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History · Ludlow

Ludlow’s post office opened in 1867, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

1867first post office
0on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Photo: Dual Freq · CC BY 2.5
Quick answers

How Ludlow began

When was Ludlow founded?

1867

The Ludlow post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 308159 years
Founding year: the first Ludlow post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Ludlow’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Ludlow are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Ludlow’s homes were built before 1947.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ludlow’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ludlow’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Ludlow came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ludlow.

Read it all →

Once named Pera Station, Ludlow, a prairie town in northern Champaign County, Illinois, has a rich history dating back to its days as a stop on the Illinois Central Railroad. This settlement played a crucial role in connecting the region's rural communities and facilitating trade between Urbana and Loda. The village was renamed Ludlow in 1868 after James D. Ludlow, a shareholder in the Illinois Central Railroad. The construction of the railroad brought about a significant influx of settlers to Ludlow, many were attracted by the area's fertile soil and vast prairies. The early years saw rapid growth, with James Ludlow donating land to the village for its expansion. The village grew to include two churches, becoming a hub for community gatherings and worship. The village continued to expand including a hardware store, as well as two blacksmith shops were established. Additionally, the "Lu…

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Ludlow, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Pop's Place Ludlow Bar2024Pop's Place Ludlow BarLudlow grain elevator2024Ludlow grain elevatorLudlow Illinois grain elevators2007Ludlow Illinois grain elevatorsLudlow Illinois Post Office2007Ludlow Illinois Post Office

Questions about Ludlow’s history

What year was Ludlow founded?

The Ludlow post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.