The Streets of Detroit
This section of the site is not complete. If you have a question about a street that is not listed, please email .
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| C Street | No longer appears on city maps. May still exist. West of 3100 Vinewood. 1 block south of 3900 Michigan | |
| Cabacier's Creek | Cabacier was the name of one of Detroit's original ribbon farmers. See also May's Creek | |
| Cabot Avenue | ||
| Cadet Avenue | ||
| Cadieux Avenue | ||
| Cadillac Avenue | Named for the founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. | |
| Cadillac Boulevard | Named for the founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. | |
| Cadillac Square | Named for the founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. | |
| Caely Avenue | ||
| Cahalan Avenue | ||
| Cairney Avenue | ||
| Caldwell Avenue | Thomas T. Caldwell (Missaukee County) and James C. Caldwell (Quilna Township Postmaster) both figure into Michigan history. Quilan Township was renamed Caldwell Township (1873) for Thomas. Perhaps the street got its name from one of these men -- or the township (if the street was named after 1873). | |
| Calhoun Avenue (Spw) | ||
| California Avenue (HP) | Probably named for the state. Highland Park | |
| Calumet Avenue | A calumet is the name of the clay stone bowl in some Native American peace pipes. | |
| Calvert Avenue | ||
| Cambridge Avenue | Could be named for Cambridge Township or Cambridge, England or neither. | |
| Cambridge Road | Could be named for Cambridge Township or Cambridge, England or neither. | |
| Cambridge Road N-S | Could be named for Cambridge Township or Cambridge, England or neither. | |
| Camden Street | Camden in Hillsdale County was named for Camden, NY (Michigan Place Names). Camden Street may get its name from the town in Hillsdale, the town in New York, the district in London, Camden Yard, or none of the above. | |
| Cameron Avenue | ||
| Camille Street | ||
| Camley Street | ||
| Campau Street N-S | Named for the Campau family ribbon farm. | |
| Campau's River | See May's Creek | |
| Campbell Avenue | Campbell in Ionia County was named for Irish immigrant brothers Jeremiah and Martin Campbell (Michigan Place Names). There may or may not be a connection here. | |
| Campbell Avenue N-S | Campbell in Ionia County was named for Irish immigrant brothers Jeremiah and Martin Campbell (Michigan Place Names). There may or may not be a connection here. | |
| Campus Martius | ||
| Candler Avenue (HP) | Highland Park | |
| Canfield Avenue E-W | John and Roswell Canfield began a settle in Manistee County called Canfield Mill Settlement (Michigan Place Names). The name may come from them/there. | |
| Caniff Avenue | ||
| Canonbury Street | ||
| Canterbury Avenue (Spw) | Perhaps named for the place in England. | |
| Canterbury Road | Perhaps named for the cathedral city in England. | |
| Canton Avenue | ||
| Canyon | ||
| Capitol Avenue | ||
| Carbon Street | Carbon in Saginaw County was named because the region was heavy with coal mining (Michigan Place Names). Not sure if that means anything for this street. | |
| Carbondale Avenue | Carbondale in Menominee County was named because of its charcoal kilns (Michigan Place Names). Not sure if that means anything for this street. | |
| Cardoni Avenue | ||
| Carlbert Avenue | ||
| Carleton Avenue | May have been named for George W. Carleton. Or it may have been named for Michigan poet, Will Carleton (1845-1912)(Michigan Place Names). | |
| Carlin Street | ||
| Carlisle Street | ||
| Carman Avenue | ||
| Carmel Avenue | ||
| Carol Street | ||
| Caroline Street | ||
| Carpenter Avenue | Named for Carpenter Creek and the Carpenter family (early farmers). Special thanks to John Bezik for this information. | |
| Carrie Avenue | ||
| Carson Avenue | May be named for Carson City, Nevada. Could also be named for Arthur Carson (for whom Carsonville in Sanilac County was named; Michigan Place Names) | |
| Carten/Carton Avenue | ||
| Carter Avenue | ||
| Cartridge Avenue | ||
| Cary Street | ||
