History | Discovering Buffalo, One Street at a Time

Posts Tagged ‘History’

What do Three Museums, a Social Club, a Hospital and a University Have in Common?

Posted in Broadway-Fillmore, East Side, tagged Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, Buffalo Club, Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo Historical Society, Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, Fillmore, Grosvenor Library, History, Millard Fillmore, Millard Fillmore House, President Fillmore, SPCA, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Union Continentials on January 7, 2015| 7 Comments »

Fillmore Avenue runs north-south through the East Side of the City of Buffalo, between Seneca Street in the south to Main Street in the north. The street is named after President Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States.

Millard Fillmore was born in Locke, Cayuga County, New York on January 7th, 1800. His parents, Nathaniel Fillmore and Phoebe Millard were among the pioneer settlers of the so-called Military Tract. Nathaniel was a farmer and built a log cabin for his family. Millard worked on his father’s farm and attended local schools until he was 15 years old.

Millard Fillmore portrait from the National Portrait Gallery

In 1815, Millard served as an apprentice in a carder and cloth-dressers business in Newhope, New York (carding is the process of preparing wool for use as textile). While working for the shop, he began to self educate himself, reading everything he could get his hands on. When Millard was 18, he taught school for the Town Of Scott for a term. He decided that he wanted to study law, and entered into the law-office of Judge Walter Wood at Martville. In 1821, he arrived in Aurora to teach a winter school in East Aurora. In 1822, he came to Buffalo and taught at a district school while also studying law under Asa Rice and Joseph Clary. While in Buffalo, one of his students was Alvan Dodge.

In Spring 1823, Mr. Fillmore was admitted to practice in the Court of Common Please, and opened his office in East Aurora. The Fillmore house in East Aurora is now the Millard Fillmore Museum. In 1827, he was admitted as an attorney of the Supreme Court and became counselor in 1829. In 1830, he moved to Buffalo to form a law partnership with Joseph Clary.

Fillmore House on Franklin Street

He lived at 180 Franklin Street in Buffalo (near Franklin and Huron…the house has been demolished). He practiced law until 1848, when his duties as a politician forced him to give up his private practice. The firm he was a part of still practices in Buffalo today as Hodgson Russ, LLP, one of Buffalo’s oldest law firms.

Mr. Fillmore was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1828. He served in the Assembly until 1832, when he was elected to Congress. He served in Congress until 1842, when he declined renomination. In 1847, he was elected New York State Comptroller, and in 1848, he was elected Vice President of the United States. When President Taylor died in July 1850, Millard Fillmore became President of the United States.

President Fillmore came into his presidency at a critical period of national affairs. He took great pains to complete his presidential duties with what has been described as unswerving conscientiousness, purity and patriotism. In 1856, Fillmore was nominated for the Presidency by the National American Convention, but he did not win the election.

Millard Fillmore House on Niagara Square

President Fillmore retired from public life after his presidency. He passed his days at home in Buffalo advancing scholarly activities. After his presidency, he and his new wife, Carolyn decided that the Franklin Street house was not fit for a former president. He purchased a large mansion on Niagara Square in 1858. His house was located where the Statler Hotel is today.

Millard Fillmore contributed significantly to Buffalo’s growth and development. He helped to frame the charter that established the Village of Buffalo into the City of Buffalo. He was one of the founders of the University at Buffalo in 1846, and served as the school’s first Chancellor, a position he served until his death. While Fillmore was a Unitarian and is often criticized for being “anti-catholic”, he contributed substantial money to the construction of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. During his time in Congress, he secured funding to enlarge the Buffalo Harbor and to expand the Erie Canal. He helped to found the Buffalo Historical Society (now the Buffalo History Museum) in 1862 and served as its first president. He served as Chairman of the Buffalo Committee of Public Defense and helped incorporate the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy (now the Albright Knox Art Gallery). He spearheaded a campaign to raise money for Buffalo’s Society of Natural Sciences (now the Buffalo Museum of Science). In 1867, he helped to found the Buffalo Club, the city’s first exclusive social club, and served as its first president. He contributed financially to the construction of the Buffalo General Hospital, which opened in 1858. In 1870, he served as President of the Buffalo General Hospital. From 1870 until 1874, he served as a trustee of the Grosvenor Library, one of the predecessors of the Buffalo Public Library and one of the nation’s most comprehensive reference libraries. He founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and served as its vice president.

Millard Fillmore as Captain of the Union Continentals

During the Civil War, Fillmore denounced secession and supported the Union War efforts. He commanded the Union Continentals, a corps of men over the age of 45 from Upstate New York. The Continentals trained to defend Buffalo in the event of a Confederate attack. The corps performed military drill and ceremonial functions at parades, funerals and events. The Union Continentals guarded Lincoln’s funeral train when it came through Buffalo, and continued operations following the war. Fillmore remained involved with them until his death.

Millard Fillmore died on March 8, 1874. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Since 1937, a celebration to honor Fillmore’s legacy in Buffalo occurs every year at the Fillmore grave on his birthday. His home in East Aurora is a National Historic Landmark and operates as the Millard Fillmore House Museum.

Fillmore Grave Plot

When Frederick Law Olmsted designed Buffalo’s park and parkway system for Buffalo, Fillmore Avenue was extended to Abbott Road and upgraded south of Best Street as a parkway. In Olmsted’s plans, the Avenues (such as Fillmore) were designed with a single drive lane with a double row of trees on either side. The thoroughfare was linked by Abbott Road (now South Park Avenue) to Heacock Park, an existing park in South Buffalo. Heacock Park forms the start of the South Buffalo park system. The difficulties in creating a parkway connection were complicated by the Buffalo River and numerous railroads. Buffalo City Engineers argued that if there was an at grade railroad-crossing, the road could not be considered a parkway. Alternatives included a bridge which would have carried Fillmore Avenue over the railroads and the Buffalo River into South Buffalo. The design of Fillmore Avenue was never fully realized and Fillmore Avenue was opened to commercial traffic in 1906.

