Changing of the Guard

JOHN HALL Brings Ludlow Historic Society into a New Era

The Ludlow Historic Society Board at John Hall’s final meeting as Board President in February 2026. Pictured from left to right: Andy Corn, Ari Knight, Julie Wartman, Ruth Bamberger, Destiny Meyers, John Hall, Joyce Nessler, Julie Navarre. Not Pictured: Board Member Nate Steeber.

By Ruth Bamberger, Former LHS Board President

After five years as President of the Ludlow Historic Society, John Hall left his mark on the organization, the civic group in Ludlow committed to preserving the rich history and architectural character of the town. John and his partner moved to Ludlow’s Historic District almost ten years ago from Eastern Kentucky. He had a keen interest in the Ashland area history where he grew up, and when settling in Ludlow, he learned that the Heritage Museum needed volunteers to move from its location in the old City Building to the front section of the Public Works Building. It was not long before the LHS snapped him up to become a member of its Board, and then advanced him to the presidency with strong Board support. John hit the ground full speed by bringing the website and social media up to date, which significantly raised the visibility of the organization in the region. He undertook the closing details of a house on Butler St., which the LHS restored exteriorly and then sold to a developer. John urged the Board to structure more activities where the public could participate. This spawned the birth of trivia nights, interesting programs on Ludlow’s baseball history, snippets of Ludlow life in the early days, walking tours, and even a bicycle tour featuring historic houses. The house Christmas tour was resurrected after a ten year hiatus, which drew more than 200 people. This coming June, the Historic Society is sponsoring a city Garden Tour. John also established working relationships with other likeminded groups in the area- very important for small organizations to share their resources. The bicycle historic ride, for example, drew riders from several communities who were familiar with KY 8, but knew little or nothing about the houses and families that lived in them. It was a big hit! 

In March John accepted a position as Executive Director of Enrollment at Somerset Community College, but for now, is keeping his residence in Ludlow. We all wish him well in his new job.

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From the Desk of the LHS President

By Destiny Meyer, Current LHS Board President

Being asked to step into the role of President of the Ludlow Historic Society is a responsibility that I am truly honored to be trusted with. This new adventure began with a desire to know more about the town I grew up in, a town that many outsiders tried to convince me was not a place to take pride in being from. What started as a surface level search on my own quickly made me realize just how much history there was to uncover, and I found myself wanting to know even more. After attending a Ludlow history trivia night in late 2023, and being in attendance at a monthly meeting the board holds, I felt deeply drawn to be more involved. By March of 2024, I had been nominated and voted in as a board member and since then, I’ve been grateful to have been a part of bringing our history to life through events like the Holiday Home Tours the Ludlow Lagoon festival, and our “First Families of Ludlow” walking tours. What stands out to me most is how our shared history has a way of connecting us, not just to the past, but to each other.

As I step into this new role, my hope is to continue creating opportunities for our community to come together in impactful and meaningful ways, while also finding ways to invite younger generations into the story of Ludlow. I am incredibly thankful for the board members who have chosen to continue serving this year as I truly couldn’t imagine stepping into this without them. We are looking forward to gathering with you at our Annual Members Meeting on April 22nd. It will be a time to connect, reflect on the past year, share what’s ahead, and welcome new ideas and faces into the Society. We are also currently looking to add a few new members to our board and will be holding a vote at the meeting. If you are interested, or know someone you would like to nominate, we would love to hear from you. Whether you’ve been involved for years or are just beginning to take an interest, we would love to have you join us. We look forward to honoring the history of Ludlow while also creating meaningful moments together that become part of its story moving forward.

With appreciation for this community,

Destiny Meyer, President

Ludlow Historic Society