Shortest Street in America

In Bellefontaine, there is a well-known saying that the area is known for the “Oldest, Highest, and Shortest.” That would be the oldest concrete street in America, the highest point in Ohio, and the shortest street in America. The shortest street in America is McKinley St. in Bellefontaine, measuring 30 feet long. The street is located near Bellefontaine’s downtown area.  

McKinley Street is located off of West Columbus Avenue and Garfield Avenue. The plot of ground was deeded to the city of Bellefontaine from Henry McKinnon on May 17, 1907. It is triangular in shape, with the street being the longest section of the triangle, or the hypotenuse. Mr. McKinnon was a Bellefontaine resident, Ohio Governor, in addition to being an owner of a prosperous mill where Logan County residents could take their wheat, corn, oats, and grain to be ground. Most historians agree that locals named the street after United States President William McKinley, who was born in Niles, Ohio. McKinley, who was the Ohio governor at the time, was also in Bellefontaine to dedicate the Memorial Hall on September 27, 1894.[1] Within the triangle of McKinley, Garfield, and West Columbus streets, is a park with a rock and plaque commemorating Governor McKinley’s visit in addition to the street. 

Located in close proximity of McKinley Street are railroad tracks and a single shop sits on the lot off of the 30-foot street. A generic green street sign brands the street as the “Shortest Street in America.” [2]While there is not a detailed history of the street, news articles can shed some light on what people have thought of the street and what has occurred there. According to a 1983 article, Stan Shepard, a shopkeeper who had owned the Tudor Electric Supply Inc. on McKinley Street for 51 years, claimed people would come into his shop and would ask him if the street in front of his shop was the shortest in the world. According to Shepard, when he first moved his business there in 1932, the address for his shop was just listed as “308.” [3] The article also claims that “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” also highlighted the shortest street and 1960s Bellefontaine postcards showed off the street's fame. 

During the present-day McKinley Street has, unfortunately, lost its title of the “Shortest Street in the World” title. The title now belongs to Ebenezer Place in Wick, Scotland. Ebenezer Place measures in at 6ft 9 inches, almost 8 feet shorter than McKinley Street. However, McKinley Street still holds the title of the “Shortest Street in America.” 

[1] Hassell, Esther. Logan County Celebrate Our Nation’s Bicentennial 1776-1976. Bellefontaine, Ohio.

[2] McKinley Street, Ohio History Central . Accessed January 28th 2022. https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/McKinley_Street.

[3] Streitengerger, Keith . "Short-cut: Guinnessn says Bellefontaine holds record." News-Sun (Springfield ) January 5th 1983.