Niagara Falls Street Names

What's in a (street) name?

Many of our residents have had the honor of having a local street named after them. With the help of The Book Corner, who provided this information, let's take a look at where our street names come from.

Alphabet Streets:

• A, B, C, D, E, F, G: Named after an old power company settlement in Echota, built to house workers during power development.

Tree Names:

• Beech, Birch, Cedar, Maple, Oak, Pear, Spruce, Walnut

Historical Streets:

• Ashland: Originally Ash Street, located in the Village of Clarksville.
• Elmwood: Originally Elm Street, also in the Village of Clarksville.
• Linwood: Formerly High Street in the Village of Suspension Bridge, east of the Erie Railroad, previously known as Cherry Street.
• Pine Avenue: Formerly Plank Road, once lined with woods, a key entry for farmers and connected with Stedman. Directions used to reference “the second woods” or “the third woods.”
• Willow: Formerly Lockport Street in the Village of Suspension Bridge, connecting directly to that street.

Presidential Streets:

• Grover Cleveland: Originally Erie Ave, renamed after the merger of Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge.
• Garfield, Grant, Harrison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, McKinley, Roosevelt (Theodore)

Famous People Streets:

• Byrd: Rear Admiral Richard Byrd.
• Champlain: Explorer who described the Falls but never saw them.
• Edison: Thomas Edison.
• Hennepin: Father Hennepin, the first priest to hold Mass on the Niagara Frontier.
• Joliet: French explorer with Marquette.
• LaSalle: Robert Cavaliere de La Salle, explorer who built the Griffin, the first European ship to sail the Great Lakes.
• Perry: Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, known for opening Japan to the West.
• Lafayette: Marquis de La Fayette, French military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and visited in 1825.
• Pershing: General John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in WWI.

Native American Names:

• Cayuga, Huron Place, Iroquois St., Oneida, Seneca

State Names:

• Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming

Location Names:

• Armory Place: Near the State Armory at Main and Spruce streets.
• Bath Avenue: Near the site of an old sulfur bath.
• Bridge Street: Connected the Upper Steel Arch Bridge to Main Street.
• Buffalo Avenue: Earliest direct route to Buffalo, NY.
• Cayuga: Runs along Cayuga Creek.
• Center Court: Located on the NY Central RR right of way.
• Chasm: Near the gorge.
• Chemical Road: Close to chemical plants (DuPont, Mathieson).
• Cliff: Near the Niagara Gorge cliff.
• Clifton: Named for Clifton, Ontario, across from Suspension Bridge.
• Depot: Connects Main St. with the Suspension Bridge railroad depot.
• Erie Ave: Named after Lake Erie.
• Falls St.: Leads directly to the Falls.
• Ferry Avenue: Route to Canada, near the Maid of the Mist landing.
• Hillcrest: Overlooks the river and Falls.
• Lehigh Court: Adjacent to Lehigh Valley Railroad yards.
• Lewiston Rd.: Direct route to Lewiston.
• Lockport Street: Old route to Lockport, NY from Main Street.
• North Avenue: Northernmost street before railroad tracks.
• Ontario Avenue: Named after Lake Ontario.
• Railroad Street: Near NY Central RR tracks.
• Rivershore Drive: Along the river on Cayuga Island.
• Riverside Avenue: Along the upper river.
• Riverway: Near the river, formerly Canal Street.
• Spring Street: Site of a former mineral spring.
• Woodland Place: Near a woody hollow.

Families & People:

