I'd like to start a thread on streets, roads, cities and towns whose namesake is someone famous, even though they were not named after said person as you may have believed.
For example, there's a street in Orlando named Kaley Avenue that makes you think of Ms. Cuoco (the actress who played Penny on The Big Bang Theory), although its existence predates her birth.
What other examples can you name?
Town name: Lincoln, MA. For a while, I thought that at the time of the American Revolution, Lexington and Concord were adjacent (because of the battle names), and Lincoln was created later and named after our 16th president. It turns out that the town of Lincoln existed at that time (and is important to history but somewhat forgotten), and it was obviously not named after someone who wasn't born yet.
How many years before people are no longer aware that most streets named Clinton St. predate Bill?
Joliet, IL
The town is not named after Louis Jolliet, even though that explorer reached the area in 1673. The truth is that the town was first incorporated in the 1830s as Juliet, named after the founder's daughter. By the time the town re-incorporated fifteen years later–having nullified its previous incorporation status–the town's name had been changed to Joliet.
Source:
"The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (Second Edition), Dept of the Interior USGS, pub. 1905 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0258/report.pdf)
(.pdf warning)
Page 170
Turns out Visalia, CA is just named after a place in Kentucky. The name sounds kind of like something like you'd expect to have a Spanish origin given it is in California but it turned out not to be the case.
Man, I read 1's reply and my brain switched to thinking this topic included town names. Oops, sorry.
What a timely thread. Yesterday afternoon, my brother, who lives in New Orleans, sent my mother and me an e-mail with a weather map showing heat indices throughout southeastern Louisiana, including a 107° reading in New Orleans (he was getting ready to go out for a bike ride). The map showed Boothville at "000°," presumably due to damaged equipment or other Cristobal-related disruptions.
Our mom e-mailed back assuming that Boothville's name had some connection to John Wilkes Booth. My brother looked it up and advised it was named after a "Colonel Booth" who owned land in the area. John Wilkes Booth was never a colonel.
Quote from: kphoger on June 10, 2020, 10:52:35 AM
Joliet, IL
The town is not named after Louis Jolliet, even though that explorer reached the area in 1673. The truth is that the town was first incorporated in the 1830s as Juliet, named after the founder's daughter. By the time the town re-incorporated fifteen years later—having nullified its previous incorporation status—the town's name had been changed to Joliet.
Source:
"The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (Second Edition), Dept of the Interior USGS, pub. 1905 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0258/report.pdf)
(.pdf warning)
Page 170
Living here, that's only partially true. There was a mound, now gone as it was mined for clay, named "Joliet's Mound" or "Mount Joliet" for Louis Jolliet (also spelled Joliet and Joliette). The original town, on the east side where downtown is now, was named Juliet, apparently for a daughter of a settler. Romeo, later Romeoville, was named in complement to it. For the reincorporation in 1852, they consciously took the name of the mound named for the explorer.
In Chicago:
Clarence L. Shaffer, Sr. Drive – named after William and Caleb Halsted
Frank Lodarek Way – named after George Rogers Clark
Reverend J. M. Stone Drive – named after Senator Stephen A. Douglas
Apostle Cornelius Parker, Sr. Way – named after Amos G. Throop
Ronald Lucius Salazar Way – named after Daniel Elston
Górale podhalańscy Way – named after Colonel William Archer
Robert Borgstrom Way – named after John Kinzie
[/snark]
Quote from: Brandon on June 10, 2020, 12:09:48 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 10, 2020, 10:52:35 AM
Joliet, IL
The town is not named after Louis Jolliet, even though that explorer reached the area in 1673. The truth is that the town was first incorporated in the 1830s as Juliet, named after the founder's daughter. By the time the town re-incorporated fifteen years later–having nullified its previous incorporation status–the town's name had been changed to Joliet.
Source:
"The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (Second Edition), Dept of the Interior USGS, pub. 1905 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0258/report.pdf)
(.pdf warning)
Page 170
Living here, that's only partially true. There was a mound, now gone as it was mined for clay, named "Joliet's Mound" or "Mount Joliet" for Louis Jolliet (also spelled Joliet and Joliette). The original town, on the east side where downtown is now, was named Juliet, apparently for a daughter of a settler. Romeo, later Romeoville, was named in complement to it. For the reincorporation in 1852, they consciously took the name of the mound named for the explorer.