To read about other streets, check out the Street Index.

Sources:

Hillman, Jordan. “Millard Fillmore: Buffalo’s Good Samaritan”. National Portrait Gallery. May 5, 2011.
Smith, Lester, editor. Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Millard Fillmore Papers. Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. 1974.
White, Truman, Editor. Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work. The Boston History Company. 1898.
Buffalo Park Commission. The Projected Park and Parkways on the South Side of Buffalo. 1888.

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Stop in Buffalo to Sell Salt, Move Here, Get a Street Named After You

Posted in Elmwood Village, West Side, tagged Buffalo, Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo Public Library, Child and Family Services, Grover Cleveland, History, Jewett Richmond, Lockwood House, New York, Richmond Avenue, Rodgers Road, Streets on December 17, 2014| 8 Comments »

Richmond Avenue

Richmond Avenue runs north-south through the West Side of Buffalo, running between Forest Avenue and North Street. The road was originally known as Rogers Road and served as a trail from Buffalo to what was known as a Shingletown area in the north. Even when the City reached to North Street, Shingletown was still mainly open fields used for grazing animals and raising vegetables. The most prominent building on the street was a tavern located on a terrace within a fruit orchard at the corner of Rodgers (now Richmond) and Utica Avenues. The tavern allowed travelers heading between Buffalo and Black Rock a place to rest. Residential development of the area increased in the 1880s and by 1900 the area resembled its current appearance. The street was named in 1879 in honor of Jewett Richmond, who was involved in the salt and grain industries.

Jewett Richmond was born in Syracuse in 1831. He entered the salt business at a young age and began shipping salt to Buffalo and Chicago. On his trips to Buffalo, he saw Buffalo’s potential to become a grain center. He moved to Buffalo in 1854 and entered the grain business, building a grain elevator and establishing a company on the lakeshore. He built the Buffalo and Jamestown railroad. He was president of the Marine Bank, the Mutual Gas Light Company and the Buffalo Board of Trade. He also served on the City Council.

At one point, in 1881, a delegation of prominent citizens wanted him to run for Mayor. Mr. Richmond was among 5 people they asked to run for Mayor that year (Major Doyle was another). Mr. Richmond suggested that they ask Grover Cleveland first. Grover Cleveland accepted, and was elected to his first important political post.

Mr. Richmond was involved in many organizations. He was a member of the Young Men’s Association, which established the Buffalo Public Library. He was a trustee of the Charity Organization Society and the Forest Lawn Cemetery Association. He was a charter member of the Buffalo Historical Society (now the Buffalo History Museum), the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences (now the Buffalo Museum of Science) and the Buffalo Academy of Fine Arts (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery). He was a founder of the Buffalo Club and the Country Club of Buffalo.

The Richmond family lived at 844 Delaware Avenue. The property originally encompassed all of the land between Delaware Avenue and Richmond Avenue and was landscaped with gardens and some of the oldest trees in Buffalo. In 1879, a petition was submitted to City Council to rename Rogers Road to Richmond Avenue in Mr. Richmond’s honor.

844 Delaware Avenue

In January 1887, the Richmond house was destroyed by a fire. In 1888, a new home was built at 844 Delaware Avenue. The house is often referred to as the Lockwood house, as the 2nd owner of the house was Thomas B. Lockwood. The house is currently owned by Child and Family Services.

Mr. Richmond died in 1899. In addition to the street, two stained glass windows are also dedicated to his memory – one in Westminster Church and one in the Richmond Chapel in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Richmond Monument in Forest Lawn Cemetery

1920s version of the Richmond Avenue Extension

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, there was a proposal to extend Richmond Avenue further south of North Street. During the late 1930s, residents of Richmond Avenue petitioned to have the city change the name from Richmond Avenue to Richmond Parkway in order to preserve the residential nature of the street. In Olmsted’s plan, the “Avenues” were single drive lanes with double rows of trees on either side, while the “Parkways” were the double drive lanes with a carriage path in the center. The residents were determined to keep the street as only a street of “homes and churches”. Another proposal to extend Richmond Ave came to life after the construction of the Skyway in the 1950s. This proposal would have connected Richmond Avenue to the Skyway. None of these proposed extensions were built.

Check out the Street Index to learn about other streets.

Sources:

Times, Oct 26, 1929, “Days of Auld Lang Syne” Buffalo Streets Scrapbook, vol 2
Richmond Ave may extend to downtown Courier Express July 10 1935, p 13
Named after Jewett Richmond “Richmond Avenue Perpetuates Memory of Cleveland Sponsor” Courier Express Oct 16, 1938 sec 5 p 3
“Name Change Asked: Richmond Would become Parkway” Courier Express December 2, 1938. Found in Buffalo Streets Scrapbook, Vol 2 p 134

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Name the City of Cleveland Ohio, Get a Street Named After You

Posted in Downtown/Harbor, tagged Buffalo, Cleveland, History, Joseph Ellicott, Judge Tupper, New York, Samuel Tupper, Streets, Tupper, Tupper Street, War of 1812 on December 5, 2014| 3 Comments »

Tupper Street is an east-west road in downtown Buffalo that runs between Maryland Street and the Elm-Oak arterials. Tupper Street was one of the first streets added to Buffalo after the original plan for the Village of Buffalo was laid out by Joseph Ellicott.

Samuel Tupper first came to Western New York in 1789 as a young surveyor. He came from Connecticut and served for many years as a surveyor. He worked on the Phelps and Gorman lands (between Lake Ontario and the PA State line, in the vicinity of Seneca Lake and the Genesee River), the Holland Purchase and as chief surveyor for the Connecticut Land Company on the “Western Reserve” in Ohio. Mr. Tupper worked for Moses Cleaveland and laid out the City of Cleveland. He also gave the city its name, deciding to name the city he was laying out after his boss.

