Ballard Street
From Worcester Activist wiki
If you had died in the 1890’s, John S. Ballard could have supplied you with a stone from his quarry and flowers from his greenhouse.
He also could supply wine, lager and the contents of a grocery.
In 1889, his advertisement read:
“John S. Ballard & Co. Wine Merchants and Bottlers of Lager; Growers and dealers in Seeds, Plants, Vegetables and Flowers; Proprietors of Ballard’s Stone Quarries, Ballard street, Quinsigamond; Orders taken for Cut Work, or Foundation Stone.”
Mr. Ballard was born in Boston in 1824; came to Worcester at 26 to seek his fortune.
Five years later, he started a grocery in partnership as Ballard & Spurr. Located on Main street, they moved to Pearl street, then to Foster street and finally to a large store at the corner of Park street, now Franklin street, and Portland street.
In 1864, the concern became John S. Ballard & Co.
At Quinsigamond, Ballard bought a large farm which included a quarry. He experimented in selling the stone, found it profitable; began to hack at it in earnest.
“His business has been profitable and he made considerable money by the rise in real estate in that section of the city,” wrote the Worcester Spy on Sept. 5, 1890.
Ballard was a Democrat during his entire voting life; was pushed forward as a candidate occasionally, but never won anything.
He died in his home in Quinsigamond of Bright’s disease on Sept. 4, 1890, leaving a wife, two sons and two daughters.
Ballard street – from the junction of Vernon and Millbury streets at Quinsigamond south to Millbury street – was on his land, which accounts for the name. It first appeared in 1830.
The core of this article comes from A History of Your City Streets.
