SKANEATELES — Academy Street: Originally this street extended from Jordan Street east to the Skaneateles Academy and the end of the original State Street. The east portion past State Street was to be called William Street. That was never used. It was called East Academy Street. Today some refer it to as ‘upper Academy Street.’
Austin Street received its name from the Aaron Austin family who owned a farm bounded by Jordan Street on the west and State Street on the east and Austin Street was the south boundary. Later it was extended west to Railroad Street now called Fennell St.
Chestnut Circle: A two house cul-de-sac off East Genesee Street, probably named for the Horse Chestnut trees that existed throughout the village.
Elizabeth Street: The street originally ran from Jordan Street east to John Street, now Leitch Avenue. This was part of Charles Burnett’s property which he donated for a street. It was named after his daughter Elizabeth. Later the street was extended west to Railroad Street and west to Franklin Street – and east to East Street.
East Street: First known as Baber Street for the family who settled opposite to the Austin farm. Later it was changed to East Street running from Onondaga Street north beyond the village line. There is no documented reason why it was called East Street other than it was the east most street in the village.
East Lake Street: Originally called Somerset Street named for the tavern on the corner of East Lake Street and Onondaga Street, The Somerset House. Later the name was changed to Cross Street since it was the crossover between Onondaga and Genesee Street. Then it was changed to East Lake Street. That caused some confusion with East Lake Road or New York Route 41.
East Lake Road (Street): Route 41 Named because it was the road that headed south along the east side of the Lake. The portion of East Lake Road that is within the village limits had the name corrected and is now called East Lake Street.
Fennell Street named after Martin Fennell a resident of the street and an engineer on the Skaneateles Railroad and on the lake steamboats. Originally called Railroad Street as the railroad ran right next to the roadway all the way north outside the village. In the old railroad days this street was named “soot alley” because of the smoke from the locomotives.
Fuller Street: One block in the village, it extends north off West Genesee Street and becomes Franklin Street in the town. Named after prominent abolitionist and Quaker, James Canning Fuller, whose house is across from Lake View Cemetery, on the corner.
Gayle Road: The street extends west off East Lake Street. Developer Reardon bought the property from Donald Dodd. The area became a housing tract. The road was named for Dodd’s daughter, Gayle.
Genesee Street: US Route 20 The main street in the village, and was known as Main Street in very early days. Most villages and cities in Central New York State have a Genesee Street. Many people who settled in our state because of the westward movement had Genesee country which is west of the village, as their destination. Often streets were named for the destination of those who used them the most often. It was also called the Skaneateles-Hamilton Turnpike.
Goodspeed Place: A short dead end street running north off of East Genesee Street. Charles Goodspeed raised ginseng, and had ginseng sheds and drying trays in the area. It was previously called Oak Street for the many large oak trees there.
Griffin Street: Jacob Griffin, a prominent Quaker came here is 1844. He owned land along the street, which was given his name.
Hannum Street: This street is between West Genesee Street and Griffin Street. At first it was a very narrow street leading to The Creamery and the village Pound. The street was once called ‘pound alley.’ Also called North Street by some. Spencer Hannum bought property along the outlet and built a house and foundry.
Highland Street: It runs between Orchard Road and Franklin Street. The origin of the name is unknown.
Jordan Street: The destination theory might apply to the naming of Jordan Street. It was the way to the hamlet of Jordan, where the canal provided transportation to other parts of the state.
Kane Avenue: December 1948 a new street was extended south from West Genesee Street to West Lake Road (Route 41A). It was named for Samuel Kane who was President of the village from 1923-1927.
Kelley Street: A short street between Fennell and Hannum Streets. The village wanted to connect the two streets and this was the shortest distance over the outlet. The story was that it was named for a ‘troubled’ man named Kelley. He was befriended by William Stuart a prominent citizen of the village, who asked the man if he’d like a street named for him. He said “yes.” So this very short street became Kelley Street.
Lakeview Circle: A single entrance south off East Genesee Street, this 1950s development’s road circles down to the Lake and back north to reconnect. Originally the lakefront property of the Specht home (now the Athenaeum) it offered a grand view of the lake.
Leitch Avenue: A narrow street running north off East Genesee Street to Elizabeth Street originally named John Street, son of merchant, Postmaster and large land owner Charles Burnett. George Leitch owned the land on the east side bordering John Street. He offered giving 12 feet of land next to John Street to the village to widen the street, and plant trees, if they would name it Leitch Avenue.
Onondaga Street: The Genesee Street and Jordan Street theory may also apply to Onondaga Street. It was the route east to the Town of Onondaga, which in the early days was just a small settlement. Outside the village limits it is called New Seneca Turnpike. (see Skaneateles Press Historic Moment of Feb 23, 2022 on stage coaching).
Orchard Road connects West Genesee Street with West Elizabeth Street. James Root, who lived in the Fuller home had a large nursery with orchards being a part of it. He was a distributor of apples and other plants. The Fuller house is oriented facing east overlooking the orchard and nursery. Orchard Road was extended north into the new development.
State Street (State Route 321): About 1828, the street extended north off East Genesee Street to Academy Street, where the Skaneateles Academy was located. There is no documentation as to why it got the name ‘State Street.’ One property deed calls it Center Street, probably because of its central location in the business district. A later extension of State Street from Academy Street north to the Village line was called Syracuse Street. Again, the destination naming seems to apply here. Land for this street was again, donated by Charles Burnett. Eventually the entire length within the village was called State Street.
Teasel Lane A short street running south off Onondaga Street created for a new residential development. Named because teasels were grown in the area. It can be joined to Goodspeed Place.
West Lake Street In the early days it was known only as Lake Street. It ran south along the west shore of the lake to the village limits. After that it becomes West Lake Road.
Note- the Fire Lanes in the village were designated by numbers on the west side and letters on the east side. In 1991, the new county-wide emergency dispatching system could not handle just numbers or letters as addresses. So, the village, with the help of the historians, who suggested local historical names, historical names were given to the lanes. One exception was for Fire Lane B, on the east side. The name Bitter Sweet Lane was chosen by a resident of that lane.
Other newer streets have been added. Some are: Ramblewood Drive, Sachem Drive, Whitegate Drive, Heritage Woods Road, Wicklow Drive, Heather Woods Court, Hawthorne Woods Court, Woodmere Lane. These names were selected by the developer and verified by Onondaga County Planning, to make sure of no duplications elsewhere in the County. The Village Historian also suggested other famous local names: Barrow Lane, Packwood, Sinclair and Prentiss Drives, for the new subdivision north of West Elizabeth Street.
Note – information on these names was provided, in part, by the late Skaneateles Historian Helen Ionta’s notes.
By Jorge Batlle
Skaneateles Village Historian