Map of Buffalo Outer Lots – Samuel Tupper purchased lot 17, north of Chippewa Street in 1808

In 1804, when New Amsterdam was laid out by Joseph Ellicott, there were only 14 landowners here in Buffalo. In 1805, five more land owners were added, and Samuel Tupper was among them. He came to Buffalo to run a contractor’s store, which were the stores that took care of purchasing and dispatching supplies to American military posts in the West. He purchased inner lot 7 in 1805, which was at the northeast corner of Seneca Street and Willink Avenue (which became Main Street). In 1808, he purchased outer lot 17. He gave his name to the street north of his property on the outer lot and built his house at the corner of Main and Tupper. Judge Tupper’s house was the 2nd house burned during the War of 1812. Following the war, Judge Tupper built a large mansion on the site and served on a committee to investigate losses in Buffalo.

In 1808, Buffalo was made the county seat of what was then Niagara County (breaking off from Genesee County). The first Judge was Augustus Porter, with Samuel Tupper and Erastus Granger working as his associates. Mr. Tupper was not trained as a judge, but was known to have capabilities and qualities that were required of society at the time. It was possible at the time to serve on the bench without legal training. His title was Associate Judge of the Common Pleas. He served as a judge until his death in December 1817.

Judge Tupper had no children. An adopted daughter of his became the wife of Manly Colton, the Erie County Clerk. The Colton family occupied the Tupper house for many years following Judge Tupper’s death.

To learn about other streets, check out the Street Index.

Sources:

“Two Streets Perpetuate Names of Early Jurists”. Courier Express Nov 2, 1941 sec 6 p 3
Smith, Perry H. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County. D. Mason & Co., publishers. Syracuse, NY: 1884.

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Don’t Give Up The Ship, Get a Street Named After You

Posted in Downtown/Harbor, tagged Battle of Buffalo, Battle of Lake ERie, Buffalo, Commodore Perry, Fort Porter, Front Park, History, Lake Erie, Matthew Calbraith Perry, Matthew Perry, Oliver Hazard Perry, Perry Boulevard, Perry Street, Robert Barclay, War of 1812 on October 27, 2014| 4 Comments »

Perry Street was originally named Beaver Street by Joseph Ellicott in the original 1804 Plan of New Amsterdam/Buffalo. In 1907, Alderman Hendrick Callahan suggested new names for a bunch of streets. The streets that he renamed were Liberty, Erie, Columbia, and Perry. He also suggested renaming Main Street to Iroquois Avenue; however, this was not approved. Liberty Street was later renamed Baltimore Street. Perry also lends his name to the Commodore Perry projects, located near Perry Street.

Additionally, Perry Boulevard used to be located along the former route of the Erie Canal where the I-190 Thruway is currently located. The road led from Main Street up to Porter Avenue, and was constructed when the canal was filled in during the construction of the Lakeview Housing Project. At the time, the unused canal bed was considered a health hazard, so it was filled in to protect the residents of the public housing. A short portion of the roadway under the Thruway is still called Perry Boulevard.

Oliver Hazard Perry

Oliver Hazard Perry was born in 1785 in Rhode Island. His younger brother Matthew Calbraith Perry was involved in the opening of Japan. Matthew Perry also served under his brother during the Battle of Lake Erie.

Perry served in the West Indies, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean, but he is best known as the “Hero of Lake Erie” for his role during the War of 1812. At the start of the War of 1812, the British Navy controlled the Great Lakes, except for Lake Huron. The American Navy controlled Lake Champlain. The American Navy had only a small force, which allowed the British to make advances on the Great Lakes and northern New York waterways.

Perry was named Chief Naval Officer in Erie, P.A., and built a fleet on Presque Isle Bay. On September 10, 1813, Perry fought a successful action during the Battle of Lake Erie. During the battle, Perry’s ship, the USS Lawrence, was severely disabled. the British Commander, Robert Barclay, thought Perry would surrender. Commander Barclay sent over a small boat to request that the Americans pull down the flag.

1911 Painting of the Battle of Lake Erie by Edward Percy Moran. Perry is standing in front of the boat

Perry remained faithful to the phrase “DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP”, which were paraphrased from the dying words of Captain Lawrence, Perry’s friend and the ship’s namesake. The men rowed through heavy gunfire to transfer to the USS Niagara. Perry’s forces continued until Barclay’s ships surrendered. Although Perry was aboard the Niagara during the fighting of the battle, he had the British surrender on the deck of the Lawrence to allow the British to see the price his men had paid. Perry’s report following the battle was brief but became famous: “We have met the enemy and they are ours; two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop”. This was the first time in history that an entire British naval squadron had surrendered.

Perry’s Congressional Gold Medal

He was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and for his role during the Battle of Buffalo. He also helped completed successful outcomes at all nine Lake Erie military campaigns, which was a turning point during the War of 1812.

The Perry statue in Front Park was erected by the State of New York Perry Victory Centennial Committee. The statue was dedicated at the 100th annual reunion of the New York Veterans Association. The statue has recently been restored and returned to the park, along with cannons that were originally located in the park due to the park’s connection to Fort Porter, which was located near where the Peace Bridge plaza is currently located.

Perry Statue, Front Park

Commodore Perry did not live to old age. He died in 1819, on his 34th birthday, of yellow fever while at sea. He was buried at Port of Spain, Trinidad with full military honors. In 1826, his remains were moved to Newport, Rhode Island.

Learn about the origins of other street names by checking out the Street Index.

