BS: Unusual Street/Road Names

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: RangerSteve
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 02:17 PM

I just joined Mudcat and started this thread a few days ago. I'm impressed with the answers I got. thanks. Today while driving around the country side I came across Federal Twist Rd. Most of the narrow roads around here are from the 18th century, so this one most likely predates the Twist dance craze. It's in Hunterdon County, NJ. Also in the paper recently was a story about County Route 666 in Warren County. The signs keep disappearing, probably kids stealing them, and ever since the county numbered the road, the residents have been nervous. I believe the number is going to be changed soon. Also, Allan C. recommends a related link above. Somebody should revive it. I can't believe it only got a few replies and died out a year ago. If someone doesn't revive it by tomorrow (6/12/01) I'll do it myself.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:05 PM

Going to the cajun dance in Gloucester last night
Fountain Inn 2nd Sun but transfers to Cheltenham as part of the fringe in July (Aug is closed)

I parked in "Ladybellgate St".
The gate may have been an entrance in the city walls or "gate" may be a corruption of "gait" - a walkway - a passage - a street in fact. Presumeably Ladybell was a bell named for or donated by a lady.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: gnu
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:10 PM

Crown Crescent, where I reside for another two months before the big move, is not an odd name... but every time I phone the Golden Eagle Restaurant and order Dinner for Two and an Almong Guy Ding, they repeatedly say Clown Clescent and laugh hysterically. I wonder what they will do with Leeside Drive, my next address ? Mike, the restaurant owner, is a cool guy, but he won't tell me his real first name... says I would never be able to pronounce it. Anyone know the Chinese equivalent of "Mike" ?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Metchosin
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:34 PM

Well there's Ragged Ass Road in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada. They have started to make replicas of the sign for sale as they have had it stolen so many times and there is Jinglepot Road, from the old mining days in Nanaimo, BC.

There is also a Kangaroo Road and Walaby Drive, with nary either one in sight admist the cedar and Douglas fir where I live on Vancouver Island, but we do have the occasional feral minature Mongolian deer, which can be disconcerting for the nearby pub patrons.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:44 PM

Not a street name but a town name: Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Named for a famous Indian chief.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 04:04 PM

Accident, Maryland (mentioned above) has North North Street and South North Street and North South Street and South South Street. Go figure.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: chip a
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:02 PM

Possum Trot, Turkey Trot in N. Ga.

Chunky Gal in N.C.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,Murray
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:04 PM

In Dutchess Co.N.Y. we have an Old Martin Rd. & Joe's Mother's Rd. Our Conn. neighbors have, Poor House Rd., Hanging Hill Dr. & Slaughter Hill Dr.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:27 PM

I had to type out Headstone Lane, Harrow 6 times this afternoon.... And my dad used to live in a dead end road called Cemetary Road. Most people who went down it were lying down and didn't come back!!

The stupidest names must be those that do it twice - not New York, NY, but things like Tor Hill (Tor meaning hill) or the River Thames - Thames is a corruption of two words, Thame & Isis, one ancient Briton, one Roman, both mean river. So the River Thames is the River River River. Somewhere in Cornwall is Hill Hill Hill Hill. Avenue Road always gets me, but I've also seen Street Road (going to the village of Street, Somerset).

And it's true about the police station. It's the only building down it, so they had a bit of a sense of humour with it.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Jeep man
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:28 PM

Western North Carolina. WRING RAG ROAD, POVERTY BRANCH, MILK SICK COVE, RAVEN'S FORK, SHUT IN, DOE BRANCH, POSSUM HOLLER. This is but a few of many. Jeep

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:45 PM

I have heard of a Duck's Hole Alley, which the local vicar wished to be renamed for some reason, and to the mystification of locals, who knew it meant a small pond favoured by anatidae.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 05:46 PM

St. Paul, Minnesota has a Cretin Avenue and formerly even a Cretin High School (now merged and called Cretin-Derham Hall). They're named after Joseph Cretin, the first Catholic bishop of St. Paul, who was born in France, and died here in 1857. It's so commonplace here that no one thinks it odd that someone brags of being a Cretin alumnus.

