Street Names Reflect Heritage - by Joan Witt

The naming patterns of small towns and street always give a good history of the locale and its background. East Liverpool certainly is not much different from most other towns.

Our Founder Thomas Fawcett is remembered in Fawcett Street. The Boyce family name appears in East End near where David Boyce owned land. The McKinnon family is remembered in McKinnon Ave where the family owned a farm. Riley Avenue is named for one of the sons. The Hickman family was the other of the earliest settler families, but no known street name exists today. Claiborne Street honors Claiborne Simms. Basil Street was named for one of the Simms.

The street in the business section were named as location from the River as First through Ninth Streets. Union Avenue was given the name as it was the Union of the Fawcett and Smith (father in law and son in law) properties. Market Street was always a business center. Early presidents were named in Washington, Jackson, Jefferson, Monroe, and Lincoln streets. Later presidents are remembered with Grant, Harding, and Cleveland streets. Broadway was so named as it was wider than most streets. There were some that hoped there might be a railroad along Broadway, but never took place.