Sources:

“What Think You Of These Names” Buffalo Express May 31, 1907
News May 6 1937 (clipping in local street scrapbook vol 2)

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Publish a Newspaper, Get Four Streets Named After You

Posted in Parkside Vicinity, tagged Buffalo, Delaware Park, History, jewett, Parkside, Streets, War of 1812, willow lawn on October 11, 2014| 5 Comments »

Jewett Parkway, Jewett Avenue, Elam Place and Willowlawn Street are streets in the Parkside Neighborhood of Buffalo (Jewett Avenue is located on the East Side of Main Street, just outside the Parkside Neighborhood). The streets are all named after Elam Jewett. Mr. Jewett started his career with a $35 loan from his father, turning that $35 into a great amount of wealth and prominence.

Elam Richardson Jewett was born in New Haven, Vermont in 1810. His father was a farmer and was in the wool and cloth-dressing business. At age seven, Elam began to work on the farm, attending school only during the coldest months of the year when no farm work was necessary. At age 13, Elam quit school and decided to learn a trade. He began as an apprentice to a publisher in Middlebury, Vermont, to learn printing.

At age 20, Mr. Jewett was a “first class printer”. He decided to enter Montpelier Academy after completing his apprenticeship, because he knew the value of education in his field. He only stayed at the Academy two months. He then got a job with the publisher of the Vermont State Journal and the Middlebury Free Press. In 1838, Mr. Jewett decided to take his chances out west. With $35 borrowed from his father, he toured New York State and Ohio. He decided to open a stationery and book store in Ohio City, across the river from Cleveland. He quickly learned that Ohio City was suffering from the panic of 1837, and was not a good place for a business. While planning to leave Ohio, he stopped in the office of a Cleveland newspaper, where he noticed an advertisement for the sale of the Buffalo Daily Journal, owned by the late Samuel Wilkeson. Mr. Jewett came to Buffalo and arranged to buy and publish the newspaper. At the time, its circulation was 600, which was large for its time.

The Daily Journal later merged with the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. Mr. Jewett remained in charge of the paper. Mr. Jewett was known for publishing articles that did not side-step around sensitive opinions. In 1847, Mr. Jewett wrote an article that upset a Polish midshipman of the U.S. Navy. The man met Mr. Jewett in his office, drew a pistol and fired two shots at him. The shots were low, and the bullets lodged in Mr. Jewett’s leather wallet, saving him from death.

In 1850, Mr. Jewett became manager of the New York State Register of Albany. He managed his time between Buffalo and Albany while also establishing the printing and engraving firm that later became Matthews-Northrup Company. The company’s printing and engraving was deemed best in the country and the U.S. Patent Office in Washington DC contracted with the firm for all engraved reproductions of inventions.

During the 1850s, Mr. Jewett traveled through Europe with Millard Fillmore. While in Europe, they were entertained by English nobility and Pope Pius IX.

In 1857, Mr. Jewett established a large envelope factory in Buffalo. In 1862, he sold his newspaper, and two years later he retired from all business activities. His nephew William Phelps Northrup took over at Matthews Northrup Company. Mr. Jewett retired in 1864 and bought 400 acres of the Chapin farm. He called his estate Willow Lawn. The property was located on the west side of Main Street from around Amherst Street to Leroy Avenue, stretching back to Delaware Avenue. Approximately 200 acres of the farm are now part of the meadow in Delaware Park. The land had been first settled by Daniel Chapin, who built a log cabin and developed a farm there in 1807. During the War of 1812, a company of American Soldiers were stationed there. When the British burned Buffalo, many of those men lost their lives defending that position. Willow Lawn took its name from the large willow trees growing on the property. Two of these willows marked the location of the buried soldiers in the meadow.

Mr. Jewett married Caroline Wheeler of his hometown in 1838. None of their children lived long enough to enjoy Willow Lawn. The mansion was located at 2364 Main Street and was considered to be one of the most beautiful of its day. The property was described as a “model farm demonstrating to what perfection a country residence and farm can be”. The first tomatoes raised in Buffalo were grown in Mr. Jewett’s gardens. They were called “love apples” and were only used for decoration at the time, because tomatoes were believed to be poisonous.

Jewett Grave in Forest Lawn

In 1870, Mr. Jewett received two deer which he kept in a paddock in the meadow. Some consider this the start of what eventually became the Buffalo Zoo in Delaware Park. In 1885, Mr. Jewett started the Parkside Land Improvement Company along with Washington Russell III and Dr. J. White. These three men owned most of the land in the Parkside neighborhood, which had been laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted. The three men parceled off the land and sold the lots for development purposes. Mr. Jewett donated a parcel from his estate, along with $10,000, to build the Church of the Good Shepherd, on Jewett Parkway.

Another Jewett, Sherman Skinner Jewett, was influential in the development of the Olmsted Parks, helping to bring Olmsted to Buffalo to tour possible sites. However, Sherman Jewett is not related to Elam Jewett. Elam R. Jewett died in 1887 and is buried in Forest Lawn along with his wife. Willow Lawn runs through what used to be the gardens of the Jewett farm. The Commercial Advertiser ceased operations in 1890. The willow tree that Mr. Jewett loved dearly only survived him by 14 years before falling during a gale storm in 1901.

Read about other streets in the Street Index.

Sources:

“Four Streets Remind Buffalo of Elam Jewett, Publisher”. Courier Express June 22 1941, sec 6 p 3.
Smith, Henry Perry. History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County. D. Mason & Co Publishers: Syracuse, NY: 1884.
Pictorial Year-Book and Calendar for 1888. Buffalo Express.
Larned, Josephus Nelson. A History of Buffalo: Delineating the Evolution of the City. The Progress of the Empire State Company. New York: 1911.