| Cascade Avenue | Cascade in Kent County was named for ''the fine fall of water.'' (Michigan Place Names). I don't know if that can apply here or not. | |
| Casgrain Avenue | ||
| Casino | ||
| Casmere Avenue (Ham) | Hamtramck | |
| Casper Avenue | ||
| Cass Avenue | Named for Lewis Cass. Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Like a number of other streets located west of Woodward, Cass was once a farm boundary line. The Lewis Cass farm, purchased from the Macomb family, was one of the largest Detroit farms, the width of Cass to Third Street and north from the Detroit River to Grand Boulevard in length. The 500 acres bought for $12,000 and the subsequent growth of Detroit made Cass a very wealthy man. Cass came to Detroit as a schoolmaster in the early 1800s and became a lawyer, a colonel in the militia, and a general in the U.S. Army. In 1813 President James Madison appointed Cass the second governor of the Michigan territory, a post he held for 18 years. He became a U.S. Senator from Michigan in 1845. In 1848 he ran for president as a Democrat, but lost to Whig Zachary Taylor. He served in the Senate until 1857 and was President James Buchanan's Secretary of State. Cass Street was located immediately west o | |
| Castle Avenue | ||
| Castle Avenue (Spw) | ||
| Castleton Avenue | Could be named for Castleton in Barry County. | |
| Cathedral Avenue | ||
| Catherine Street | ||
| Cavalry Avenue N-S | ||
| Cecil Avenue | Could be named for Cecil in Emmet County. | |
| Cedar Avenue | Probably named for the Cedar tree. | |
| Cedargrove Avenue | Probably named for the Cedar tree. | |
| Cedarhurst Avenue | Probably named for the Cedar tree. | |
| Cedarlawn Avenue | Probably named for the Cedar tree. | |
| Celeron Avenue | Probably named for Celeron de Blainville. Celeron Island is named for him. The French sent him to protect their claims in the Ohio Valley in 1749. He became a commandant at the fort. Alternate spelling is Celoron. | |
| Celestine | Named for Celestine Young (brother of Frank X. Young; grandfather of Jeffery T. Young; and great-uncle of Thomas Constance). In or around 1853, Nicholas Young purchased a large amount of land in Detroit in the area of what is now Celestine and Young Streets. Nicholas divided the land between his children (including his son, Stephen). Stephen Young's great-grandson, Jeffery Young writes, ''I believe that Celestine Street was named for my grandfather Celestine Young (Stephen's son and Thomas Constance's great uncle.) The story goes that my grandfather, Celestine approx. 8 years old at the time, was standing at the corner of Young Street and a cross road that was under construction when he overheard the workers stating that they didn't have a name for the new street. He then said 'How about Celestine?' and the name stuck.'' Jeffery sent this photo of his father, Celestine Charles Young, standing at the intersection of Celestine and Young in June of 2014.  Special thanks to Jeffery T. Young and Thomas Constance for providing this information. | |
| Celia Street | ||
| Center Line Road | Named by the French because it was the middle one of three Native American trails leading from Fort Ponchartrain to trading posts in the north. | |
| Central Avenue | Probably named for marking the center of something. | |
| Centre/Center Street | Probably named for marking the center of something. | |
| Chadwick Street | Chadwick in Ionia County was named for Charles Chadwick (Michigan Place Names). This street may or may not have been named for the man or the town. | |
| Chalfonte Avenue | Named after a French Lieutenant Chalfonte in the French garrison posted at Fort Ponchartrain, back around the 1750s, when the Canadian Governor was offering free land to anyone who would settle in Detroit. Special thanks to Larry Topping who learned this story from his mother. Larry adds, ''Now, I don't know if this story is true or not, but it's the only story I've ever heard about the name origin of Detroit's Chalfonte Avenue. '' | |
| Chalmers Avenue N-S | ||
