A Walk Through History: Howard Street in Boone
Howard Street is more than just a road in downtown Boone—it’s a path through time, shaped by local legends, town growth, and community stories. While its exact origins remain a bit of a mystery, there are two main theories about how it got its name.
Theories Behind the Name
One popular belief is that Howard Street was named after Benjamin Howard, a frontiersman known for herding cattle in the New River valleys. He reportedly had a hunting cabin near Boone Creek, close to where the Daniel Boone with Hunting Dogs statue now stands on the Appalachian State University campus. His name also lives on in Howard’s Knob, the towering ridge just north of town.
Another theory claims that Calvin Jones Cottrell named the street after his grandson, Howard Cottrell. The story goes that during an auction in 1913 for a new neighborhood called “Appalachia”, the first buyer was given the honor of naming the street. When Cottrell secured the first lot, he supposedly said, “Well, I’ve got my grandson Howard with me. I’ll just name it Howard Street.”
From Open Land to Main Street Dreams
Regardless of its name’s origin, Howard Street didn’t always exist. When Boone was officially mapped out in 1849-1850, this road wasn’t even part of the plan. It wasn’t until 1913 that the eastern portion of the street was established, coinciding with the annexation of E. S. Coffey’s “Appalachia” subdivision. By 1915, local advertisements were already referring to it as Howard Street.
The western section took shape a bit later, starting in 1924. Boone was growing, and there was a push to create a “second main business street” alongside King Street. With warehouses popping up near the Linville River Railway tracks, this area was becoming an important commercial hub. By 1934, Howard Street was officially a through-street, connecting key parts of town.
Howard Street Today
If you walk down Howard Street now, you’re actually moving through two separate sections:
Western Segment – Runs from Burrell Street, through Depot Street and Appalachian Street, looping behind the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.
Eastern Segment – Starts at the College Street traffic circle and stretches to Hardin Street/Blowing Rock Road.
Even though it was developed in phases, Howard Street remains an important part of Boone’s downtown identity—a mix of history, local legend, and the town’s ever-evolving landscape.
Source:
Howard Street – Boone Street Names Project Report (Oct. 3, 2023). Town of Boone.