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Name a Street After Yourself, Then Later They’ll Name a Lake After Your Grandson

Posted in Elmwood Village, tagged Bill Hoyt, Buffalo, Captain John Hoyt, erie canal, History, Hoyt, Hoyt Street, John Dribble Hoyt, Joseph Hoyt, New York State Assembly, Richardson Complex, Sam Hoyt, William Ballard Hoyt on September 24, 2014| 7 Comments »

Hoyt Street is a street within the Elmwood Village neighborhood of the West Side of Buffalo. The street runs between Ferry Street and Forest Avenue, parallel to Elmwood Avenue and Grant Street. Interestingly, there was historically an earlier Hoyt Street. The original Hoyt Place was located west of the Buffalo State Hospital (now Richardson Complex) and is now known as Bradley Street. The street was renamed likely around the same time that the Hoyt Street we know today was developed, during the 1880s. Bradley Street is shown in orange on the map to the left, while Hoyt Street is shown in red.

Erie Canal Survey showing Joseph D. Hoyt's Land

Erie Canal Survey showing Joseph Hoyt’s Land

The historic Hoyt Place was named after Joseph Dibble Hoyt, the original land owner of the property Hoyt Place/Bradley Street was developed on. Joseph Hoyt was born on December 23, 1785 in Danbury, Connecticut. He was the child of Moses Hoyt and Amerillas Dribble. In 1811, he moved to Buffalo, NY. During the War of 1812, he was taken prisoner of war during the Burning of Buffalo by the British and Native Americans. He was imprisoned in Montreal. After the war, he returned to Buffalo and became a prominent and influential citizen. Mr. Hoyt owned a tannery on Carroll Street, which was originally called Tan Alley because of the tannery located on it.

Mr. Hoyt married Sarah St. John in 1809, they had one child, Harriet Hoyt. He later married Polly Wright in 1814. Mr. Hoyt died in 1838 and is buried in Forest Lawn. I’m not sure that these Hoyts are related to Buffalo’s other Hoyt family, but perhaps someone more familiar with the family’s genealogy would be able to say for sure.

William Ballard Hoyt

Hoyt Street is named after William Ballard Hoyt. William Hoyt was born in East Aurora on April 20th, 1858. He was the son of Doctor Horace and Josephine Ballard Hoyt. He attended the Aurora Academy and Buffalo High School. In 1877, he entered Cornell University to study history and political science. After graduation, Mr. Hoyt came to Buffalo and entered the firm of Humphrey and Lockwood. He was admitted to the bar in March 1883, and the firm became Humphrey, Lockwood & Hoyt. The firm went by several different names as partners changed. Mr. Hoyt and his firm served many prominent industrial and business concerns in Buffalo, such as New York Central, Vanderbilt properties, Western Union Telegraph Company, Western Transit Company and others. Along with Mr. Baynes (more about him on a different day), Mr. Hoyt developed several of the streets around the street that bears his name.

In 1886, Mr. Hoyt became Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, serving in this position until 1889. In 1894, he was appointed as counsel to the United States Interstate Commerce Commission for the States of New York and Ohio.

Mr. Hoyt served as Director of the Buffalo Club for six years, Curator of the Buffalo Library for three years, and was a member of the Board of School Examiners and President of the Cornell Alumni Association.

In 1887, Mr. Hoyt married Esther Lapham Hill. The Hoyts had five children – John, Josephine, Esther, Albertine and Hilda. Mr. Hoyt died in 1915 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Captain Hoyt

Mr. Hoyt’s son Captain John Davidson Hill Hoyt was born in 1898 in Buffalo. Captain Hoyt served in the Air Corps US Army. In 1936, he served as president of the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors. He was killed in a crash off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands along with nine other crew members in January 1943. Captain Hoyt has a marker among the Courts of the Missing from WWII in Honolulu and also a marker in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Captain Hoyt Grave-marker

Bill Hoyt on the NYS Capital steps in the 1970s

Captain Hoyt’s son William B. Hoyt II was born in 1937 in Buffalo. He was educated at the Park School of Buffalo and Hamilton College. He taught history at Park School for 11 years before entering politics. He served as a member of Buffalo Common Council from 1970 to 1974. William II ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Buffalo in 1989, when he was defeated by James D. Griffin. He served as New York State Assemblyman for the 144th District from 1974 until 1992. Mr. Hoyt died of a heart attack on the Assembly floor during a vote.

During his time on the Common Council, Mr. Hoyt proposed a plan to clean up the lake in Delaware Park. He became a champion for the Lake. Following his death, the lake was named Hoyt Lake in honor of William B. Hoyt II.

Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park

Sam Hoyt

William II’s son, William B. Hoyt III, known by most Buffalonians these days as Sam Hoyt, was born in January 1962. Sam Hoyt attended local schools, graduating from Park School of Buffalo and attending Buffalo State College for political science. Sam served as the WNY regional director for U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan and director for the Buffalo Bisons. In 1992, he took over the 114th District of the New York State Assembly, filling his late father’s seat. He served in the Assembly for nearly 20 years prior to resigning in 2011 after being appointed as Regional President of the Empire State Development Corporation. He also serves as Chair of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Peace Bridge Authority.

In 2004, Sam proposed that a group be created regarding the restoration of the historic H.H. Richardson Complex for use as for a cultural and educational activities, proposing that $100 million be put towards the restoration. The progress on the Richardson Complex has been moving along, and the Hotel, Conference Center and Architecture Center are expected to open in 2016. (Author’s aside: I was interning for Sam during this time, and the Richardson building became my favorite building in Buffalo, as I fell completely in love with it when I first stood up on its steps during a press conference to announce the funding from the State. Of Sam’s many accomplishments, I consider this to be my favorite, so I’m including it here.)

Think of the various generations of the Hoyt family the next time you go for a walk down Hoyt Street or take a walk around Hoyt Lake. Maybe in a few years, I’ll have to update this entry to write about Sam’s sons!

Check out the Street Index to learn about other streets.