It's pronounced just the way you'd expect in America: KREET-n.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:10 PM

I work with mailing lists a lot, and I have noticed lots of odd addresses. The most confusing place in America would have to be Honolulu. It's FULL of streets with names like Aholehoe Street, Ahonui Street, Ahu Lane, Ahua Street, Ahuahu Place, Ahualani Place, Ahuawa Loop, Ahui Street, Ahukini Place … and those are just a few consecutively-listed streets from the ZIP Code directory. Can you imagine trying to find your way around there? Taking directions from someone on the phone?

Then there's the entire state of Utah, where MANY cities and towns have addresses like S 3095 W 2700, or E 5400 S 500. Those are not just house numbers; they are complete street addresses. Logical, maybe, but boring.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: bobby's girl
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:57 PM

On the Island of Portland (the original UK one) there is a street called Three Yards Close, reputedly named after the architect/planner guy saw a headline in the local news that three of the local stone yards were to close,and thought it sounded good!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: okthen
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:58 PM

In Colchester (Essex UK) you can go from Head Street to High Street,

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 08:16 PM

Miami has a similar system to Utah as well, but some of the streets get names as well. Thus I have the option of living on Bauer Drive or SW 264th St.

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 12:22 AM

Once upon a time, Climax (Kansas) was just down the road a piece from Intercourse...

One of the streets in Wichita is called "Volutsia" going one way, and "Volustia" going the other...and it's been that way for a good 15 years!

The courthouse in Boston had county names on all the courtrooms, to make them easier to find. Between the Men's restroom and the Women's was a sign for "Middlesex."

And Washington State has some rather peculiar town names. My favorite? "Humptulips."

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Blackcatter
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 02:02 AM

In western Colorado we lived on a road that was 5 miles long and had 6 or so other homes on it, but the road was not named. We told visitors that we lived near the end of the road that is the third right turn over Surface Creek off of 65 a couple mile outside of Cedaredge. I doubt that the first two roads had names either. Our address was a box number on Route Two (of only two mail routes in Cedaredge.

On another side - Orlando, FL is famous for having roads that do not make sense concerning their official U.S., state, or county numbers.

Interstate 4 (an east-west number) travels nearly north-sout through most of of Orlando

State Road 436 (east-west again) heads due north from the airport for about 15 miles, and then curves west for 10 or so miles before ending

State Road 434 also starts going north and then curves to the west. It also eventually curves south and CROSSES S.R. 436 as it continues south.

State roads 17(n-s) and 92(e-w) join up near Downtown Orlando and head due north for 20 some miles the road is known as 17-92 and few people know that the nuber is actually two different roads.

pax yall

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 03:00 AM

There's an alley in Dublin called Hell. In the 18th century it used to be full of carnival tricks and sweet sellers and barbecues, and anyone coming up from the country would have to visit it with the kids. Now it's just an empty (and rather dangerous from local thugs) alley.

Then there's the Strawberry Beds, and Lemon Street opposite Bewley's in Grafton Street.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Les from Hull
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 06:11 AM

My address in Hull is on Dagger Lane.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: wdyat12
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 10:31 AM

The roads on Georgetown Island, Maine were recently given names to comply with the emergency response 911 mandate, so the volunteer fire department would get to the fire on the first try. The name given to the road to the old Eaton Farm is Eaton Run. Ha, ha, ha.

wdyat12

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,LynnT
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 01:37 PM

Here's one for you, Peg - in Baltimore there's a Druid Hill Park Lake Road, which runs exactly as you might guess, up through the park near Druid Hill Lake. Pretty, twisty road.

Didn't Grit Laskin or another of the Metamora folks live on Grease Gravy Road in Bloomington, IN?

