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For years there has been a debate about the spelling of the name of this street. Seeing Theresa Cytlak of Ridgeway’s Floral Shop on W. Michigan Avenue reminded me of some history I ran across about her property which once was listed as #104 North Douglass Avenue. The addresses along present W. Michigan (old 1st North Street) changed from residential to commercial usage when businesses began fronting on W. Michigan Avenue. Now North Douglas starts with #108.
Otis Arnold, in 1880, was listed as a farmer with the farm and a Real Estate Owners & Dealers business on the Northwest corner of 1st North St. (W. Michigan and Douglas(s). This would be #104 Douglas Avenue which does not exist anymore. His son, George H. Arnold (1865-1934) was an attorney, city attorney, prosecuting attorney, and in 1913 the mayor of Three Rivers. He specialized in real estate and insurance. George was secretary of the Democratic County Committee. Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861), a Democrat, ran for president against Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) and lost. Lincoln did not care for Stephen A. Douglas.
Frederick Douglass, a former slave was born on a Douglas Plantation in the south. He had no last name so he used his plantation roots and added a second “s” to show he was a free person, a new person, and an abolitionist. He was a confidant and adviser of President Lincoln who thought highly of him. Two sons, Charles and Lewis Douglass, fought in the Civil War.
The four villages/wards of Brooklyn, Canada, Lockport, and Three Rivers, came together to form the Village and then City of Three Rivers. Most had numbered streets so the numbers had to be changed to names. Brooklyn (4th) using “Avenues” and Lockport (2nd) “Streets” kept their numbers. Three Rivers (1st) and Canada (3rd) changed their numbers all to names.
The meetings and choosing of names for the four Wards was probably very interesting with everyone expressing their opinions and ideas. Mr. Arnold would have stood against having another street in Third Ward named for Civil War generals, heroes, and/or friends of Lincoln.
The Douglas or Douglass debate was settled “for once and for all” by Mayor Kenneth Baker as Douglas Avenue with only one “s” but the second “s” keeps popping up in old history books and old Three Rivers City Directories. As for me I, see “s” on the sign but “ss” in my heart. Next time: Douglas Avenue – continued.
Submitted by Anna Smith, a Three Rivers history and mystery lover.