Sources:

A History of the City of Buffalo: Its Men and Institutions. Published by the Buffalo Evening News: Buffalo, 1908.
Our County and its People: A Descriptive Work On Erie County, New York. Edited by Truman C. White. Boston History Company: 1898.
Buffalo Past and Present: A Manual of Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier. Reinecke & Zesch: 1994.
Downs, Winfield Scott. Municipality of Buffalo, NY: A History. 1923.
Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York. Genealogical Publishing Company. 1906.
A Genealogical History of the Hoyt, Haight, and Hight Families: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/36692239/person/20396668475/storyx/bb957757-2690-46ba-b30f-952be9ecd35e?src=search)
http://www.bnar.org/about_us/past_presidents/index.html

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North Street: Massacre, Boundary Line, and an Unbuilt-Expressway?

Posted in Allentown, tagged Black Rock Ferry, Buffalo, City Limits, Erie County Almshouse, Guide Board Road, History, North Street, Streets, War of 1812 on September 15, 2014| 3 Comments »

North Street runs through the Allentown neighborhood of Buffalo, between Symphony Circle and Jefferson Avenue. A small portion of East North Street exists east of Jefferson, divided by the Kensington Expressway.

North Street was originally known as Guide Board Road. In front of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension at the corner of Linwood and North is a sign that states “Guide Board Road directing pioneers from the east to the Black Rock Ferry”. The Guide Board Road was established shortly after Buffalo was settled. Pioneers cut through the woods so that early residents could get from Main Street to the Black Rock Ferry. The road was used by many covered wagons of pioneers and ox carts of the early farmers.

Guide Board Road sign, on North Street near Franklin Street

During the War of 1812, when Buffalo was burned Dec 29, 1913, Guide Board Road was bathed in blood. While retreating, American soldiers from Buffalo and Black Rock used Guide Board Road to get to Main Street to escape to Williamsville or Batavia. Many of them were overtaken by the Native American allies of the British troops, scalped, tomahawked and robbed of their clothes. Their bodies were left by the roadside.

The street was the northern boundary of the City of Buffalo when it was incorporated in 1832, hence the name North Street. The City founders felt that the North Street boundary would give the City plenty of room to expand. The road was also known as Lover’s Lane and Cemetery Road. As cemeteries were being moved to outside the boundary of the City, North Street was bordered by six cemeteries at one time!

The Erie County Almshouse (and associated cemetery) was located near the location of D’Youville College today. The area around North Street was first settled by residents of Buffalo looking to build houses in the Country. Additionally, immigrants settling in the Buffalo area bought the land along the road west of Delaware for orchards and truck farms. This section became known as Shingletown. Buffalo continued growing and quickly grew to be larger than the Village of Black Rock. Just 21 years after the City was incorporated, the New York State legislature gave permission to extend its boundaries and absorb Black Rock.

City Planning Committee Map of the Extension of City Limits Over Time

Plans had been discussed many times over the City’s history to extend North Street. This was discussed as early as 1884 when a resolution was passed to extend North Street from Jefferson to Genesee Streets, but the idea was protested. Plans were resubmitted in 1887. Portions of East North Street east of Jefferson were built.

In the 1920s, a plan was put forth to widen North Street and extended it to connect to the east with Humboldt Parkway. The Buffalo City Planning Association proposed this link, which would connect the waterfront to the eastern part of the city to create a crosstown connecting parkway within a short distance of the downtown business district. The new parkway would connect D’Youville College, Holy Angels Academy(which later moved to North Buffalo), the State Normal School (later Grover Cleveland High School), Masten Park High School(now City Honors), the 106th Regiment Armory, the proposed municipal stadium at the corner of Jefferson and Best Street (which became War Memorial Stadium aka the Rockpile, now John Wiley Sports Complex), and the proposed Natural Science Building to be located in Humboldt Park (today the Science Museum). The proposed parkway would be a double roadway and was intended to provide relief from congestion currently occurring on streets such as High Street. The planned width of the street would be 105 feet wide with two 27-foot roadways separated by a wooded park strip. One unique thing about the proposal was that the road was planned to take North Street over Main and Ellicott Streets, as well as to tunnel Franklin, Linwood, Delaware and Elmwood Avenues under North Street. The road was designed to separate the crosstown traffic from the north and south traffic. This road was never built.

If you could redesign any street in Buffalo, which would you change?

Learn about other streets by checking out the Street Index.

Sources:

“Urges Action on Widening of North Street”. Buffalo News, July 13, 1923.

“Cross-Town Street Plan is Explained”. Buffalo Evening News, February 17, 1928.

“War Wealth Park of North Street History”. Courier Express, Feb 9, 1956.

Picture Book of Earlier Buffalo. Buffalo Historical Society Publications: 1912.

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Improve Safety at Railroad Crossings, Get a Street Named After You

Posted in South Buffalo, tagged Bloomfield, Buffalo, Choate family, Choate Street, History, Mercy Hospital, Richfield, Rufus Choate, Rufus Mortimer Choate, Sheffield, South Buffalo, Streets, Trocaire College, Whitfield, Windermere House on September 9, 2014| 1 Comment »

Choate Avenue is located in South Buffalo, running between South Park Avenue and Abbott Road. The street cuts through land once owned by Rufus Choate, a man who helped build South Buffalo.

Rufus Mortimer Choate is a descendant of the Choate Brothers who were among America’s pioneer settlers from England who settled in Massachusetts in 1643. A more famous Rufus Choate was a senator from Massachusetts. Mr. Choate was born in Clarence on October 4, 1840. He attended public schools, the Classical Academy in Clarence and Bryant & Stratton’s Business College. During the Civil War, he volunteer at the first call for soldiers, enlisting in 1861, but was never called to the front. After the War, Mr. Choate began working as a clerk in the ticket office at the Buffalo Docks and for the U.S. Customs Office. He served as a local passenger agent for all four of the ship lines which used the Buffalo Harbor from 1866 until 1888. In 1888, he resigned to begin working in the real estate business.