| Chamberlain Avenue | Chamberlain in St. Joseph County was named for Francis J. Chamberlain, its first postmaster (1842)(Michigan Place Names). I don't know if the street shares this namesake. | |
| Chandler Avenue | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Chandler is the namesake of Senator Zachariah Chandler, a leading merchant, former mayor of Detroit (1851) and founder of the Republican party. The Detroit News building on Lafayette was built on the site of his former home." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Chandler Avenue (HP) | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Chandler is the namesake of Senator Zachariah Chandler, a leading merchant, former mayor of Detroit (1851) and founder of the Republican party. The Detroit News building on Lafayette was built on the site of his former home." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Chandler Park Drive | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Chandler is the namesake of Senator Zachariah Chandler, a leading merchant, former mayor of Detroit (1851) and founder of the Republican party. The Detroit News building on Lafayette was built on the site of his former home." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Chapaton Street | The Chapatons or Chapotans were early Detroit landowners (possibly ribbon farmers) and this street's namesake/s. | |
| Chapel Avenue | ||
| Chapin Street | Chapin in Saginaw County was named for township organizer, Austin Chapin (Michigan Place Names). Chapin Lake in St. Joseph County was named for settler, David Chapin (Michigan Place Names). The street may or may not have been named for the township, the lake or one (or both) of the men. | |
| Charest Avenue(Ham) | Possibly named for a Civil War General. (Hamtramck) Special thanks to John Bezik for this information. | |
| Charlemagne Avenue | Probably named for the Roman Emperor. | |
| Charles Street | According to Michigan Place Names, there are several ''Charles'' who gave their names to Michigan places. There was lumberman Charles F. Read (Mackinac County); Jacob Charles (Cass County); postmaster Charles M. Nichols (Kalamazoo County). This street could be named for any of these men or places, or something completely different. | |
| Charleston Avenue | According to Michigan Place Names, there are several ''Charles'' who gave their names to Michigan places. There was lumberman Charles F. Read (Mackinac County); Jacob Charles (Cass County); postmaster Charles M. Nichols (Kalamazoo County). This street could be named for any of these men or places, or something completely different. | |
| Charlevoix Avenue | Named for Father Pierre Francis Xavier Charlevoix. | |
| Charlotte Avenue | Charlotte in Eaton County was named for the wife of Edmond Bostwick (Michigan Place Names). I don't know if this street has any connection to the town or the woman. | |
| Chartier Avenue (Ham) | ||
| Chase Road (Spw) | Joseph Chase was the first postmaster in what became Chase's Corners in Oakland County (Michigan Place Names). There may or may not be a connection here. | |
| Chase Street | Joseph Chase was the first postmaster in what became Chase's Corners in Oakland County (Michigan Place Names). There may or may not be a connection here. | |
| Chatfield Street | ||
| Chatham Avenue/Street | Chatham in Alger County was named for Chatham, Ontario (Michigan Place Names). I don't know if the street has any connection. | |
| Chatsworth Avenue/Road | ||
| Chelsea Avenue | Chelsea in Washtenaw County was named for Chelsea, Massachusetts (Michigan Place Names). This street was likely to be named for one of the towns. | |
| Chene Street | Named for the Chene family ribbon farm. | |
| Chenlot Avenue/Street | ||
| Cherokee Drive | Well, probably named for the Native American Nation. | |
| Cherry Street | Now known as ''Kaline Street'' for Tiger great, Al Kaline. When it was Cherry Street, it was probably named for the cherry tree. | |
| Cherrylawn Avenue | Probably named for the cherry tree. | |
