Lodi Street
From Worcester Activist wiki
Also LAMARTINE, LAFAYETTE, LANGDON, LUNELLE STS & ISLAND
Five Worcester streets in the same area named by one man begin with the letter L.
They are:
Lodi street-for the bridge of Lodi.
Lamartine-for a famous Frenchman.
Lafayette-for the French general.
Langdon-a name in a poem by Whittier.
Lunelle-for Lunelle Sargent, who once lived there.
The streets are in the region west of Millbury street known as the Island. At one time Mill Brook surrounded the area, giving it its name.
Perry Thayer was a prominent Worcester resident for 40 years.
He ran one of the largest milk routes for about 10 years; had 125 cows.
After retiring from the dairy business, he invested in real estate. He bought about 50 acres of the old Ward estate on the Island.
When the new streets were laid out, about 1857, he wanted to name them as a unit. Lodi street stretches from Lafayette street north to Lamartine street.
Mr. Thayer became successful in real estate. With Abel Prescott, be branched out in Ayer Junction building houses, factories, including a plow works.
He was one of Worcester’s staunchest abolitionists and went out of his way to further escape of fugitive slaves in Canada. Mr. Thayer was also a supporter of the temperance movement.
He was a cousin of Eli Thayer.
Mr. Thayer retired in ill health. Seven months before his death, he made all arrangements for his funeral. They were “punctiliously followed,” according to the Sunday Spy of Jan. 6, 1889.
Officiating was Rev. Adam Ballou, who attended 2600 funerals and was on his 2601st.
The core of this article comes from A History of Your City Streets.
