Street Names
Many Ludlow streets were given names of trees. Among these streets are: Ash, Cherry, Elm, Laurel, Linden, Locust, Oak and Poplar.
One street in the tree theme that no longer exists is Cherry Street. It was located in the central Ludlow neighborhood. The one block long street ran from east to west and was located one block south of Poplar Street. This residential street was developed primarily before 1900.
In 1913, the Southern Railroad purchased every home on the north and south side of Cherry Street. The railroad paid $100,000.00 for the property. Many of the forty homes were lifted from their foundations and moved on rollers to other parts of the city.
Once the homes were removed, the railroad closed Cherry Street and built new shops and expanded other facilities. Two hundred new railroad employees were hired to work in the new shops. (Kentucky Post, July 18, 1913 p. 1, November 20, 1914, p. 2,and November 30, 1914, p. 2).
Other streets pay homage to Ludlow’s founders. Carneal Street is named after Thomas D. Carneal, the builder of Elmwood Hall. Kenner Street was named after the Kenner family who constructed Somerset Hall. Butler and George (current Euclid) Streets were
named for the two sons of George Kenner. Hay Street was named after William Hay, an early Ludlow resident. Helen Street was named for Helen A. Ludlow. Ludlow’s first auditor, John F. Hooper, lent his name to Hooper Street. Latta Avenue was named for A.B. Latta, the first president of the Ludlow City Council. (Hunnicutt, John, History of the City of Ludlow. 1935, p. 7).
The physical location of streets in the city also had an impact on names. Three Ludlow streets have names associated with the former Ludlow Lagoon Amusement Park. Lake Street is named for the Lagoon Lake that is located to the west of the street. Lagoon Avenue takes its name from its proximity to the lake. Park Avenue is self-explanatory.
Several other Ludlow streets have names associated with their physical location. Church Street received its name from St. Boniface Church, located at the northwest corner of Adela and Church Streets. Somerset was named for the grand Somerset Hall. Closson Court received its name from the Closson family, owners of Somerset Hall from 1885-1925.
The developers of the Lagoon Land Addition (1921) named their new streets after famous places in Ludlow, England. Stokesay Street was named for Stokesay Castle in Shropshire, England, the ancestral home of the Ludlow family. Stokesay Castle was built in the 13th Century. Stokesay takes its name from two sources: “stoke” meaning dairy farm; and “say” which is derived from the original owners, the de Say family. Ludford Street is named after a medieval bridge on the approach to Ludlow, England. Deverill Street also takes its name from the Ludlow region of England. (Kentucky Post, October 4, 1924, p. 1).