| Cheshire Avenue/Street | Probably named for Cheshire, England. | |
| Chesterfield Road | May have been named for Chesterfield in Macomb County. | |
| Chestnut Street | Probably named for the chestnut tree. It is common for areas in cities to have streets named after trees. Chestnut Street in Detroit is near Maple Street. | |
| Cheyenne Avenue/Street | Probably named for the Native American Nation/tribe. | |
| Chicago Avenue | Probably named for Chicago, Illinois. | |
| Chicago Boulevard | Probably named for Chicago, Illinois. | |
| Chipman Place/Street | ||
| Chippewa Avenue/Street | I'm guessing this was named for the Native American Nation/tribe. | |
| Chope Place | ||
| Chopin Avenue | Perhaps named for composer, Frederic Chopin. | |
| Christiancy Street | Probably a religious thing. | |
| Christopher Avenue (Ham) | ||
| Christy Avenue | ||
| Church Street | ||
| Church Street (HP) | Highland Park | |
| Church Street (Spw) | ||
| Churchill Avenue | There was once a church that sat on a hill... Just kidding. I don't know... | |
| Cicotte Street | Perhaps named for Springwells, Michigan born baseball player Eddie Victor Cicotte. | |
| Ciliax Street | ||
| Cincinnati Street | Probably named for the town in Ohio. | |
| Civic Place | ||
| Clairmount Avenue | ||
| Clairpoint/e Avenue N-S | ||
| Clairview Avenue | ||
| Clarendon Avenue | Clarendon in Calhoun County was named for Clarendon, New York. The street may have been named for one of these places. | |
| Clarion Avenue | Clarion in Charlevoix County was named for Clarion, Pennsylvania. The street may have been named for one of these places. | |
| Clarita Street | ||
| Clark Avenue | Clark City in Monroe County was named for postmaster, Justus Clark. I don't know if there is a connection. Clark Avenue was likely named for John Person Clark, a very prominent Detroiter. Clark (and McKinstry, Scotten, and Hubbard) plat image. 
Special thanks to Jack, for the image and info about John Clark, and all of the other great info you've shared. | |
| Clark Avenue S | Clark City in Monroe County was named for postmaster, Justus Clark. I don't know if there is a connection. | |
| Clark Court | Clark City in Monroe County was named for postmaster, Justus Clark. I don't know if there is a connection. | |
| Clarkdale Avenue | Clark City in Monroe County was named for postmaster, Justus Clark. I don't know if there is a connection. | |
| Clay Avenue/Street | ||
| Clayburn Street | ||
| Clayton Avenue | ||
| Clements Avenue | ||
| Cleveland Avenue/Street | May be named for Cleveland, Ohio (which is named for General Moses Cleaveland) or may be named for President Grover Cleveland. If you find out when the street was named, that might help eliminate one or both of these possibilities. | |
| Cleveland Place | May be named for Cleveland, Ohio (which is named for General Moses Cleaveland) or may be named for President Grover Cleveland. If you find out when the street was named, that might help eliminate one or both of these possibilities. | |
| Cliff Avenue | ||
| Clifford Street | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Clifford has a bit of humor attached to its name. Thomas Cliff owned the only home in this area of the city and ran a tavern where the David Whitney Building now stands. A creek crossed the road near the tavern and overflowed onto the road in the spring. When the festive set of Detroit wanted some merry-making, they usually went up to Cliff's place and crossed over the creek by means of stepping stones. When the roisterers returned they had great difficulty keeping on the stones, so they would return to town wet to their knees (sometimes even elbows). The townspeople referred to the crossing as "Cliff's ford." It first appeared on a map published by John Farmer in 1835." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Clifton Avenue | ||
| Clinton Street | ||
| Clippert Street | ||
| Clough Street | ||
| Cloverdale Avenue | ||
| Cloverlawn Avenue | ||
| Clyde Avenue | ||
| Cobalt Street | ||
| Cobb Place | Named for Ty Cobb. | |
| Codding Street | ||
