Street Names Carry On Our History

 

Many of our streets and roads today still carry the name they were given over 100+ years ago. Many of them were named after the families that owned the land, or prominent businessmen of the time, and a few named for businesses that were located on them, such as Mill Street.

From the archives of The Crittenden Press we learn some of this history.

April 23, 1934, Corum Brothers, of Madisonville, have completed spreading a rock surface on the highway from Tribune to the high school building beyond Shady Grove. With efficient men and ten modern trucks they have demonstrated what can be done in highway building, having done about eight miles in less than twelve days. 

We are informed by highway officials that the balance of the highway to Providence will get a rock surface this year.

 

Of the many splendid people who live on, or do business on Belleville Street, in Marion, we doubt if there is a score of them who could correctly answer the question, Where did the name Belleville, originate? (Sometime later the 'e' was left out of the name)

 

The story goes back perhaps a hundred years or more, to a time when a Mr. Bell established a trading point on Tradewater, about three miles west of Providence, near where Belleville bridge now stands.

 

A village grew up about him, which was called Belleville, in his honor. A state road was established which led out west from here across Tradewater bottoms and up into the hills, and on to, and down Big Piney Hill across Piney Creek and thence up and down the hills toward Marion.

 

This road then, and for many years afterwards, was known only as the "Belleville" road. It led on to and through Marion and later the name of the Tradewater village, Belleville, was also applied to the street.

 

Mr. Bell, long years ago, passed on and this once thriving little village in now but a name; the old Belleville road has earned a rest and is now superseded, mainly, by a new state highway. However, may the name, Belleville, continue to be honored in the future ages, by as fine a people, whom it shall serve, as those who work and abide on it today.

 

Belleville Road and the small Belleville area are still remembered today, they are still listed on the maps of Webster County.

 

If you would like a scenic drive through our beautiful Crittenden County countryside, take Hwy. 120 to Shady Grove, turn left at the Stop sign onto SR 1917, then turn right onto Providence Rd. 

 

As you travel along this road through some beautiful countryside, you will pass by Tradewater Baptist Church, which is now a family dwelling, and on your right will be the Hood Family Cemetery, where Chastine Hood is buried, one of our early Crittenden County pioneers. Continue following the road and you will come into the area in Webster County which is the village of Belleville. 

 

West Bellville Street as we know it today, was then called Salem Street.  In the first days of Marion it was expected to become the principal business street of Marion, but by 1902 the Main Street in front of the Court House had became the main avenue of shopping and business houses.