of the most active in the southern section of the county.
Farm prices began a general decline in the 1920s and commercial activity in Glendale began to wane. In the summer of 1923 the Glendale Bank was closed due to the embezzlement of funds by its president. This caused the bankruptcy of many residents and hastened the decline of the community. Passenger traffic on the L&N declined throughout these years and the railroad closed its Glendale station in the 1930s. Very little new construction or development occurred in the community until the 1970s when the opening of shops and restaurants catering to the interstate traffic brought new prosperity to Glendale.