Blackie Road (Monterey County)

[Max Rockatansky]

Blackie Road is an approximately five-mile highway located in Monterey County.  The corridor originates at US Route 101 in Prunedale and terminates to the west at California State Route 183 in Castroville.  Blackie Road was the original road which connected the communities of Castroville and Prunedale.  The corridor was bypassed in 1933 when Legislative Route 22 was extended from Prunedale west Castroville via San Miguel Canyon Road and Castroville Boulevard.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2025/06/blackie-road-monterey-county.html?m=1

[FredAkbar]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

[Max Rockatansky]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

I thought about that and tried to track down the origin of the name to no avail.  It doesn't seem to be on the radar of anyone in Monterey County.  Maybe it has something to do with the artichoke fields?

[flowmotion]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

I dunno, but in Tiburon, Blackie was a horse.

Hi Max - long time reader, first time caller. If you're in this area, there's Carmel Valley Road, Santa Clara G8, Corralitos Rd, CA-152, just off the top of my head.

[Max Rockatansky]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

I dunno, but in Tiburon, Blackie was a horse.

Hi Max - long time reader, first time caller. If you're in this area, there's Carmel Valley Road, Santa Clara G8, Corralitos Rd, CA-152, just off the top of my head.

Thanks, pretty sure all of those are on the catalog.  Speaking of that, here is the catalog (or rather page directory for California road blogs):

https://www.gribblenation.org/p/golden-state-highways-version-30.html?m=1

[flowmotion]

Thanks Max, looks like I get more time on your website

[Quillz]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

I don't know if the etymology is known, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was named after someone.

If it really came to that, just going with "Black Road" is probably all you'd need to do.

[Max Rockatansky]

Has there been any pressure to rename the road, given the derogatory/offensive nature of the word "blackie"? Or does it have some other meaning or origin in this context?

I don't know if the etymology is known, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was named after someone.

If it really came to that, just going with "Black Road" is probably all you'd need to do.

If there was something to the name, I'm pretty sure it would have come under scrutiny by now.  I'd be surprised it was a reference to something racial (I'm not dismissing the possibility) since this isn't the Deep South.  Then again nobody bothered to check into Squaw Valley Road in the recently renamed Yokuts Valley...