• Adams Avenue: For Edward Dean Adams, chief engineer of NF Power Co.
• Allen Avenue: For Arthur Allen, realtor and owner of the Temperance House.
• Angelo Court: For Chief City Court Judge Angelo Scalzo.
• Augustus Place: For Judge Augustus Porter, early settler and postmaster of Niagara Falls.
• Baker Avenue: For W.P. Baker, of Simmons-Baker Co., realtors.
• Barton Avenue: For Phillip B. Barton, NF Power Co.
• Belden Street: For Norman Belden, realtor.
• Bollier Avenue: For the Bollier family, residents of LaSalle.
• Carroll Street: Named after Charles Carroll, built by Sumner Carroll.
• Chapin Street: For Alfred Chapin, comptroller of Brooklyn.
• Crick Court: For the Crick family, early grocers and landowners.
• Cudaback Avenue: For Asher T. Cudaback, property owner.
• DeVeaux Street: For Judge Samuel DeVeaux, landowner and founder of DeVeaux School.
• Devlin Avenue: For Samuel Devlin, Carborundum Co., old family.
• Duane Avenue: For Duane Belden, realtor.
• Dudley Avenue: For Frank Dudley, promoter of the United Office Building.
• Ely Avenue: For W. Caryl Ely, realtor and president of the International Railway.
• Gillett Court: For William Gillett, of Snyder & Gillet Realty.
• Haeberle: For the Haeberle family, lumber dealers.
• Holly Place: For George Holly, Assembly member and author.
• Jacob Place: For Matthew Jacob, LaSalle resident.
• Jayne Place: For Dr. Luther Jayne, prominent physician.
• Jerauld Avenue: For the Jerauld family, linked to General Parkhurst Whitney.
• Luick Avenue: For the Luick family.
• MacKenna Avenue: For Charles F. MacKenna, realtor.
• Macklem Avenue: For John S. Macklem, cashier of Frontier Bank.
• Main Street: Home to many prominent residences.
• Maloney Avenue: For Michael Maloney, coal dealer and alderman.
• Mang Avenue: For the Mang family.
• McKoon Avenue: For Judge Dennis McKoon, opened McKoon section of the city.
• Memorial Parkway: Formerly 11th Street, named for Memorial Hospital.
• Munson Avenue: For the Munson family.
• Niagara Street & Niagara Avenue: Named for the river, one in each village before consolidation in 1927.
• Osborne Court: Family name.
• Packard Court: For the Packard family farm.
• Park Place: Extension of Fifth Street, named for a triangular park.
• Pearl Street: Formerly Cedar Ave., changed after consolidation in 1927.
• Porter Road: Named for the Porter family, early European settlers.
• Rankine Road: For William Birch Rankine, power pioneer.
• Read Avenue: For Willett W. Read, former city engineer.
• Shantz Avenue: For the LaSalle Shantz family.
• Simmons Avenue: For Jas. Simmons, of Simmons-Baker Co., member of Congress.
• Wheatfield Avenue: Borders the Town of Wheatfield, southeast corner of Niagara Falls.

Historical Streets:

• 1st Street: Formerly Mill Street, once home to many mills.
• 19th Street: Formerly Stedman, named for John Stedman, saved during the Devil’s Hole Massacre.
• Chilton Avenue: Opened through James F. Trott’s farm, paved in 1895.
• Orchard Parkway: Opened through Trott’s orchard.
• College Avenue: Named by Dr. C.F. Cushing, beside DeVeaux College.
• Delancey Road: Named for Delancey Rankine, trustee of DeVeaux School.
• Elk Place: Formerly Cherry Street, opened through Gen. Porter’s cherry orchard.
• Griffon Avenue: Named for LaSalle’s ship, the Griffon.
• Hyde Park Boulevard: Formerly Sugar Street, renamed after Hyde Park was established.
• Military Road: Connected Fort Niagara to the Upper River and Buffalo.
• Mill Avenue: Site of Witmer Brothers flour mill.
• Monteagle Street: Named for Monteagle Ridge, location of the Monteagle Hotel.
• Pierce Avenue: Named for Gad Pierce, early settler and tavern owner.
• Portage Road: Original portage used by Native Americans.
• Prospect Park: Streets formerly located here include Canal, Cascade, Grove, Rapids, Water, and River.
• Prospect Street: Formerly Mechanic Street, near Prospect Park.
• Quay Street: Site of early docks, formerly Frenchmen’s Landing.
• Thomas Street: Named for Dr. Ambrose Thomas, first physician here.
• Townsend Place: For D.J. Townsend, head of Prospect Park before it became state property.
• Welch Avenue: For Thomas Vincent Welch, advocate for “free Niagara.”
• Whitney Avenue: For General Parkhurst Whitney, who operated the Cataract House.
• Whitmer Road: Named for the Whitmer family, early settlers with large farms northeast of the city.