Having been born in Joliet, I thank you for mentioning Romeoville. I was going to but, by that time I got around to it, I'd realized this topic wasn't actually about city names.
Ford St in Manistee, MI predates Gerald R. Ford
There are several Lincoln counties in the south. Including in AL, GA, KY, NC and TN. All of them are named after Revolutionary War Major General Benjamin Lincoln, the most famous resident of my hometown, Hingham, MA, not the 16th US President. As well as the town of Lincolnton, GA and NC and Lincoln, VT.
Quote from: 1 on June 10, 2020, 10:36:31 AM
How many years before people are no longer aware that most streets named Clinton St. predate Bill?
Probably about -25 years.
Probably any place with a King Street where the street was named before MLK was killed.
Which is probably why most places that name streets after him use his full name, sometimes down to the "Jr.," instead of just calling it King Street.
One surprising entry for Kentucky is Lincoln County. Since Abe Lincoln was born here and spent some of his childhood here before the family moved away to Indiana and later Illinois, most people assume that the county is named for him. Nope. Lincoln County was one of Kentucky's first three counties when Kentucky County separated from Virginia and became its own state. The county is named for Benjamin Lincoln, whom I believe was a Revolutionary War figure but certainly not as famous as Honest Abe.
Quote from: ftballfan on June 10, 2020, 12:30:29 PM
Ford St in Manistee, MI predates Gerald R. Ford
Ford Road (M-153) from Detroit to Ann Arbor was not named for Gerald, nor for Henry. It was named for Henry's father, William.
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
Walker Avenue in Oklahoma City is probably not named after Walker, Texas Ranger.
Probably.
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is
only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
Of course, there would be no question if the county had actually changed
names–say, from King County to Washington County in honor of Booker T. Washington. Then they could legitimately say it was named after a different person. But, keeping the same name, I don't buy it.
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 10:27:12 AM
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
....
It's probably motivated by the fact that William King and his family owned at least 500 slaves, more than almost any other slaveholding family in Alabama.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
–George Orwell, 1984
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 10:46:16 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 10:27:12 AM
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
....
It's probably motivated by the fact that William King and his family owned at least 500 slaves, more than almost any other slaveholding family in Alabama.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
–George Orwell, 1984
You can't change etymology by claiming that it's something different. It's still named after the first person in reality.
Quote from: 1 on June 11, 2020, 11:00:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 10:46:16 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 10:27:12 AM
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
....
It's probably motivated by the fact that William King and his family owned at least 500 slaves, more than almost any other slaveholding family in Alabama.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
–George Orwell, 1984
You can't change etymology by claiming that it's something different. It's still named after the first person in reality.
Don't know whether you've read the book. In that world, if you believed what you just said, you would be guilty of thoughtcrime.
So, essentially, nothing changes, but you must now believe it's named after a different person?
That strikes me as completely illogical. Psychotic, almost.
Quote from: GaryV on June 10, 2020, 01:40:54 PM
Quote from: ftballfan on June 10, 2020, 12:30:29 PM
Ford St in Manistee, MI predates Gerald R. Ford
Ford Road (M-153) from Detroit to Ann Arbor was not named for Gerald, nor for Henry. It was named for Henry's father, William.
I don't know why anyone would think it was named for President Ford considering he was only president less than 50 years ago and that road was named Ford Road long before he was even born.
Quote from: webny99 on June 10, 2020, 01:20:05 PM
Quote from: 1 on June 10, 2020, 10:36:31 AM
How many years before people are no longer aware that most streets named Clinton St. predate Bill?
Probably about -25 years.
Some of them are probably named for DeWitt Clinton.
Quote from: webny99 on June 11, 2020, 11:16:28 AM
So, essentially, nothing changes, but you must now believe it's named after a different person?
That strikes me as completely illogical. Psychotic, almost.
