The creek, also known historically as Mill Creek or Ireland Mill Creek, begins at what was formerly a swamp in the modern Kew Gardens Hills and Pomonok areas. The swamp was variously known as "Peat Bog Swamp", "Old Crow Swamp", "Doughty's Swamp", and "Gutman's Swamp". The swamp was bound by Vleigh Place near Main Street to its west, and Kissena Boulevard and Parsons Boulevard to the east. When Parsons and Kissena Boulevards were laid out as the combined "Jamaica and Flushing Road", the route curved around the north edge of the swamp. The curve later became known as "Dead Man's Bend", due to the frequent accidents that would appear there, until a bypass was made by extending Kissena Boulevard southeast to Parsons Boulevard. The original alignment between Kissena and Parsons Boulevards remains as the two-block Aguilar Avenue.