In 1866, Mr. Choate married Ellen Strickler. Millard Fillmore’s brother performed their ceremony. The Choate family lived at 1365 Abbott Road, their home was known as Windermere House. At the time, it took an entire day to travel into the city to do your shopping and then home again. Several rail crossings were located along the route. When they arrived at the railroad crossings, the horses would often rear up on their hind legs due to fear. Mr. Choate worried that his wife and children would be injured if the horse would lose control. He worked to eliminate those at grade crossings.

Windermere House was one of the first houses in South Buffalo to be lit by natural gas. It was an English villa style home, and was surrounded by a high brick wall with iron fence and gates. The home had nine bedrooms, a billiard room and spacious rooms for entertaining. The grounds consisted of orchards, gardens, lawns and a tennis court.

Wndermere House Source: http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-71a7-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Windermere House became the first Mercy Hospital. The Sisters of Mercy who were brought in 1858 by Bishop Timon to assist with schooling at St. Brigid’s. The Sisters soon realized that a hospital was needed. The original hospital was a 30-bed facility opened in the house in 1904. The hospital is still located at the corner of Choate Avenue and Abbott Road and has grown to be one of the largest in Western New York. The sisters also started Mount Mercy Academy, a high school for girls and Sancta Maria College (now called Trocaire, which means Mercy in Gaelic).

Mr. Choate owned a great deal of real estate. He sold off properties, developed houses along and named the streets of Richfield, Bloomfield, Whitfield, and Sheffield, as well as Choate Ave. He served as secretary of the Woodside Land Company, which developed other real estate in South Buffalo as well.

When the Windermere House was taken over by the hospital, the Choate Family moved to 193 Cleveland Avenue and then 61 Brantford Place in what is now the Elmwood Village. The houses are still standing.

Mr. and Mrs. Choate had six children. Sadly, at age 18, their oldest son, Rufus Jr., who went by “Rufie”, disappeared following an argument with his father. His body was found 4 months later in the hayloft of his father’s barn, after an apparent suicide.

Rufus Choate is said to have done more than any other man toward building up South Buffalo. He was instrumental in creating Cazenovia Park, as well as South Side and Red Jacket Parkways. He contributed 12 acres of his own land for the parks system. He was organizer and president of the South Buffalo Business Men’s Association. Through the Association, he abolished the old toll gate at Seneca Street and Cazenovia Creek and the 16 hazardous grade railroad crossings of South Buffalo.

Mr. Choate died in 1916 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Choate Avenue was requested by a friend. If you’d like to request a street, email buffalostreets (@) gmail.com and if information is available, it might get moved up in the queue. Be sure to check out the street index to learn about other streets.

Sources:

“Choate Avenue Honors Donor of Park Areas”. Courier Express. September 17, 1939.
Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York. Edited by Truman White. Boston History Company: 1898.
Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York. The Genealogical Publishing Company. Buffalo, New York: 1906.
“Rufus Choate’s Body Found at Last”. New York Times. May 6, 1895.

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Make a Street Out of 5 Other Streets, Name it South Park

Posted in South Buffalo, tagged Abbott Road, Buffalo, Buffalo-Lackawanna City Line, Downtown Buffalo, Elk Street, History, McKinley Parkway, Ohio Street, South Park Avenue, Southside Parkway, Triangle Neighborhood, Triangle Street on September 3, 2014| 8 Comments »

South Park Avenue shown in Blue. Ohio Street shown in Pink. Elk Street shown in Teal. Abbott Road shown in Purple. Yellow lines show connections that are no longer extant. (click map to zoom in)

South Park Avenue runs from Downtown Buffalo to the Buffalo-Lackawanna City Line (and beyond down into Hamburg where the road changes to Buffalo Street). Ever wonder why South Park Avenue has some weird intersections? It’s because the street was originally a bunch of different streets! Not all street names are changed to honor famous or influential people. In 1939, a proposal was presented to change the name of four streets to allow motorists to travel from the Lackawanna city line all the way to Main Street in Downtown Buffalo along one continuous road.

1899 View of Triangle Neighborhood

The proposal began thanks to efforts of the Tri-Abbott-South Park Businessmen’s Association. They proposed that portions of Ohio, Elk, Triangle and Abbott Road be named South Park Avenue. Yes, there was a Triangle Road in the Triangle Neighborhood! Triangle Road ran from Abbott Road to what is now Southside Parkway. Southside Parkway was originally part of South Park Avenue, which ran from Ridge Road to Abbot Road). Southside Parkway was renamed McKinley Parkway and a portion of South Park Avenue was renamed Southside Parkway.

The intent of the name change for South Park Avenue was to allow those entering the City of Buffalo from the Southtowns to be better able to find the downtown district. At the time, when you were entering the City from Lackawanna, you would take South Park Avenue to Triangle Street, to Abbott Road, to Elk Street and to Ohio Street before you arrived at Main Street. You saw five different street names, even though the roads were essentially a continuous thoroughfare.

Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

The proposal to change the name was made around the time of construction of the new convention hall (Buffalo Memorial Auditorium) so it was anticipated that more people would be travelling into Downtown Buffalo for events. Additionally, many people were expected to stop in Buffalo on their way to the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City.

The proposal was approved by the City Council on May 26, 1939. At the time, the Council kicked around the idea of renaming the road “South Main Street”; however, they decided upon South Park. Of the 38 organizations who comprised the South Park Taxpayers Improvement Association, 35 of them voted in favor of calling the “new” road South Park. Representatives from near the Elk Street business district wanted the route to be called Elk street.

Learn about the origins of other street names by checking out the street index.