I take it you've never read 1984. Find a summary of it online (even Wikipedia would probably do). You obviously get the point, though it sounds like you aren't familiar with the novel.
Going back to street names, I know very well the name of this street near us has nothing to do with a certain US president, but I still get a kick out of it and I wonder how many people who go house-hunting bypass that street just because of its name (seriously, I'm sure there are people who do that):
https://goo.gl/maps/iAY2YWwkJcaJpqcDA
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:12:34 AM
Quote from: 1 on June 11, 2020, 11:00:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 10:46:16 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 10:27:12 AM
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
....
It's probably motivated by the fact that William King and his family owned at least 500 slaves, more than almost any other slaveholding family in Alabama.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
–George Orwell, 1984
You can't change etymology by claiming that it's something different. It's still named after the first person in reality.
Don't know whether you've read the book. In that world, if you believed what you just said, you would be guilty of thoughtcrime.
Who needs a book for that? We might laugh at the thought, but I think at least some of us do so with a twinge of suspicion that something like that might be the reality in our society twenty years from now.
Quote from: webny99 on June 11, 2020, 11:16:28 AM
So, essentially, nothing changes, but you must now believe it's named after a different person?
That strikes me as completely illogical. Psychotic, almost.
Thank you for putting it so succinctly–except that the words 'illogical' and 'psychotic' don't go far enough. The King County Council, Governor Gregoire, and the 59th Legislature essentially signed a lie into law: that the county was renamed. In reality, the county didn't change names. But, if you continue to claim that the county is named after the nations 13th Vice President, then you're officially wrong.
Quote from: ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5332: Chapter 90, Laws of 2005
King county is renamed in honor of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.
Passed by the Senate March 8, 2005.
Passed by the House April 5, 2005.
Approved by the Governor April 19, 2005.
King County, Washington doesn't make any sense considering they changed the origin of the name. In reality King County, Washington is named for William R. King going all the way back to 1852 before Martin Luther King was even alive. Changing the reason that it's named King County in 2005 makes no sense at all. It was not named for Martin Luther King.
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 11:38:05 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:12:34 AM
Quote from: 1 on June 11, 2020, 11:00:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 10:46:16 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 10:27:12 AM
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
What the heck? That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for. To me, the question of who a locale was named for is only a question of who the founders had in mind when they chose the name.
....
It's probably motivated by the fact that William King and his family owned at least 500 slaves, more than almost any other slaveholding family in Alabama.
"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
–George Orwell, 1984
You can't change etymology by claiming that it's something different. It's still named after the first person in reality.
Don't know whether you've read the book. In that world, if you believed what you just said, you would be guilty of thoughtcrime.
Who needs a book for that? We might laugh at the thought, but I think at least some of us do so with a twinge of suspicion that something like that might be the reality in our society twenty years from now.
....
Twenty years from now? I strongly feel large parts of society are already trending that way. Look at this attitude of ostracizing people who express unpopular opinions, such as on Twitter.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:50:24 AM
Twenty years from now? I strongly feel large parts of society are already trending that way. Look at this attitude of ostracizing people who express unpopular opinions, such as on Twitter.
I think this topic drift is only two steps away from diving into politics, so let's tread lightly. But the reason I didn't type that is that Twitter is not the same as the government. But I can imagine the nebulous term "hate speech" continuing to grow larger and larger, to the point that something like claiming King County was
not named after MLK Jr could be considered hate speech. Or, perhaps more likely, a politician being asked to resign from his or her office for such a claim.
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 11:55:02 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:50:24 AM
Twenty years from now? I strongly feel large parts of society are already trending that way. Look at this attitude of ostracizing people who express unpopular opinions, such as on Twitter.
I think this topic drift is only two steps away from diving into politics, so let's tread lightly. But the reason I didn't type that is that Twitter is not the same as the government. But I can imagine the nebulous term "hate speech" continuing to grow larger and larger, to the point that something like claiming King County was not named after MLK Jr could be considered hate speech. Or, perhaps more likely, a politician being asked to resign from his or her office for such a claim.
