Origin of Street Names
Researched and compiled by Cynthia Krieg, Village of Freeport HistorianMany of the streets in Freeport were named after original and long time residents. They were primarily involved in fishing and working the bays and/or farming. Around the turn of the twentieth century, Freeport was a summer desitination for Brooklynites. Previously Brooklyn real estate developers, especially John J. Randall, the "Father of Freeport," bought up most of the farmland and named the streets after themselves, their companies or their family members. If you have more information about how a street came to be named or have corrections, please let me know at freeporthistoricalsociety@yahoo.com.
Alexander Avenue - Alexander Rhodes bayman, real estate and sold land to Newton Bennington on Merrick Road.
Babylon Turnpike - Originally the Hemsptead-Babylon Turnpike, the only road going east.
Bedell Street - Long time freeport family of original settlers who were baymen.
Bennington Avenue - Newton Bennington, real estate developer of Bennington Park.
Benson Place - Benson House located on Main Street run by Geroge B. Smith whose son was Benson Smith.
Bergen Place - George Bergen grocer in the Brooklyn Valentine Bergen Co. who owned large parcels of land in Freeport.
Brunella Street - Albert Meister's daughter.
Carman Street (now President) - Baymen and an original settlers of Freeport.
Carroll Street - James Carroll real estate.
Casino Street -Casino beach and pool.
Charlick Place - Willett Charlick who was a promoter of the South Side Railroad
Church Street - Presbyterian Church on this street
Claurome Place - Sons of builder, Claude and Jerome.
Cornelius Street - Carman Cornelius, first president (mayor) of Freeport in 1892.
Davis Street - Russell Davis, insurance.
Davison Place - Alfred Davison, lawyer and real estate agent.
Dean Street - James Dean president (mayor) of Freeport from 1802-1905 and a Civil War veteran.
Denhoff Avenue - Family who lived on this street in the 1880s.
Doxsee Drive - Clammers and Robert Doxsee who was mayor of Freeport from 1949-1953.
Elinor Place - Elinor Smith, aviatrix.
Elliott Place - Gilbert Elliott, president of the Onslow-Moore Development Company of Bayview.
Ellison Avenue - Original settlers who were baymen including Alanson, Gordon, and J. Huyler.
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Florence Avenue - Albert Meister's daughter.
Forbes Place - Thomas Forbes Trolley Company and real estate.
Frederick Avenue - Cadman H. Frederick associated with the Long Island Realty Company and built hundreds of homes in the north east.
Grove Street - Bedell's Grove at Grove Street and Randall Avenue.
Guy Lombardo Avenue - Guy Lombardo, leader of the "Royal Canadians" dance band, lived on this street.
Gordon Place - Gordon Ellison of the Ellison family of baymen.
Grafing Place - Diedrich Grafing family lived here before the 1900s (The street sign in Freeport is misspelled).
Halsey Street - Lafayette Halsey insurance company.
Hanse Avenue - James Hanse president (mayor) of Freeport from 1912-1913, police chief and real estate developer.
Helen Avenue - Newton Bennington's secretary.
Holloway Street - John Holloway Village trustee who lived in a house on the cemetery grounds on Pine Street and was a Village trustee.
Irving Avenue - Albert Meister's son.
Jay Street - Middle name of John Jay Randall.
Jeannette Avenue - Albert Meister's wife.
Jesse Street - Jesse Lewisohn companion of Lillian Russell and one of the streets in Stromberg Park.
Johnson Place - Family of real estate developers, longtime residents and owner of the Swift Creek Inn.
Lena Avenue - Lena Randall Willetts, daughter of John Jay Randall.
Lester Avenue - Son of Albert Meister.
Maxson Avenue - Henry Maxson, lawyer and Village trustee.
May Court - J. R. May builder of Mayfair Gardens located at Seaman Avenue and North Brookside Avenue.
Mayfair Court - Development, Mayfair Gardens, located at Seaman Avenue and North Brookside Avenue.
Meister Boulevard - Brooklyn real estate developer Albert Meister.
Milburn Court - Milburn Creek which runs on the western border of Freeport.
Mill Road - Grist and saw mills of the Freeport River and probably was the original settlement in the 1660s.
Miller Avenue - William G. Miller, second president (mayor) of Freeport 1894-1900 and business partner of John J. Randall.
Moody Avenue - C. N. Moody developed Meserole Park in the north east.
Moore Avenue - Charles C. Moore active in real estate and insurance and trustee of the Board of Education.
Morton Avenue - Morton Development Company that developed western Southside Avenue.
Mount Avenue - Susan Mount owner of Mount Estates and philanthropist.
Newton Boulevard - Newton Bennington, real estate, developed Bennington Park.
Noon Place - Long time Freeport family including John Noon.
Onslow Place - Real Estate Company of Bayview Estates (Onslow-Moore).
Overton Street - Maiden name of John J. Randall's second wife, Mary Overton.
Pearsall Avenue - Farmers, baymen and long time residents.
Pine Street - Original settlers who were baymen and influential in real estate development, particularyly D. Wesley Pine.
Porterfield Place - Robert Porterfield, real estate developer.
Powell Street - Charles Powell, real estate developer and family name of settlers in the northeast at the corner of Bablyon Turnpike and Grand Avenue.
Pince Avenue - Adolph Prince a resident of Stearns Park and the father of City Judge Leopold Prince.
Randall Avenue - John Jay Randall, "Father of Freeport."
Raynor Street - Original settlers who were baymen. Edward Raynor settled in Freeport c. 1659.
Remsen Avenue - Original settlers who were baymen.
Rider Place - Rider family were long time residents involved with the waterfront and prominent in the fire department.
Rhodesia Avenue - No longer in existence, this street was named for Alexander Rhodes and was located in the Bennington Park area.
Russell Place - Originally Russell Street was located in Stromberg Park (now Willow Avenue) and named for Lillian Russell, burlesque and vaudeville star with the Weber and Fields Theatre.
Seaman Avenue - Well known family of original settlers both on Long Island and in Freeport.
Shea Court - Sylvester Shea, postmaster, Village trustee and Village clerk.
Sigmond Street - Charles Sigmond in the real estate business and owner of the Sigmond Opera House on Main Street, and a Village trustee.
Stevens Street - Frank Stevens, Village trustee from an old Freeport family.
Stillwell Place - Edwin Stillwell owner property on South Main Street and Bedell Street and was in the ice business.
Stirling Place - Stirling House Builders, Albert Meister's construction company.
Stokes Avenue - M. E. Stokes, real estate developer.
Swezey Avenue - Sidney Swezey, Village counsel, police judge and president of Freeport from 1917-1918. (The street sign is misspelled).
Templeton Street - No longer in existence. It was located at the east end of Parsons Avenue and named for Faye Templeton, actress with the Weber and Fields Theatre.
Utz Street - Family came from Germany. Dr. Charles Utz was a veterinarian and Christian Utz, a famer who was killed when he was kicked by a horse.
Wallace Street - George and Charles Wallace were in the real estate and publishing. George was president (mayor) of Freeport from 1900-1902.
Washburn Avenue - Original name of Freeport was Washburn's Neck.
Weberfield(s) Avenue - Joe Weber and Lew Fields ran the Weber & Fields burlesque theatre where John Stromberg of Freeport was the composer and musical director. After his death, the section south of Grand Avenue was named Stromberg Park and many of the streets named after people involved with Weber and Fields.
Whaley Street - Captain James Whaley and family, long time residents who were baymen.
Woodbine Drive - Name of John J. Randall's palatial home.
Woodcleft Avenue - John Jay Randall's development south of Merrick Road and the section's name was given to the street and canal.