Lynn

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Rowana (at work)
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 02:03 PM

RangerSteve, You beat me to it. Street Road in Philadelphia always puzzles visitors. Many, many years ago the main road in Long-a-comin' was called - wait for it - Long-a-comin' Pike. Now both are more prosaically known as Berlin (NJ) and Berlin Road. A business located at the end of Water Street in Gloucester City (NJ) listed their address as XYZ Company, Foot of Water, Gloucester, NJ.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: sc
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 02:15 PM

Portland, Oregon intersection - SE 69 & Horney

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: RangerSteve
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 02:39 PM

Thanks, Rowena. You've got a great idea for another link -unusual town names. Especially, like Berlin NJ, names that were replaced with boring ones. I already have two threads out there, somebody else should take this idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,Karen
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 02:47 PM

There's a Wankers Corner just south of Portland, Oregon.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 03:09 PM

Near the world famousRooster Run General Store, there is Hen Peck Alley. Local lore says that men liked to go there to gamble. When their wives showed up, they lit out down what is now called "Hen Peck Alley."

There have been sightings of "Rooster Run" caps all over the world.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 03:26 PM

Whenever I'm in Lancaster, UK, I like to think of the shy people who live on the town's 'Bashful Alley'.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Margo
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 03:27 PM

Lois Lane - Jacksonville Oregon

Jump Off Joe Creek - Grants Pass Oregon

Dead Indian Road - Selma, Oregon

I know there are more in the same area but I can't think of them now. I was just musing this last weekend about naming streets after Pirate/sailor vernacular, and fantasized about Arrrrrrr street and To Me Way....

Margo :o)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 05:27 PM

In Coshocton Ohio there is White Woman Street. Also in Ohio, Cincinnati, there is a street named Celestial Way.

In Chester County PA. there is Ground Hog College Road and Stargazers Road. Also there is Tapeworm Road.

I live near Stargazers and sure wish I could afford a domicile there!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: RangerSteve
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 12:50 AM

re: Ground Hog College Rd. Is there a Groundhog College? I'd really like to get one of their T-shirts.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 01:11 AM

In Hull there is lane with a different spelling at each end (Endike & Endyke),What would Murray Mcloud say to that?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: roopoo
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 03:02 AM

There's a signpost on the Bridlington road to the Land of Nod! I believe it may be a sleepy little hamlet (sorry). There is a shire horse breeding centre near there, I think.

I heard Grape Lane in York was originally "Grope" lane. Possibly has the same pedigree as the street in London. There was a Footless Lane and a Lop Lane (the one becoming the other along the length of the road) on the mediaeval plan of the city. The Footless Lane led down to the river from the city side to where the Lendal Bridge now is.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Les from Hull
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 05:14 AM

In Whitby, Yorkshire there is an Arguments Yard.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 05:17 AM

John In Remote Kansas (JIRK) on LIK's cookie.

Not exactly an unusual name, but I recall that while in college I resided for a time in Dorchester near
one of the area's quaint "traffic circles." This one was named for the famous Polish general
Kosciusko(sp??) who aided the American Revolutionists. Five separate streets came into the circle, each
having a sign proclaiming the name of the circle, and each of the signs spelled the general's name differently.

The street I lived on was marked Roseter St on the sign at one end of the block and Rosseter St on the sign
at the other end. The natives met regularly to argue over whether they lived on ROSSeter or roSETTer street.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 05:22 AM

John In Remote Kansas (JIRK) on LIK's cookie.

'Scuse by poor proofreading. I neglected to say that was in Dorcester (Dorch'ster) MASSACHUSETTS,just down the road from Worcester (Wooster) MASS.

Also note that a large scale map of either the Pittsburg Pennsylvania area, or almost any part of Arkansas
will supply you enough strange names to keep up the giggles for an afternoon.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: John J
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 07:29 AM

We've got (or had) 'Dirty Lane' in Ashley, Cheshire. Ashley is quite posh so such a name wouldn't do. They've now changed it to something like 'Cherry Tree Lane'. Sad bunch of posers. John

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,Brian
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 09:45 AM

There is a road in Trowbridge, Wiltshire called Bythesea Road. Trowbridge is more than 50 miles from the coast.

