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Windows to the Past
Windows of the Past is an immersive educational program that explores local history through a series of curated “windows”—visual, interactive, and narrative snapshots that illuminate how people lived, worked, and evolved across different eras within our community. Each window serves as a portal to a distinct moment in time, allowing participants to experience history not as distant facts, but as living stories shaped by real human experiences.
The program weaves together guided storytelling, artifact analysis, multimedia presentations, and hands-on activities to help learners connect modern life with the cultures, innovations, conflicts, and traditions that shaped our town as it exists today. Through these windows, participants witness the progression of society—from the town’s earliest beginnings to industrial growth, from cultural transformation to modern technological change.
By the end of the experience, learners gain a deeper understanding of how the past informs the present. They begin to recognize recurring patterns, appreciate diverse perspectives, and develop a stronger respect for the community and its ongoing journey through time.
Windows of the Past invites participants to step through each window with curiosity, reflection, and a spirit of discovery. We encourage you to get on board and become involved. Whether you have an artifact, a family story, or historical knowledge connected to our community, your contribution matters. Share your history and insights with neighbors, visitors, and audiences across the United States and beyond, helping preserve and celebrate the story of our region for generations to come.
Duro Bag Manufacturing played a central role in Ludlow, Kentucky’s economic and social development while also becoming part of a much larger national manufacturing story. Its Ludlow operations connected a small river city to one of the most significant paper bag manufacturers in the United States, linking local livelihoods to a company that ultimately became a global industrial player.
Company Background and Growth
Duro Bag Manufacturing was founded in 1953 in Covington, Kentucky by S. David Shor as a privately owned paper bag company. From its early years, Duro focused exclusively on paper bags, allowing it to specialize, scale efficiently, and steadily expand.
Under the leadership of Charles Shor, who became president and chief executive officer in 1987, Duro experienced its most significant period of growth. During this era, the company:
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Expanded production capacity across multiple states
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Acquired several major competitors, consolidating its position in the paper bag industry
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Became the largest paper bag manufacturer in the world prior to its sale
This expansion elevated Duro from a regional Kentucky company into a dominant national manufacturer.
Duro’s Presence in Ludlow, Kentucky
Ludlow became one of Duro’s key manufacturing locations due to its strategic advantages. Its proximity to Cincinnati, access to rail lines, and location along the Ohio River made it well‑suited for large‑scale industrial operations.
In Ludlow, Duro:
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Provided stable, long‑term employmentfor hundreds of residents
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Anchored the city’s industrial economyfor decades
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Integrated deeply into daily life, with many families relying on Duro wages across generations
For Ludlow, Duro was not simply an employer; it was a defining institution that shaped work patterns, neighborhoods, and community identity.
Economic Impact on Ludlow
Duro’s Ludlow operations delivered sustained economic stability during much of the 20th century.
Major economic effects included:
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Middle‑class job creation, offering reliable wages and benefits
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Support for local businesses, as employees spent income within the city
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Municipal tax revenue, helping fund schools, infrastructure, and public services
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Workforce development, particularly in skilled industrial and manufacturing roles
The plant helped buffer Ludlow against economic volatility that affected many other small industrial towns.
Social and Community Influence
The factory’s influence extended well beyond economics. Duro shaped Ludlow’s social fabric and civic culture.
Key social impacts included:
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A strong working‑class identity, rooted in pride in manufacturing craftsmanship
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Community cohesion, with coworkers often living, socializing, and worshiping together
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Multi‑generational employment, reinforcing continuity and shared experience
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Local civic engagement, as employees and managers participated in community life
The rhythms of factory shifts and production schedules became part of Ludlow’s collective routine.
Acquisition and Corporate Transition
A major turning point occurred in July 2014, when South Carolina‑based Hilex Poly Co. LLCacquired Duro Bag Manufacturing. This ended more than 60 years of private family ownership. Following the acquisition:
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Duro became a wholly owned subsidiary of Novolex
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Novolex later came under ownership by Apollo Global Management
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Charles Shor stepped down as CEO, closing a significant chapter in the company’s history
Despite the ownership change, Duro remained a major paper bag producer, employing over 1,800 workers across 11 facilities in the United States and Mexico, with its corporate office still located in Northern Kentucky.
Long-Term Effects on Ludlow
As manufacturing trends shifted and operations evolved, Ludlow experienced the broader challenges faced by many industrial communities.
Long‑term outcomes included:
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Employment decline as production consolidated or modernized
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Economic transition, requiring diversification beyond large‑scale manufacturing
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Preservation of industrial heritage, with Duro remembered as a cornerstone of the city’s identity
Even after changes in ownership and production, Duro’s historical presence continues to influence how Ludlow understands its past.
