The Henderson Cotton Mill Workers Housing District, located in the seat of Henderson County, Kentucky. This housing district was built between 1883 and 1941 for employees of the Henderson Cotton Mill on Washington Street. Although the cotton mill was torn down in 1986, the associated housing remains intact in the established Audubon neighborhood. The district is primarily comprised of one and two-story brick duplexes constructed between 1883 and 1923 and a row of one and one-and-a-half-story wood-frame single-family residences built in 1941. The property covers 9.46 acres and is accessed by on-street and alley parking.
The mill began operating in 1885 and by 1897 expanded to include several small buildings that were constructed on the north side of the main building. At least one small wood-frame outbuilding appeared on the back lot line of each duplex on Washington. That same year, a forty-five foot wide street separated the row of duplexes with eight on the west side and eight on the east side. Historically named Cotton Mill Avenue, it is known as Mill Street today.
In 1907, one big open lot, directly south of Washington Street between Letcher and Mill Streets, was divided into twelve lots. Each lot contained one one-story brick duplex with a wood-frame outbuilding on the rear lot line. A 35 foot wide street, named Cottage Avenue, separated these duplexes from the rear lot line of the Washington Street duplexes. In 1923, another group of one-story brick duplexes on fifteen lots were constructed directly south of Washington Street and west of Mill Street. That same year, three more duplexes were added between Letcher and Mill Streets; two on Cottage Avenue and one on Mill Street, reducing the 35 foot wide street behind the Washington Street duplexes to an alley.
Perpendicular to this cluster of brick duplexes is a row of one-story wood-frame houses on the east side of Pope Street that were constructed in 1941 as the last group of worker housing for the Mill which was called Bear Brand Hosiery Mill at the time. Houses, surrounded by foliage, are set back from the street that is lined with large shade trees and a concrete sidewalk. The residences are accessed by on-street parking and a rear alley dotted with a few small garages.
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