| Cody Avenue | ||
| Coe Street | ||
| Colburn Place | ||
| Colby Street | ||
| Coleman Avenue (Spw) | ||
| Colfax Avenue | ||
| College Avenue/Street | ||
| Collingham Drive | ||
| Collingwood Avenue | ||
| Collins Avenue (Ham) | Hamtramck | |
| Colonial Avenue | ||
| Colorado Avenue (HP) | Named for the state of Colorado. Highland Park | |
| Colton Avenue | ||
| Columbia Avenue E-W | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News writes: "John R, Elizabeth and Columbia streets are named for personal reasons. John R. Williams was a landowner , merchant and bank president in the first half of the 19th century, who named the street after himself. Baptized John Williams, he adopted the letter 'R' to distinguish himself from another John Williams in Detroit. Some of his business ventures, such as publishing an early newspaper, included his uncle, Joseph Campau. Williams was a general in the Territorial Militia, a member of the board of trustees at the 'new' University of Michigan and the first elected Detroit mayor in 1824. Williams named Elizabeth after his daughter, and Columbia after a street where he lived in Albany, New York." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Columbus Avenue | Probably named for Christopher Columbus. | |
| Commercial Street | ||
| Commonwealth Avenue | ||
| Commor Avenue (Ham) | Hamtramck | |
| Compass Avenue | ||
| Comstock Avenue (Ham) | Probably named for Michigan Governor William Comstock. Hamtramck | |
| Conant Avenue | ||
| Concord Avenue | ||
| Conger Avenue | ||
| Congress Street E-W | Mary Bailey of the Detroit News, writes, "Congress was named in honor of the 1826 Congress. In that year, Congress granted to Detroit the military reserve through which the street ran." http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199#ixzz0qOP2Vxki | |
| Conley Avenue | ||
| Connecticut Avenue (HP) | Named for the state? Highland Park | |
| Connors/Conner Avenue | ||
| Connors/Conner Lane | ||
| Conrad Street | ||
| Constance Avenue | ||
| Continental Avenue N-S | ||
| Conwar Place | ||
| Conway Avenue | ||
| Cook Street | ||
| Cooley Street | Probably named for Thomas F. Cooley, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. | |
| Coolidge Highway | Probably named for President Calvin Coolidge. | |
| Coon Avenue | ||
| Cooper Court | Named for barrel makers everywhere... Maybe. | |
| Cooper Street | Named for barrel makers everywhere... It turns out that's probably not the case. A man named Cooper owned a farm in the area in the 1830s It is believed that the street was named for him. Special thanks to Robert Lessnau for sharing this information. Robert received the information from Mr. Cooper's great-grandson. | |
| Cope Avenue | ||
| Copland Avenue N-S | ||
| Coplin Avenue N-S | ||
| Coram Street | ||
| Corbett Avenue | ||
| Corbin Avenue | ||
| Cordell Street | ||
| Cordova Avenue | ||
| Corey Street | ||
| Cornell Avenue | ||
| Cornwall Avenue | ||
| Cortland Avenue (HP) | Highland Park | |
| Cottage Grove Avenue (HP) | Highland Park | |
| Cotterell Avenue | ||
| Coulter Avenue (Spw) | ||
| Council Street (Ham) | Hamtramck | |
| Courville Avenue | ||
| Coventry Avenue | ||
| Covert Avenue | ||
| Covington Drive | ||
| Coyle Avenue | ||
| Craft Street | ||
| Craig Avenue (Ham) | Hamtramck | |
| Craig Street | ||
| Crane Avenue | ||
| Cranshaw Avenue | ||
| Crawford Avenue | ||
| Crawford Street S | ||
| Cresswell Street | ||
| Crocuslawn Avenue | A lawn full of crocus is a lovely sight in spring. | |
| Cromwell Avenue | ||
| Cromwell Street | ||
| Cross Street | ||
| Crossley Street S | ||
| Crowley Avenue | ||
| Crown | ||
| Crudder Avenue | ||
| Crusade Street | ||
| Cruse Street | ||
| Crystal Street | ||
| Cullen Avenue | Don't even go there... | |
| Culver Avenue | ||
| Culver Avenue (Spw) | ||
| Cumberland Avenue/Way | ||
| Curt Street | ||
| Curtis Avenue | ||
| Curwood | ||
| Cushing Avenue | ||
| Custer Avenue | ||
| Cutler Street | ||
| Cypress/Cyprus Street | Probably named for the tree (cypress) or the sovereign state (Cyprus). |
