January 1, 1882

In late 1880, the Sunday Herald began a series entitled "The Roads of the City of Syracuse." Written by "A Veteran Syracusan," the weekly column shared—in great detail—the history of all matters related to the Syracuse streets:

STREET SIGN BOARDS.
In the month of April 1839, an order was passed directing that the names of the several streets in the village should be placed on the corners, and this order was soon afterward executed. If present complaints are well founded, a supplementary order of this kind is now greatly needed, not only by strangers, but citizens also. (No. 17 in series, Sunday Herald, February 6, 1881).

In the young, growing city, the "Roads of Syracuse" may as well have been the Page Six of its day, naming the who's who of Syracuse in matters both "concrete" "macadam":

The last assessment ordered by the trustees [in 1847] for work done on the streets of the village, was that for paving Salina Street between Church Street and the Oswego Canal. The parties assessed were Joseph Bouielle, Thomas George, Henry S. Green, Grove Lawrence, Cornelius Lynch, Alexander McKinstry, James McBride, Sidney Stanton, John Townsend, John H. Tomlinson, George B. Walter, Doctor Yates, Congdon & Cary, the County of Onondaga, and the village of Syracuse—the latter for a lot occupied by a hook and ladder house. (No. 18 in series, Sunday Herald, February 13, 1881)

and fanciful:

A REVOLT AVERTED
On April 27th, 1846, the trustees passed an ordinance on petition of John Wilkinson and others, designating that part of Salina Street south of the Erie Canal as Main Street, and all that part of Genesee Street lying north of the canal as "Broadway," and also giving name to Butternut Street. The passage of this ordinance, so far as it related to Salina and Genesee Streets, created much feeling, and was derided as an act of folly, and at the end of two weeks the ordinance was rescinded, and a revolt averted. (Sunday Herald, February 13, 1881)

By early 1882, the "Veteran" had turned his attention to the history of the names of the streets themselves. On January 1, 1882, the 64th column in the series began to relate the stories behind the well-traveled streets in Syracuse. For the next several weeks, the author shared his knowledge of the Syracuse map, providing newcomers with a sense of place, and perhaps for the other "veteran Syracusans," nostalgia. Yet even as he detailed the shifting boundaries and markers of the city—a city that, in many ways, would become unrecognizable in another fifty years' time—the Veteran realized the permanence of the street names:

While the ancient name [of Delhi and Delphi Streets] [have been] applied to modern towns and hamlets, this fact affords no warrant for their introduction into street nomenclature here or elsewhere. It is a serious question whether in such cases as this the Council should not interfere and correct the errors of individuals who persist in giving to streets names that have neither significance or beauty. (Sunday Herald, February 5, 1882).

These streets have gone through many transformations in the 129 years since the publication of this series, but the names bestowed upon them provide lasting reminders of the history of Syracuse.

Click on the Google Map below to read the histories of the streets of Syracuse, as offered by the "Veteran Syracusan" in the Sunday Herald, January-February, 1882.

View The Streets of Syracuse in a larger map

(All information from Syracuse Sunday Herald: January 1, 1882, January 15, 1882, January 22, 1882, January 29, 1882, February 5, 1882, February 12, 1882, February 19, 1882)