What you're saying is more or less why I quoted the novel in the first place. You said, "That's like erasing the history of who the locale was named for." That sort of thing is exactly what the Party did in
1984, and indeed it's what Winston Smith's job was–rewriting historical documents, primarily to remove references to "unpersons" who were disfavored by the Party.
BTW, current events prompt me to remember a colleague with whom I worked 25 years ago who heard the name of a city in Virginia that is named after its founder, John Lynch. He didn't know anything about the city's history and assumed it was named for an unsavory form of extrajudicial murder that was once frequent in parts of the South.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 12:16:52 PM
BTW, current events prompt me to remember a colleague with whom I worked 25 years ago who heard the name of a city in Virginia that is named after its founder, John Lynch. He didn't know anything about the city's history and assumed it was named for an unsavory form of extrajudicial murder that was once frequent in parts of the South.
That was a reasonable assumption to make, considering that John Lynch was the brother of William Lynch, to whom is commonly ascribed the etymology of "lynching".
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 12:21:37 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 12:16:52 PM
BTW, current events prompt me to remember a colleague with whom I worked 25 years ago who heard the name of a city in Virginia that is named after its founder, John Lynch. He didn't know anything about the city's history and assumed it was named for an unsavory form of extrajudicial murder that was once frequent in parts of the South.
That was a reasonable assumption to make, considering that John Lynch was the brother of William Lynch, to whom is commonly ascribed the etymology of "lynching".
I thought the word was attributed to Judge Charles Lynch (who was John Lynch's brother, to be sure). But I highly doubt my colleague had heard of any of those people.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 12:46:38 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 11, 2020, 12:21:37 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 12:16:52 PM
BTW, current events prompt me to remember a colleague with whom I worked 25 years ago who heard the name of a city in Virginia that is named after its founder, John Lynch. He didn't know anything about the city's history and assumed it was named for an unsavory form of extrajudicial murder that was once frequent in parts of the South.
That was a reasonable assumption to make, considering that John Lynch was the brother of William Lynch, to whom is commonly ascribed the etymology of "lynching".
I thought the word was attributed to Judge Charles Lynch (who was John Lynch's brother, to be sure). But I highly doubt my colleague had heard of any of those people.
Yep, I typed the wrong first name. William claimed to have also coined the term, but it was Charles' use of it that probably led to its popularity.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:31:35 AM
Quote from: webny99 on June 11, 2020, 11:16:28 AM
So, essentially, nothing changes, but you must now believe it's named after a different person?
That strikes me as completely illogical. Psychotic, almost.
I take it you've never read 1984. Find a summary of it online (even Wikipedia would probably do). You obviously get the point, though it sounds like you aren't familiar with the novel.
No, I hadn't. I looked up both the Wikipedia page and the Spark Notes (memories of my school days!). Doesn't strike me as my kind of literature at all, but certainly interesting context for this discussion. In some ways, it seems likely to get more pertinent over time, I would say it certainly has done even over the past 3 months or so.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 11:31:35 AM
Going back to street names, I know very well the name of this street near us has nothing to do with a certain US president, but I still get a kick out of it and I wonder how many people who go house-hunting bypass that street just because of its name (seriously, I'm sure there are people who do that):
https://goo.gl/maps/iAY2YWwkJcaJpqcDA
Or here...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4414/36900158802_06c7e6a450_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/YdJXCw)2017 WV route-clinching trip Day 4 - 018 (https://flic.kr/p/YdJXCw) by H.B. Elkins (https://www.flickr.com/photos/hbelkins/), on Flickr
Or in Canton, Ohio:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200612/2b1311863ce6c07981c435321b54d72c.jpg)
In Butte, MT, Elizabeth Warren Drive is named after an early-20th-century socialite who was important in the town's history: https://mtstandard.com/news/local/mining-city-history-who-was-elizabeth-warren/article_5b6e4754-0739-5a1c-95b0-a563ed42297f.html.
Interesting story, too. I can't think of two things quite as different as the MA senator and Montana.
