Bruce-Loughridge Home

N.W. Cor. 7th & Limestone Sts., Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built about 1838

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

The old mansion here was built a century or more ago by John McMurtry on "Outlot No. 105," then owned by Robert Wickliffe. The "Old Duke" had bought the 5-acre lot December 7, 1829, ,from heirs of John McNair--Geo. W. Morton (Mary Norton (sic) wife, dec'd.), Robert McNair, David McNair and John McNair. The deed stated that the outlet was "on Limestone or Mulberrry St., opposite the present residence of Maslin Smith." (The latter was sold to Orlando F. Payne and appears in the 1838 Directory as "Hawthorn, residence of Orlando F. Payne, rope and bagging manufacturer 7th St.")

Robert Wickliffe and A.K. Wooley and wife, Sarah H., sold the 5-acre property, "bounded by the Limestone or Maysville Road on the South, the lots of West, Keene's representatives and ________ Street, it being the lot now in possession of John McMurtry," to McMurtry July 15, 1844.

W.W. Bruce bought it the same year from McMurtry, "bounded on the South-east side by the Maysville Turnpike, on the South-west side by 7th St., running with 7th St. North-west from the Maysville Turnpike into Mrs. Hickey's lot, formerly owned by Oliver Keene" (which was a present from Keene to his son-in-law, Judge Thos. M. Hickey), "thence North-east with Mrs. Hickey's line to Dr. B.W. Dudley's line ("Fairlawn"), thence South-east with Dudley's line and West's line to the Maysville Turnpike, thence South-west with same to the beginning." The deed said "the line of said lot is represented by the present fence surrounding said lot now being in the possession of sd. Wm. W. Bruce--being formerly owned by Robt. Wickliffe, Sr., and conveyed by him jointly with A.K. Wooley and wife to John McMurtry."

Bruce subdivided and sold the large tract, assigning No. 1 to this residential property which passed as follows:

W.W. Bruce and Elizabeth T., wife, to Elizabeth Kerr, 1865; R.A. Kerr and wife to James Gormley and wife, Alice, 1869; Gormley to John A. Higgins and wife, Betty C., 1872; Higgins to Saml. W. Reynolds and wife, Bettie, 1873; Reynolds to John H. Talbutt and Mary C., wife, 1875; Talbutt to W.W. Bruce, 1881, "Lot. No. 1." (W.J. Loughridge, Bruce's son-in-law, then resided here).

Shorn of its early glory and today ensconced in a junk yard. it is but a land-mark that seems doomed before many more years.

Transcribed by pb February 2003

Updated December 13, 2025.