Did you ever wonder where the street names in Clayton came from? Well, I did. So I did some investigating and found out a lot.
Some of the names are taken from the place where the streets lead, such as Aura Road, Glassboro Road, and Delsea Drive (Delaware River to the Sea). Other streets are simply named for trees. They are Maple, Walnut, Chestnut, Elm, Ash, Oak, Holly, Hickory, Pine, Cedar and Willow. Some are named for famous people like Franklin, Roosevelt, Madison, Washington, and Lincoln. Sugar Hill is named for the Pierce glassworks was located. Streets like Pop Kramer and (June) Costello Boulevards are named after long time school employees. Morrow and Morton Aves. were named for people who lived on them. Other streets were named for people who were involved in the development of the land or their relatives. These included Roberts Ave. (Robert Glick), Belview Ave. (Belva Glick), Jerrys Ave. (Jerry Bradel son of the developer), Novak Dr. (builder of the homes in that area), and Lynn Drive (Relative of the builder). Academy Street was named this because of the school or "Academy" as it was originally called has been located on it for a long time.
There are several streets that are named for those Claytonites who served their country. Alexander Place, Brown Lane, Dennis Drive, and Costill Avenue are named for Harry C. Alexander, John Brown, E. Stanley Dennis, and Harold K. Costill Military Veterans of World War II who died. Wilson Ave. is named for the Wilson family, which owned what is now Scotland Run Park. Moore Blvd. is named for the Moore Brothers Glassworks and Moore Family. Clevenger Dr. is named for the Clevenger Glassworks, which was at Linden and Vine Streets. Deshler Blvd. is named for the family who had once owned the farm which is now "The Neighborhood at Fries Mill." Bacon Street, Hewitt Court, Hogate Court, Pierce Court, and Morgan Drive, are named for Edward Bacon, George Hewitt, Jeremiah Hogate, F. M. Pierce, and Henry and Walter Morgan, all early glass factory owners. Becket Street is named for Benjamin Becket, co-owner of the first glass factory in Clayton. His Partner was Jacob Fisler for whom Fisler Drive was named. Stanger Court is named for early settlers of the area. Essler Way is named for George Essler, general manager of Moore’s Glass, Boro Councilman, and School Board member.
There are some streets that have changed names over the years. Delsea Drive was called Malaga Road in the 1800’s and Central Avenue in the early 1900’s . Academy Street was called Fries Mill Road in 1876, now Fries Mill Road refers to the road that crosses Academy Street at Scotland Run Park which is also know as Blackwoodtown Road. Clayton Avenue was called South Street from the railroad tracks to East Avenue in 1876, but was Clayton Avenue from the tracks west. Today’s Broad street had formerly kept its name only up to the railroad tracks - past the tracks it became Little Mill Road, which is now the road that it intersects with in Franklin Township. High Street was called Factory Street in 1876 because of it proximity to the glass factory. Aura Road was called Union Street because Aura was called Unionville in the 1800’s and some people still refer to it as that even now. The 1876 map of Clayton shows Clinton Street as being called Fisler Street. One street that has changed names but not its meanings in Centre Street; it was called Middle Street in 1876. The spelling of Centre Street seems to change back and forth with every map from Centre to Center, with the former being correct according to property deeds from come of the older houses and the latter being on the street signs.
Anyone with further information on street names or anything else of a historical nature, please send this information to Jeff Field c\o C.H.P. (Clayton Historic Preservation) PO BOX 29, CLAYTON, NJ 08312.
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