Quote from: Bruce on June 11, 2020, 02:41:58 AM
Until 2005, King County was officially named for Vice President William R. King. It was then switched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. (with his face on the flags and logos of the county).
William R. King had nothing to do with anything in the Pacific Northwest that I'm aware of. Not only that, but his term as VP lasted about a month. He was already dying of Tuberculosis when he was nominated as Franklin Pierce's running mate in 1852. He died in April 1853 after being sworn in in Havana.
Also, he and James Buchanan, Pierce's successor, were... let's say... "more than just friends." They had shared a house together for over a decade, attended social functions together, and had intended to run for President/VP as a team in 1852. The Democratic Party bosses apparenly liked King but not Buchanan.
By the surviving comments of the day, they were Washington's first prominent openly gay couple -- something Buchanan never really denied -- although there was no non-insulting term for such a relationship in the mid 19th century. They were called "Miss Nancy and Aunt Fancy," "Buchanan and his wife," "King and his better half," and other equally unflattering terms.
So it turns out that King was (briefly) our first gay VP and Buchanan was our first gay President, although his failures in office had nothing to do with his orientation.
There are two streets named Lincoln in Phoenix AZ. The first one, Lincoln St., which runs east and west at 600 South, on the south edge of downtown, was named for Honest Abe.
The second, Lincoln Dr., also runs east and west, but as an extension of Glendale Ave. beginning at 22nd St. running through Paradise Valley and Scottsdale. It is at 6500 North. It was named after businessman & philanthropist John C. Lincoln (1866-1959), who funded two hospitals in Phoenix, one of which is named after him. He and his wife had moved to Phoenix in 1931, due to his wife's Tuberculosis.
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on June 11, 2020, 11:27:55 PM
"King and his better half," and other equally unflattering terms.
How is that any less flattering than calling my wife and me "Kyle and his better half"?
Quote from: kphoger on June 12, 2020, 10:59:19 AM
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on June 11, 2020, 11:27:55 PM
"King and his better half," and other equally unflattering terms.
How is that any less flattering than calling my wife and me "Kyle and his better half"?
"My better half" is a very common saying used by people to refer to their significant other. Never thought of it as particularly unflattering.
I still have to remind myself that anything named Pearson in real life (i.e. not in my maps) isn't named so after a rare mitochondrial syndrome.
Then there's North Hitler Street in Kimmell, Indiana. One may wonder why it still has that name, but I recall reading long ago it is named after one of the early settlers of the area, not after who you think.
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on June 12, 2020, 04:34:17 PM
Then there's North Hitler Street in Kimmell, Indiana. One may wonder why it still has that name, but I recall reading long ago it is named after one of the early settlers of the area, not after who you think.
This man? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Lu_Hitler_Marak)
Quote from: kphoger on June 12, 2020, 10:59:19 AM
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on June 11, 2020, 11:27:55 PM
"King and his better half," and other equally unflattering terms.
How is that any less flattering than calling my wife and me "Kyle and his better half"?
We're not talking about an average husband and wife, or boyfriend and girlfriend. We're talking about two middle-aged men in an open "intimate relationship," in an era that wasn't exactly tolerant of homosexuals (the term wasn't even coined until later in the 19th century). I have to assume that it was different among Washington politicos, or they just dealt with it because of Buchanan's and King's stature.
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on June 12, 2020, 09:58:07 PM
(the term wasn't even coined until later in the 19th century).
Not sure about that... It seems to have been first used in 1580 (https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/my-better-half.html#:~:text=What's%20the%20origin%20of%20the%20phrase%20'My%20better%20half'%3F&text=It%20was%20used%20that%20way,half%20of%20a%20person's%20being.), although originally it was not restricted to spouses and could also refer to a good friend.
Quote from: webny99 on June 12, 2020, 10:05:42 PM
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on June 12, 2020, 09:58:07 PM
(the term wasn't even coined until later in the 19th century).
Not sure about that... It seems to have been first used in 1580 (https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/my-better-half.html#:~:text=What's%20the%20origin%20of%20the%20phrase%20'My%20better%20half'%3F&text=It%20was%20used%20that%20way,half%20of%20a%20person's%20being.), although originally it was not restricted to spouses and could also refer to a good friend.
