History of Keswick Democratic Club

...or how to go from FDR Politics to Gambling Raids to Punk Rock Venue in 81 years

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Louisville natives with an eye for retro design will recognize the circa 1950 neon and porcelain “KDC” sign jutting from the three-story red brick building at the corner of Logan and Mary Streets in Germantown. The throwback sign identifies what was, for more than 80 years, the Keswick Democratic Club.

What began as a traditional Democratic Club, meeting in the founders’ homes on Texas Avenue in the mid-1930s, had, by the 1970s, evolved to a pure social club, fully untethered from party politics. Along the way, it acquired a building, investment property, a beer license, and had a couple of run-ins with the law. Today, the club is remembered more for its monthly chicken dinners and as a sort of underground venue for punk rock than for anything related to Democratic politics.

Political Clubs were Popular

Men’s Democratic Clubs have a long tradition throughout the United States. They are referenced consistently in The Courier Journal as early as 1866, becoming more frequent around 1886, and peaking in 1909, before dropping off through the teens. There is a resurgence beginning in 1920, which is also the year women began forming their own clubs.

The Keswick Democratic Club, possibly named for nearby Keswick Boulevard, was chartered by the secretary of state in February 1936. But the club had been meeting as a group earlier than that. The Courier Journal’s first reference to the club is from August 28, 1935, with president Frank B. Adrio announcing the club’s next meeting was to be held at “1621 Texas.” (Later articles referenced the meeting place as 1521 Texas.) Adrio’s obituary in 1947 described him as the first president of Keswick Democratic Club.

The Courier-Journal, 14 Jun 1941, Sat • Page 17

In June 1936, the club promoted its first “all-day stag outing” at Klondike Park. These were, apparently, annual fundraisers and were held annually through the mid-1940s.

By 1937, the club was meeting regularly at Swiss American Park (on Lynn Street, between Preston and Shelby Streets).

There were no Courier Journal references to the club between August 5, 1937, and June 13, 1941. On December 3rd, 1941, the club passed a resolution urging Governor Johnson to repeal the state income tax. Ten days after Pearl Harbor, the club announced it would buy defense bonds each month for the next five months.

A Permanent Home

The club’s first listing in Carson’s Directory is from 1941. Under “Associations and Clubs,” the KDC is located at 1521 Texas (Street). But in April 1942, the club purchased from Margaret Langolf, a building described as “19 and 1-3 feet (at the) northeast corner of Logan and Mary.” This is the 1127 Logan Street site that became the club’s permanent home. In 1947, the club took out a permit to remodel the front of the building.

Carson’s in 1948 shows KDC at 1127 Logan Street. The phone number, by the way, was Magnolia 9400 (MA 9400).

Based on a passing reference in a 1951 letter to the editor, it appears the club also eventually owned four lots to the north of the 1127 building. They built an investment property on the northern-most lot, obtaining a building permit in June 1953, to erect a “concrete block barbershop” at 1119 Logan. Estimated cost was $3,151 ($27,900 in 2016 dollars). Eighteen months later, another building permit was taken out for a concrete block addition to the main building at a cost of $8,000 ($70,300 in 2016 dollars).

"I'm shocked, shocked..."

Trouble in the Back Room - Twice

Vice squad detectives raided the club in July 1957, confiscating three slot machines from the back room and arresting bartender Robert Ramsey Adams. The charge was reduced to disorderly conduct and Adams paid a $25 fine. Two years later, the very same slot machines were again confiscated and Adams was again arrested.

The Courier-Journal, 17 Dec 1959, Thu • Page 49

The Courier Journal wanted to know why the machines taken in 1957 had been returned to the club. After digging into police property room records, a reporter discovered the first assistant commonwealth’s attorney had sent a memo to the police chief ordering a release of “the property held as evidence” in the case. When quizzed why gambling devices would be given back to the club, the commonwealth’s attorney said, “My guess is that the release was stuck under my nose and I signed it without realizing slots were involved.”

The KDC slots did not get another reprieve. This time they were smashed and thrown into the Ohio River.

Meanwhile, the club had its beer license “suspended” for 10 days as a result of the second gambling raid. A $100 fine could be paid in lieu of suspensions. Not hard to guess which option the club chose.

Despite the trouble with gambling and beer licenses, the club remained involved in politics during this period. The club hosted political speeches and served as a polling place in the 1960 election.

The Dead Years

Between 1970 and 1992, obituaries were the only Courier Journal references to KDC. No office election notices, as had been consistent since 1949. No more vice raids. No announcements of political activity, fundraisers, or community use of the facilities.

Germantown Revitalization and the Punk Rock Years

The Courier-Journal, 16 Feb 2005, Page V11

In 1990, the first Germantown Reunion was held at Swiss Park. But after the park closed in 1993, the event was moved to Keswick where it was held every year through 2012. (In the same Courier Journal article announcing the Germantown event, the paper reported that “the 80-member Keswick Democratic Club...is negotiating to buy Swiss Park for about $295,000.” It appears nothing ever came of this effort.)

Also, beginning in 1993, the club’s monthly chicken dinners began to be publicized regularly in the paper. The very first ad for its “Chicken and Bratwurst Festival” was published in March 1949.

From 2004 to 2011, KDC was known as a venue for punk rock acts on the weekends. Otherwise, it’s public face continued to be obituaries, chicken dinners, and the annual Germantown Reunion.

In 2014, the Logan Street building was put up for sale. In March 2016, the club posted on its Facebook account that it was leaving the building for good.

Based on newspaper references, here’s a list of club presidents through the years.

1935 - Frank B. Adrio

1936 - Frank B. Adrio

1937 - Lee Brumleve

1941 - August Mueller

1949 - H. J. Zaepfel

1951 - Louis B. Coyne

1953 - Clarence McNally

1954 - Clarence McNally

1955 - Clarence McNally

1956 - Clarence McNally

1957 - Clarence McNally

1958 - Clarence McNally

1959 - Clarence McNally

1960 - Clarence McNally

1961 - Clarence McNally

1962 - Henry Zaepfel

1963 - Henry Zaepfel

1964 - Henry Zaepfel

1965 - Henry Zaepfel

1966 - Henry Zaepfel (died July 25, 1969)

1970 - Clarence McNally

1993 - Mark Misback

This history of the KDC is drawn entirely from The Courier Journal’s archives accessed via Newspapers.com. Comments, corrections, or additions from former members are welcome.