Payne Avenue

Payne Avenue – this street caused a great deal of controversy when it was created. Colonel Lewis S. Payne, a Civil War hero, purchased the old Anguish farm in the Town of Wheatfield at what is presently the northwest corner of Payne Avenue and Wheatfield Street in 1854-1855. It was officially named Payne's Avenue and we do not believe that was ever changed, although signs and public usage call it Payne Avenue. Payne was an ardent Democrat and North Tonawanda was mainly Republican.

Originally built as North Tonawanda High School on Payne Avenue in 1929, the school was later renamed for George Lowry, eventually becoming Lowry Middle School. It was closed as a school in 2004. Photo:  Courtesy of George Trautman Collection

On February 5, 1859, Payne and 12 freeholders petitioned the highway commissioners to lay out a road from the Payne farm to Tonawanda Creek. At least half of this area was timbered land and woods. Originally called Payne's Road, it stopped at the wooded section at Goundry Street. On May 8, 1866, the first anniversary as a Village, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution laying out a street from Sweeney's Lane to the intersection of Payne's Road. It was named Forest Street.

On December 1, 1868, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution that: “Resolved that the streets in said village known as Forest Street and Payne's Road, one road being a continuation of the other, shall hereafter be known as Payne's Avenue from the northerly end of said road to the Tonawanda Creek.”

"The Junction" where the Niagara Falls and Lockport Trolley lines crossed Payne Avenue. Photo:  Courtesy of George Trautman Collection

On August 11, 1874, the Board of Trustees adopted another resolution: “That the name of the street heretofore known as Forest Street and now known as Payne's Avenue is hereby changed to the name of Mohawk Avenue and the said street is to be known as such.” The new name was short lived, for on June 7, 1875, the Trustees resolved, “That the resolution passed by the Board of Trustees of this village on the 11th day of August, 1874, purporting to alter or change the name of Payne's Avenue to Mohawk Avenue, be and the same hereby is rescinded (sic), annulled and expunged and that the said street be named, called and known hereafter as it has been for many years heretofore as Payne's Avenue.”

Albert's Barbershop operated in this house at 474 Payne Avenue for 25 years. Photo taken for survey dated October 17, 1950. Photo:  Courtesy of Albert Blachowicz Collection