Elementary School Archives A-F: Foster

Official Name: Foster Traditional Academy

Year Opened: 1917

Foster Academy originally opened as Garland Avenue School in 1915 at 41st and Garland streets.  In 1917 the school was renamed in honor of composer Stephen Foster.  An addition was built to the school in 1954.  In 1992 Foster began a magnet program.  Following the magnet program's success, Foster became an academy.  Foster was the first Jefferson County school to require the wearing of uniforms by all students.  In 2001 Foster relocated to a new building on 41st Street.  The site of the new Foster building was the original state fairgrounds for Kentucky.   The site later housed Miles Park and Commonwealth Race Course race tracks prior to the school’s construction.  The old school building was sold to developers who converted it to a low income senior housing complex.