Overall Significance
Duro Bag Manufacturing connected Ludlow, Kentucky to a national and global manufacturing network while providing decades of economic stability and social cohesion. From its origins as a family‑owned Kentucky company to its acquisition by Novolex and Apollo Global Management, Duro’s story mirrors the broader evolution of American manufacturing.
In summary, Duro’s impact on Ludlow was lasting and transformative—shaping jobs, neighborhoods, and community identity—while its corporate evolution reflects how a local Kentucky manufacturer grew into an industry leader with national reach.
The rise of Ludlow, Kentucky is inseparable from the railroads that passed through it, particularly the Cincinnati Southern Railway, the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway, and later Norfolk Southern. Together, these rail systems transformed a small river settlement into a railroad town and helped build one of the most important north–south freight corridors in the United States, linking the industrial Midwest to the Deep South.
Origins of the Cincinnati Southern Railway
The Cincinnati Southern Railway was conceived in the late 1860s as an ambitious civic project rather than a private venture. The City of Cincinnati financed and owned the railroad to secure a direct rail connection to Southern markets following the Civil War. Construction began in 1869 and was completed in 1880, creating a continuous rail line from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
This route crossed northern Kentucky immediately south of Cincinnati, where flat riverfront land and access to the Ohio River made the Ludlow area ideal for rail infrastructure. Rail yards, maintenance facilities, and worker housing quickly followed, laying the foundation for permanent settlement.
The Cincinnati Southern Railway’s significance lay in:
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Creating a direct Midwest–South rail corridor
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Stimulating industrial development along its route
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Establishing Cincinnati as a major rail hub despite being outside eastern trunk lines
Formation of Ludlow as a Railroad City
Ludlow emerged directly because of railroad activity. The need for switching yards, roundhouses, and freight handling facilities led to concentrated development along the rail line. Workers settled nearby, businesses followed, and Ludlow incorporated as a city in 1864, growing rapidly once rail operations expanded.
Railroad influence shaped Ludlow’s early character:
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Employment was dominated by railroad labor and skilled trades
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Neighborhoods formed around yards and depots
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Local commerce depended on railroad payrolls and freight traffic
Without the Cincinnati Southern Railway, Ludlow would likely have remained a small river landing rather than a city.
Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway
Operational control of the Cincinnati Southern Railway was leased to private operators, most notably the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway (commonly known as the Queen & Crescent Route). Though Cincinnati retained ownership of the track, the CNO&TP managed daily operations and expansion.
Under the CNO&TP:
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The line became a high-capacity freight artery
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Passenger service linked Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana
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Freight traffic included coal, timber, agricultural goods, and manufactured products
For Ludlow, this meant sustained economic relevance. Rail yards remained busy, employment remained stable, and the city functioned as a critical operational node rather than a mere stop along the line.
Industrial and National Significance
The Queen & Crescent Route became one of the most important north–south rail corridors in the United States. Unlike east–west lines dominated by older railroads, this route enabled direct trade between:
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Great Lakes and Ohio Valley industries
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Southern ports and agricultural regions
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Emerging Gulf Coast markets
This strategic importance elevated the railway from a regional connector to a national transportation asset, reinforcing Ludlow’s role within a much larger economic system.
Transition to Southern Railway and Norfolk Southern
In the 20th century, the CNO&TP became part of the Southern Railway system, which modernized operations, improved signaling, and expanded freight capacity. Southern Railway emphasized efficiency and integration, keeping the Cincinnati–Chattanooga route central to its network.
In 1982, Southern Railway merged with Norfolk & Western to form Norfolk Southern Railway, one of the largest Class I railroads in North America. This merger marked the transformation of the original Cincinnati Southern vision into a component of a modern national freight system.
Under Norfolk Southern:
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The former Cincinnati Southern line remains a core north–south mainline
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Ludlow continues to host active rail infrastructure
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Freight traffic supports national supply chains, including automotive, energy, and intermodal freight
Lasting Impact on Ludlow and American Railroading
The railroad’s legacy in Ludlow is enduring. The city’s layout, economy, and identity were shaped by rail operations, and its survival through industrial shifts reflects the durability of rail-based development.
Key long-term impacts include:
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Establishment of Ludlow as a permanent industrial city
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Integration into a national freight network
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Contribution to the evolution of American railroads from municipal ownership to Class I systems
Overall Significance
The Cincinnati Southern Railway sparked the creation of Ludlow, the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway transformed it into a vital operational center, and Norfolk Southern carried that legacy into the modern era. Together, these railroads not only built a city but also helped define a national transportation corridor that remains economically essential today.
In summary, Ludlow exists because of the railroad, thrived because of its strategic importance, and endures because that rail line evolved into one of the backbone routes of the American freight rail system.