Madisonville in Hopkins County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Turner Ruby House
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 25, 2021
1. Turner Ruby House Marker
Nation Register of Historic Places website entry:
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Erected by United States Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1896.
Location. 37° 19.448′ N, 87° 29.892′ W. Marker is in Madisonville, Kentucky, in Hopkins County. Marker is at the intersection of Union Street and Hall Street, on the right when traveling north on Union Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 264 Union Street, Madisonville KY 42431, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Chittenden P. Lyon, Jr. House (within shouting distance of this marker); Carlow's Stone Wall (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hockersmith House (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gov. Ruby Laffoon (approx. 0.2 miles away); Courthouse Burned (approx. ¼ mile away); County Named, 1806 (approx. ¼ mile away); Dr. Thomas Wright Gardiner House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Harvey-Bassett House (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madisonville.
Additional commentary.
this page online
Construction began on this 5600 square foot house in 1896 and finished in 1901 by Edwin Turner Ruby (1876-1931) who was at the age of twenty years old. Mr. Ruby, along with his mother (widow of John Ruby), expanded John Ruby’s general store located at 11 North Main St. in Madisonville, Kentucky’s largest lumber yards, known as Ruby Lumber.
The house is a Classic Revival home with three brick thick outer walls with ten and a half foot ceilings. It contains a combination of Queen Anne, Gothic and Richardsonian architecture with matching gables. All the materials used to build the house were made or milled in Madisonville (with the exception of the window panes, door hardware and radiators). The castellation bay on the second floor also contains glass windows that actually curve with the inner walls of the house. The floors are white oak with walnut trim around the plaster walls. The house also still contains the original call tubes (early use of intercom) for the the servants.
The home was the first private residence in Hopkins County to receive electricity in 1913 and contains original entrance door transom, crystal chandeliers, mantels and a large eight foot pier mirror. In 1930 the house was retrofitted with indoor plumbing and baths complete with cast iron tubs that still remain.
While the
Photographed By Ernest Fredrick Kidd, July 5, 2022
2. Turner Ruby House Marker
House that John Turner and his wife raised their family in (252 Union St, Madisonville KY). After John's death, his widow and son Turner continued to live in this house until the completion of Turners new home next door. Later this house, housed the Ruby's housekeeper and her husband who tended to the yard and house maintenance.
The Ruby family continued to live in the house until 1981 at which time it was sold to attorney Robert Moore who updated the interior electrical wiring, plumbing and kitchen.
After the Moores ownership the house passed to owners listed in sequence of ownership:
Dr. Richard Bachman, Dr Sean McGuire, Judy Hine, and finally passing to Dan Kidd-Wiglesworth and his husband Fred, October 2022.
Dan is a descendant of Mary Boone (sister of Daniel Boone) and Fred is a direct descendant of Captain William Kidd, the privateer.
Submitted by Ernest Fredrick Kidd
— Submitted June 10, 2022.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 25, 2021
3. Turner Ruby House Marker
Photographed By Ernest Fredrick Kidd, July 5, 2022
4. Turner Ruby House Marker
Tombstone of Turner Ruby, builder and original owner of Turner Ruby House.
Photographed By Ernest Fredrick Kidd, July 5, 2022
5. Turner Ruby House Marker
Building in which John Turner (father of Turner Ruby) operated Ruby Mercantile Store at 11 North Main St, Madisonville KY. This is where Ruby Lumber got it's humble beginnings.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 610 times since then and 138 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on July 5, 2022, by Ernest Fredrick Kidd of Madisonville, Kentucky. 3. submitted on April 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4, 5. submitted on July 5, 2022, by Ernest Fredrick Kidd of Madisonville, Kentucky.
