Naming of Ironton, Ohio Streets

The naming of Ironton, Ohio Streets

Ironton Tribune 6 Dec. 1948

When the city of Ironton was laid out, the streets were named for the pig iron furnaces of the county. Those streets paralleling the river were called First, Second, etc., while those from the river to the hill starting at Storms Creek south to Jefferson were given the furnace names.

The first named was John Campbell‘s favorite furnace Vesuvius… It was at that furnace Mr. Campbell’s “hot blast” idea worked successfully, hence this was his favorite furnace.

The next street named was Hecla then Buckhorn, Lawrence, all for the furnaces. The builders of Ironton, Ohio expected the railroad to be the dividing line in mid-city, so that street took the name Railroad. Next came Center, Olive [now Park], Vernon, Washington, Adams, and Jefferson.

Three of these were names of Presidents, but they were also names of well-known furnaces in 1849. Just why the name of Olive street was changed to Park Ave. fifty years later is not known. We know of only one other Olive street that is one of the leading streets in St. Louis.

On Nov. 20, 1849, William Kelly presented to the Ohio Iron and Coal Co. a map, which included land from the river to Sixth street, in that section between Jefferson and Chestnut streets. His proposal was to dedicate to the townland needed for the extension of all streets from the river to Sixth, and new streets and alleys, with the exception of within two blocks between Fourth and Fifth streets. The map shows that section of the city described above, with all streets and alleys, named [missing this part].

The Ohio Iron & Coal Co. accepted the plot but did not adopt the names of the streets, as set forth on the map. Had the map been adopted, today Ironton would have Iron street, Mine Street, and Farmer Street, as those were the names used on the map, for Madison, Monroe, and Quincy streets. However Mr. Kelly did name Chestnut street on his map, and that name was adopted.

Given under our hand and seals this 20th day of November A. D. 1849″
The signatures were subscribed to in the presence of Elias Nigh, Esq. Notary Public.

A close study of the map shows that lots 43 to 66 are on Fourth street and include the lands from Monroe Street to Chestnut of which a part is now the Deaconess hospital, which was the Kelly home at that time.

Whether the streets named on the map by Mr. Kelly were ever called by those names is not clear, but Iron street became Madison, Mine street, Monroe, and Farmer Street, Quincy, while Chestnut street continued with that name.

No doubt the directors of the Ohio Iron & Coal Co. decided that since several of the streets had already been named for the early presidents, they would continue from Jefferson, and name the streets, Madison, and Monroe, and then came the bump – the town already had an Adams, so they selected the middle name of John Quincy Adams, and left Chestnut to remain as Mr. Kelly had named it.

The next plots or sub-divisions to be adopted followed the street naming policy. Those in West Ironton adopted the names of Union for a furnace, Eagle for the Ironton Mills, and Mill street. In the south they took on tree names starting at Chestnut – Mulberry, Walnut, Spruce, Pine, Maple, Oak, Heplar, etc…. later as new streets were opened in west Ironton, they took on tree names Sycamore, Elm, and Orchard.