NS, Ludlow museum sign lease agreement for historic yard shop

Norfolk Southern Railway and the Ludlow Heritage Museum have signed a property lease agreement to preserve the NS-owned Ludlow Yard Store House building in Kentucky.

The agreement allows museum officials to renovate the building and repurpose it into its new headquarters. The building is historically significant because it’s the last remaining original structure in Ludlow used by the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway, which became part of Southern Railway and later Norfolk Southern.

Located at the intersection of Oak and Carneal streets, the store house was built in the late 1880s. The 3,600-square-foot, round-arched brick and stone building originally served as the Ludlow Offices and Stores building and then was used as a supply shop to store rail parts.

"The Ludlow community has a rich railroad history and the Ludlow Heritage Museum was the natural partner to help preserve this historic building on our Ludlow Yard property," said Kathleen Smith, vice president of business development and real estate for NS, in a press release.

The Ludlow Heritage Museum will manage this project. It has created a committee comprised of industry professionals to help develop a comprehensive renovation plan that will include a renovation timeline and fundraising goals. Additionally, museum officials plan to nominate the building to the National Register of Historic Places.

"This is a special opportunity to restore the last remaining building in Ludlow from the earliest days of the American railroad. Once completed, the site will create more museum space and provide additional room for meetings and events," said Mark Mitchell, president of the Ludlow Heritage Museum.