Blackwall was named in 1863 after Blackwall on the Thames by Rock Davis , a local shipbuilder. Blackwall on the Thames was known in England as the manufacturer of Blackwall refrigerators between 1837 and 1869.
There are numerous shops in the town center. Blackwell has a public school and kindergarten. There is also a police station in Blackwall.
The suburb has a boat slip and a recreation area, Kitchener Reserve , which has hiking trails and viewpoints at Blackwell Mountain. The part east of Kitchener Park is called Orange Grove .