I was referring to "homosexual," not "better half," although I'm surprised that term goes back that far.
How about Chevy Chase, MD (just outside of Washington DC). There is also a street by that name in Pasadena, CA.
And not quite the same thing, but there are two intersections that share the names of actors in So Cal: Gregory/Peck (Beverly Hills area) and Antonio/Banderas (Orange County, I think near Rancho Santa Margarita)
Quote from: M3100 on June 13, 2020, 12:38:45 AM
How about Chevy Chase, MD (just outside of Washington DC). There is also a street by that name in Pasadena, CA.
And not quite the same thing, but there are two intersections that share the names of actors in So Cal: Gregory/Peck (Beverly Hills area) and Antonio/Banderas (Orange County, I think near Rancho Santa Margarita)
Metro Phoenix has two intersections that share the name of former NFL players: Tatum/Bell (Denver Broncos, 2004-06, '08, Detroit Lions, 2007) in Phoenix, and Gilbert/Brown (Green Bay Packers, 1993-2003) in Mesa.
Quote from: M3100 on June 13, 2020, 12:38:45 AM
How about Chevy Chase, MD (just outside of Washington DC). There is also a street by that name in Pasadena, CA.
And not quite the same thing, but there are two intersections that share the names of actors in So Cal: Gregory/Peck (Beverly Hills area) and Antonio/Banderas (Orange County, I think near Rancho Santa Margarita)
And the Chevy Chase neighborhood in Lexington, Ky., just east of UK.
As for what H. B. Elkins said about King Street and MLK, I'm reminded of Madison, WI, where there is *both* a King Street and an MLK Boulevard. (Interestingly enough, both streets branch off of Capitol Square, and thus are within mere blocks of one another.)
Quote from: KCRoadFan on June 14, 2020, 02:44:15 AM
As for what H. B. Elkins said about King Street and MLK, I'm reminded of Madison, WI, where there is *both* a King Street and an MLK Boulevard.
Columbus, OH also has a King Ave. and a MLK Jr. Blvd.
Cartersville, GA is not named for the President from that region.
A residential street in Toledo, OH is name Goddard Rd. I had assumed it was named for the first rocket scientist, Robert H. Goddard, but the road appears to be have been named in the 1930, well before that would become noteworthy. Not sure who it was named after.
Similarly, across the Michigan state line, there's a Goddard Road outside of Detroit that runs from Romulus to Allen Park (and continues on all the way to the river, actually). That appears to have been named for the Goddard Farms in the region.
Quote from: lepidopteran on June 14, 2020, 08:27:05 PM
Cartersville, GA is not named for the President from that region.
It might have been named for an ancestor of his, though. That's entirely possible.
This one might not exactly match the OP's intent, but nevertheless I think it falls within the spirit of this thread.
I had always thought that the DC suburb of Beltsville, MD was a planned community built in the 1960's and named for the Capital Beltway, which runs nearby.
As it turns out, it was named such back in the 19th century after Truman Belt, a local tobacco farmer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltsville,_Maryland#History
Quote from: lepidopteran on June 14, 2020, 08:27:05 PM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on June 14, 2020, 02:44:15 AM
As for what H. B. Elkins said about King Street and MLK, I'm reminded of Madison, WI, where there is *both* a King Street and an MLK Boulevard.
Columbus, OH also has a King Ave. and a MLK Jr. Blvd.
In Charlotte, NC, there's Graham Street and the Billy Graham Parkway. And ironically, both have exits off I-85, seven miles apart.
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 11, 2020, 12:16:52 PM
BTW, current events prompt me to remember a colleague with whom I worked 25 years ago who heard the name of a city in Virginia that is named after its founder, John Lynch. He didn't know anything about the city's history and assumed it was named for an unsavory form of extrajudicial murder that was once frequent in parts of the South.
I once had a coworker lecture me on how inappropriate it was that DC had a suburb named after Alexander The Great. He seemed unaware of origins of Alexandria, Virginia's name and refused to believe me when I told him he was wrong.