Brian

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 12:21 PM

The idea of a Groundhog College intrigued me, so I did some research. I found several references to Groundhog College Road, but no Groundhog College as such. However, there is (or was) a Groundhog College House at Princeton, and you can read the minutes of one of their meetings here. The members are apparently called groundhogs. They mention sweatshirts, but they were "all sold out." I wonder why they haven't posted any minutes since 1993?

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 02:27 PM

Maybe GCR is where all the groundhogs go to learn their groundhog lessons in Chester Co. PA U.S.A. It is still mostly a farming area, so maybe some long ago farmer commented that his fields looked like all the groundhogs were gathered there for class so it might have started that way.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: roopoo
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 03:53 PM

Forgot "Slutwell Lane" in Pontefract!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: vindelis
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 07:49 PM

In Chiswell on Portland (UK) there are three lanes: Big Ope, Little Ope and Dark Ope; all leading to the beach.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 12:53 PM

Some favorites from travels in the West Country of the UK:

Squeezeguts Alley (or Ope) in Truro, Cornwall

Jacob's Ladder, a steep, narrow staircase-cum-alley leading up from the Moor in Falmouth

Stippy Stappy, a similarly vertiginous lane in St. Agnes, Cornwall and, last but not least,

Peep Lane in Crediton, Devon (although it might have been even more at home in Coventry where the Lady Godiva did canter bare, clothed in only tresses fair...)

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Les from Hull
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 01:23 PM

I nearly forgot Rotenherring Staithe here in Hull (or is that just a Red Herring!). It's easy to forget mad street names when there's so many of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 01:46 PM

Not far from us in Nevada County, California is You Bet Road, off of which branches the diminutive Side Bet Road...

Also within spitting distance of home (which is on George's Meadow, by the way) are Red Dog Road and Dog Bar Road.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Mr Happy
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 08:20 AM

my brother's road is called Skip's Lane.

it's named after a former 'Skipper' of a local scout group who owned the first house in the lane.

some years ago my brother was doing some building work on his house and needed to dispose of rubble & other debris.

so he phoned a local waste disposal company.

they offered to supply him with a skip.

but the receptionist just wouldn't believe the delivery address!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: mack/misophist
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 10:18 AM

Here in San Francisco, California; as opposed to San Francisco, New Mexico or Costa Rica; there are two fairly ordinary streets, Belcher and Beaver. The one we're proud of, though was named for the Philippino chieftan who killed Ferdinand Magellan - Lapu Lapu. Now if I could only find out WHY we have a street named for Lapu Lapu.

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: SharonA
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 10:29 AM

Thanks for refreshing this, Mr. Happy! I've got a couple of local ones to add:

Old New Road

Street Road

Herblew Road (a street in a housing development, named for the developer's two sons, Herb and Lew!)

Turkey Trot Road

Then there's the section of Interstate 476 from the PA Turnpike interchange south to its end (at Interstate 95). This section of road is commonly known as "The Blue Route" because it was one of many proposed roads mapped out in blue ink for decades before it was built. The odd thing is that in daily traffic reports on the radio and TV, announcers always refer to it as "The Blue Route" but hardly ever by its interstate route number! Anyone not familiar with the area – any tourist using it to get to Philadelphia PA, a popular historic site – is sure to be driven crazy by the unexplained nickname!!

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 10:35 AM

Douglas bader Walk in a council estate in West Midlands. Wong Lane in Tickhill near Doncaster

Subject: RE: BS: Unusual Street/Road Names
From: Sonnet
Date: 27 Jun 02 - 04:44 PM

Dog Lane in Barnsley and Spital Hill, Sheffield.

JMcS