Sources:

“South Park Ave name chosen for proposed continuous thoroughfare.” Courier express April 29, 1939, p 7
“South Park – Triangle – Abbott- Elk- Ohio route -what shall it be called” Courier Express Apr 21, 1939, p 7
“South Park Avenue Lengthening Urged” Courier Express March 3, 1939. Buffalo Streets Scrapbook Vol 2, 159

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Which is your favorite street named after a state?

Posted in Black Rock, tagged Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Black Rock, Buffalo, California, Carolina, City of Buffalo, Colorado, Connecticut, Dakota, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hampshire, History, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Jersey, Joseph Ellicott, Kentucky, Lemuel Forester, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mile Strip, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, New York State, New York State Archives, New York State Reservation, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Peter Porter, Rhode Island, South Black Rock, street names, Streets, Streets named after states, surveyor, Tennessee, Texas, Upper Black Rock, Vermont, Village of Black Rock, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, York on August 11, 2014| 6 Comments »

Often a group of streets will be named after a theme. This is often seen when a developer may name a bunch of streets after his family members or friends. Many people know that Washington, DC has streets named after all 50 states to form the City’s grid (crossed by alphabetic and numbered streets). The City of Buffalo has streets named after 32 of the 50 states. Many of these state street names originated in one of Buffalo’s original street grids.

Map of Village of Black Rock, 1816
Source: New York State Archives

Many of the streets named after streets are located in what was the original development of the Village of Black Rock. The Black Rock streets were originally laid out two years before Joseph Ellicott came to Buffalo! New York State purchased a one mile strip of land along the Niagara River known as the New York State Reservation in 1802. The State laid out the streets of the Village of Black Rock. For 20 years, Black Rock would serve as Buffalo’s rival. In 1825, Buffalo won its fight to be the terminus of the Erie Canal, became a booming city, and annexed the Village of Black Rock in 1854.

State named streets in Black Rock include Georgia, Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Jersey, York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Hampshire. All of the original 13 colonies are represented by these streets, other than Delaware, which was originally located where Hudson Street is today. When Buffalo and Black Rock merged, duplicate street names were changed to prevent confusion. These streets all lay parallel to each other in what is now the West Side of the City of Buffalo, but was originally known as the South Village of Black Rock or Upper Black Rock. When originally laid out, these streets formed a grid with numbered streets. The streets were laid out by Lemuel Forester, a Surveyor for New York State. You can read about the numbered streets in Buffalo by clicking here. These streets form what was known as Upper Black Rock. Peter Porter was an important person in the early days of Black Rock.

It is important to note that it is difficult to differentiate between states such as North and South Carolina or Virginia and West Virginia, as the cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) are used in street naming conventions. Early maps of Black Rock show Jersey, York and Hampshire as New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire, but as time elapsed, the convention to name streets “New” to differentiate between different alignments of a street which changed over time, of which the alignment’s name may be “New _____ Street” or “Old ______ Street”.

Streets in Buffalo Named After States (click to view larger image)

The City also has streets named after the following states:

Alabama
Arkansas
California
Colorado
North and South Dakota (as Dakota Street)
Delaware
Florida
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
Ohio
Oregon
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

There are several streets named after states that used to be located in Buffalo. These streets names have been removed for various reasons:

Portion of 1900 Sanborn Map depicting locations of Idaho and Arizona Streets.

Idaho Street and Arizona Streets– were located in North Buffalo off Military Road, north of Sayre Street. The Buffalo Foundry was located here, and industrial facilities eventually absorbed the streets.

1951 Sanborn Map showing the former location of Indiana Street

Indiana Street was located near the foot of Main Street. The street was eliminated when Crossroads Arena (aka Marine Midland, aka HSBC, aka First Niagara Center) was built. The street is currently buried under First Niagara Center.

1925 Sanborn Map Showing Alaska Alley

Alaska Alley – was closed on February 24, 1960. This was a small alley off of Chippewa near Genesee and Washington. The block where Alaska and Seward Alleys were located is now parking for the Electric Tower building.

Iowa – used to be the part of LaSalle Avenue from Bailey to Eggert (near Minnesota Avenue). However, they changed the name when they wanted to rename Perry Street to Iowa Street. They then decided that Perry was too important to change the name of the street. At this time, they also tried to change the name of Fulton Street to Oklahoma, but also decided that Fulton was too important of a person to change the name of the street.

In 1901, the City wanted to rename Indian Church, Hudson or South Division Street to Missouri. Residents complained because it sounded like “Misery” to them, and they did not want to live on “Misery Street”.

There is no Maine Street, because it would be confusing because it sounds like Main Street.

I was unable to find evidence of streets in Buffalo named after the following five states:

Kansas
Nebraska
New Mexico
Utah
Hawaii

Buffalo Ex-Pats living in the Washington, DC area will be happy to know that Columbia Street, in the Cobblestone District near the arena, is named after the District of Columbia.

To answer the “which street named after a state is your favorite?” question – mine is York Street. My dad moved to Buffalo (from Central New York….and after time spent in the Navy) in 1978 and his first apartment here was on York Street. My parents lived there when the first got married. This is where my branch of the Keppel family started in Buffalo. 🙂

To read about other streets, click the Street Index.

Sources:

“Many Changes Made in Names of Streets Here” Courier Express, August 26, 1928
“New Names for Streets” Buffalo Express Oct 7, 1901
“Council Closes Alaska Alley” Buffalo Courier Express, February 24, 1960.

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Angela Keppel

Angela Keppel is a Buffalo, NY history enthusiast and urban planner. She spent her childhood in the Grosvenor Room at the downtown library and the Buffalo History Museum. "Talking Proud" is her anthem.

For more information and to contact Angela, please see the about me tab at the top of the page.

A complete list of streets which have been written about can also be found at the top of the page under the Street Index tab.

All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. Any photographs displayed on the blog are for information purposes only. Attempts have been made to source to original image content wherever possible. If you own a specific image on this site and want it removed, please email me at buffalostreets (at) gmail.com and I will remove it.
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