Junk Road

A common phone conversation goes something like: “…your address?” “6090 Junk Road, Mount Sterling, OH, 43143” “Did you say Junk Road?” “Yes, J-U-N-K.” The distinguished German surname Junk is derived from the Middle High German word "juncherre," meaning "a young noble, not yet knighted."

Merry Mount is located at 6090 Junk Road in Madison County, Ohio. Junk Road is designated a county road and stretches East/West for four miles intersecting State Road 56 at the East; and Yankeetown/Chenoweth Road at the West. The twenty-one houses on the road are surrounded by thousands of acres of soybeans and corn.

A current view of Junk Road marked in red from Google Earth

According to Levin Hutson, Utilities and Permits Coordinator, Madison County Engineer’s Office, Junk Road takes its name from William P. Junk (1824-1901) the great-great-grandfather of my neighbor David Junk who currently lives at 6089 Junk Road.

Levin Hutson:

Junk Road was first petitioned for on Dec. 5th 1859, by a Willis R. Hicks and six other property owners, one of whom was William P. Junk, and on that original document was named “Hicks Road”, not to be confused with the present day Hicks Rd., also in the area in Pleasant Twp. The description of the road, included “Beginning in the Mount Sterling – London Rd.” and “to the London & Yankeetown road”, and also a consideration of the platt drawing (below) makes it clear that it is the road currently known as Junk Road.

One can see from this document that William P. Junk owned a large parcel of land beginning at Bradford Creek on the East and continuing west to the curve in the road.

A viewing committee of James Foster, Isaac Reeves, & George Howsman were charged with evaluating the best route for the road, that was then laid out by Levin Willoughby, a surveyor who lived in Range Township, and coincidently my (Levin Hutson) namesake ancestor.

A petition for further improvements was brought before the Board of County Commissioners, by William P. Junk, and E. O’Day prior to the penning of the document dated Dec. 1881. In this entry the road is referred to as “County road known as the Junk Road” The document lists over 70 property owners that will be assessed to pay for the proposed improvements if approved.

County petitions for roads, bridges, ditches and other civil projects would very often bare the name of the property owners who initiated the petition for the project, and put up the filing fee. This is still a common practice today. I can only assume that Mr. Hicks being a prominent land owner in the area had probably also petitioned for the current Hicks Rd. ( Running from Federal Pike. aka, SR- 323 south, to the Columbus – Cincinnati Rd. aka 3&62, or the 3C highway, in Fayette County) which today bares his name, and so the locals had been referring to this road by the next most active large land owner (William P. Junk) involved with its evolution from a dirt farm track to a viable public road.

It is interesting to note that William P. Junk was married to Rachel Mariah Hicks, the daughter of Willis R. Hicks and Francis White.

Shortly after we moved to Junk Road ten years ago, we were warmly welcomed by David and Lynda Junk who quickly became close neighbors both in location and in friendship. David "Dave" is the great, great grandson of William P. Junk and he has shared memories from his childhood growing up on Junk Road.

William P Junk (1824-1901)

Clinton Francis Junk (1854-1941)

Willis Ross Junk (1880-1951)

Kenneth Maxwell Junk (1909-1988)

David Allen Junk (b. December 15, 1945)

Photo of David and Lynda Junk made at a Wexner Center for the Arts installation at OSU in 2015

Nicholas David Junk, a "young noble", proudly displays his surname in Russian. He is the great, great, great, great grandson of William P. Junk and one of three grandsons of Dave.

Rett and I greatly enjoy living on Junk Road and often celebrate with a joyful exclamation of “Junk Road” as we turn from SR56 heading for home. Our granddaughters have adopted this tradition.

Sunset at 6090 Junk Road looking west on the Spring Equinox

In conclusion, following our tradition, we suggest that anyone coming for a visit join the celebration by exclaiming, "JUNK ROAD!" as you turn west onto Junk Road.

CPW