Tudor Tuesday: A Tudor Revival Commercial Building on 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky

 

At the intersection of US 60/13th Street, Algonquin Avenue, and Blackburn Avenue in Ashland, stands a wonderful early 20th century Tudor Revival style building, constructed as a commercial/residential building to serve newly developing suburbs south of downtown. The triangular shaped parcel on which the building rests allowed it address the confluence of streets around it, a boon to the businesses that would occupy the storefronts on the ground floor. The second story, I imagine, was divided into apartments.

Side elevation and facade.

Now the brick and faux half-timbered two-story building appears vacant, and plywood has been placed over some of the large display windows.

Section of the 1927 Sanborn Fire Insurance map of Ashland, Kentucky (sheet 39), showing the building in question marked with a blue arrow.

While the Tudor Revival style proved very popular for houses built in the first half of the twentieth century, it is not as commonplace to find intact commercial versions of the style. That is why, of course, that I pulled over to take some photographs as I was headed back west.

Rear and side elevations.

Unfortunately, this spectacular building has never need documented on a historic resources inventory form, and the digitized newspapers available for Ashland (and accessible to me, researching from my desk) don’t extend past 1920.

Side elevation along US 60.

I would love to learn more about this building – who built it, various businesses that set up shop there, possible residents? If you know any background or history, feel free to email gardens2gables@gmail.com

 

 

Comments

  1. John Sewell says:

    This Tudor is one that I had admired and had questions about for possibly 69 years. My grandfather’s doctor had his office there as I would ride along with my father as he drove him to his many appointments.

    I’ve always called the Tudor the Ashland professional building as my father and I discussed it as we passed by for many years later.
    I’m certainly glad you have featured the Tudor today as I’m certain many others have questions as well since the new activity has begun on the exterior for the past year.

  2. Bobbe Leadingham Poe says:

    In the 50’s Dr. Harry Stone had his family practice in the front of this building and his parents lived upstairs. I don’t know if Dr. Stone owned the building. He was my physican, my older brother’s best friend and I babysit his two children, Hannah and Buddy.
    Bobbe Leadingham Poe

    1. John Sewell says:

      Thank you for this information regarding Dr. Harry Stone. I did a Google search and discovered the doctor’s obituary.
      Well, Dr. Harry Stone.
      All of this has enlightened me this day. Finally finding out the name of the doctor. All of this has sparked additional bits of memories regarding my grandfather.
      His first name was Harry as well…
      I hope this information with names of the Doctor will give you a method to find the owner of the Tudor and its origin of construction.

  3. Roberta Newell says:

    Janie!! I believe my father was old me he took violin lessons there!! He lived at 1311 Kentucky Ave which a little bit of is on the map!!

  4. Bruce W Martin says:

    I remember in the 70s and 80s the side facing the small parking lot was Martin’s dry cleaners. It’s been gone for years. And on the side facing 13th, an man named John Todd had a small barber shop.

  5. A big, interesting old building that probably needs every mechanical system replaced and much cosmetic work to ‘bring it back’. Hard to say if there is any commercial interest for the building. If it could be gotten with a grant, then maybe someone might take it on.

  6. Claudia Vonderheide says:

    My father always told me my grandfather CG Wright built this building

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