From Ludlow to Newport and over to Silver Grove, the river towns are rich with history.
Often overshadowed by the large surrounding neighborhoods and subdivisions further inland from the banks of the Ohio River, stories of eras that have come and gone are etched into the crevices of brick and cobblestone streets.
From Victorian marvels, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and other European architectural styles, these homes provide a glimpse into the region’s rich past.
In recent years people have been flocking to these areas, eager to get their hands on a little piece of history to call their own.
From the small-town charm to the walkability and convenience, these areas continue to be in high demand in the Northern Kentucky housing market, according to a press release from the Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors.
For Zane Platt-Faulkner, 35, and Michael Platt-Faulkner, 35, of Newport, Kentucky, a historic home was not just a fantasy, it was their reality. Having already lived in the same neighborhood as their current residence, Zane had his sights on the 1889 Queen Anne-style home in the East Row Historic District for years before moving in.
The couple would see it in passing on their daily walks with their dog. Standing on the sidewalk marveling at its authenticity and charm was not enough.
“We actually reached out to the owner, because he had listed it for sale a couple years prior, but then had taken it off the market,” Zane said. “So we just wrote him a letter, just talking about kind of our admiration for the home, the history we already knew about it and kind of our desire to hopefully be its caretaker at some point.”
In September 2022, the Queen Annes keys were officially handed over to the couple.
The previous owner, a historical architect, according to Zane, had purchased the home in 2016 and performed a massive restoration. The house had completely fallen into disrepair, and the once head-turning Victorian gem of Newport had lost its luster to nature.
Brick by brick, the home came back to life. The rich architecture was revived, floors were refinished and the turret was reconstructed. The signature stained-glass portraits missing from the main entryway were tracked down to Portland, Oregon, brought home and reinstalled back to their rightful place.
“Just seeing, you know the history kind of comes back to life … just walking in and thinking like, this is exactly how it would’ve appeared to the original owners when they came in the house,” Zane said. “So I think just building the relationships with people as well, seeing the people who have worked on it be excited to bring its history back has been, I think one of my favorite parts as well.”
About 15 minutes down the Ohio River, on a chilly Thursday evening, residents of another small Northern Kentucky town perch on their porches. Drinks in hand with friends and neighbors gathered around them on porch swings, they smile and laugh as conversations deepen into the night.
Welcome to Ludlow, Kentucky.
Laura Dorger, 43, and Wes Dorger, 44, have cherished their home for years. Watching their children grow up, seeing them play outside under the canopy of the red oak tree in the backyard — they could not have imagined raising their family anywhere else.
The Kenner family constructed Somerset Hall in 1832 as a summer home to escape the hot Louisiana heat. Around 1912, the house was sold to be used as a Masonic lodge and maintained until the ‘80s. Laura’s parents purchased it in 1995, and the home has been a private residence ever since.
“In a house like this, you don’t try to make it perfect, because it’s perfect right now with all of its bonuses … imperfection has beauty,” Laura said. “I mean this floor could be better, we’ve got scratches in the floor, but their memories and character and we kind of embrace the imperfections here.”
With the home having been in the family for 29 years, the Dorgers have seen it all. Through total renovation to little projects here and there, their home still perfectly encapsulates the Greek Revival architecture the Kenner family wanted.
As the house wrapped up renovations in the late ‘90s, this was only the beginning of the family uncovering years of history and secrets in every room they touched.
“So a guy contacted (Laura's) dad and he had found this plaster scale model of the house that was from the Works Progress in like the ‘30s…they went around, and they wanted to document some of the architecture,” Wes said. “I think they did like 13 or 14 houses in the United States, and this was one of them.”
The designer paid careful attention to every intricate detail of the plaster scale model residence, even the 120-foot-long back porch.
“I enjoy the back porch; it just feels like you’re in another world. Sometimes you’re kind of far enough away from people, but I don’t know, it just feels like that feeling when you’re on vacation,” Wes said. “But I like to get up before everybody else and drink a pot of coffee. Sitting in my listening area, if it's cold I’m usually in there, if it’s summer, I’m usually on the porch.”
The porch looks right across the street to Laura’s sister’s house, another historic home on Closson Court.
Leslie, 37, and Scott Miller, 38, purchased their home across from the infamous Somerset Hall in 2015. Built in 1870, the home was well-kept and move-in ready despite some minor changes. The only thing this young family had to acclimate to was not having an air conditioning unit on the first floor.
“But the nice thing is in the wintertime, we have a working fireplace in the kitchen, and that is a wood-burning fireplace,” Leslie said. “So in the winter we have radiator heat, but the house stays so cozy and warm, and it keeps down here very, very warm.”
From the four original fireplaces to the thrifted pieces of furniture and family photos decorating the walls, not everything in the house has to be kept up to date. Miller said that’s what keeps its charm alive.
“Look for little pieces of character and keep those incorporated, because I think the thing that is just so cool about old homes, even if you renovate some things, keep some of the original stuff,” Miller recommended. “And if you’re buying an old house, why do you want to make it new?”
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