The Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 14 denied a request that Ludford Road be changed to Sykes Road.

Joyce Sykes Fitch, a Ludford Road resident, asked for the change late last year and repeated her request during the board’s January session.

She pointed out that every resident is named Sykes on the 0.7-mile road.

Ludford Road begins at Old U.S. 64 Road and dead ends short of Ludford Landing on the south shore of Alligator Creek. It is maintained by NCDOT and designated SR 1222.

The action came on motion by Vice Chairman Carl Willis. “I can’t see the benefit to offset the cost,” he said.

Commissioner Lawrence Swain said, “It’s been the road to Ludford Landing all my life.”

Fitch said in an earlier meeting that she grew up on Ludford Road and that residents there at the time called it “the lane.” This was before the county posted road signs when the 911 emergency telephone system was implemented.

The road name appears on two blades on the county-maintained post at its intersection with Old U.S. 64 Road.

(A 1920s map hanging in the commissioners’ meeting room shows “Millers Landing” at the north end of the road.)

Commissioner Nina Griswell asked if the road name’s history ought to be researched, but she got no support.

The vote was unanimous to deny Fitch’s request.

Earlier Fitch had asked about the status of plans to  extend sewer service to the south side of Alligator Creek, including Ludford Road. County Manager-Attorney David Clegg replied that a grant application is pending for that project.