Streets named for interesting or unusual people (homes, neighborhood)

[jtur88]

The only street I can find in the USA that is named after a chess champion is Paul Morphy Street in his hometown of New Orleans. Morphy was the world chess champion in the 1850s. I can't find a street named for Bobby Fischer. There are a few towns in Europe with streets named after Emanuel Lasker, and an Alekhine street in Johannesburg.

One unusual sports combination, a google search for "Ty Cobb Road, Jim Thorpe, PA", produces a pinned location, but no such name shown on the map, so it may be an informal local designation for the local ball field.

A Montreal street that visitors have trouble with is Pie IX Boulevard. Pie IX is French for (Pope) Pius the Ninth, and is pronounced "Pee Neff" by English speakers.

[citylove101]

I know that there is Roger Maris Drive in Fargo ND, which is the Yankee slugger's hometown.

And in the central American capital of Belize City, there is a Muhammed Ali St.

[Acajack]

In my city of Gatineau, Quebec, there is a plan for a new neighbourhood to have streets named for comic strip characters like Mafalda, Astérix, Tintin, Lucky Luke, etc.

I think they are currently in the bank of approved names awaiting assignment to new streets by the city.

[jtur88]

One can always come back to New Orleans for bizarre street names. In one very old neighborhood just off Canal Street, the streets were named over a century ago for the Greek Muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania.

I think almost every city has streets named for famous African Americans in high-diversity housing projects. There is an Ella FitzGerald Street in Kansas City.

[Fillmont]

I know it's not actually named for the actor, but anytime I come across a Chevy Chase road or avenue, I chuckle a bit. We have one in Dallas.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Fillmont

I know it's not actually named for the actor, but anytime I come across a Chevy Chase road or avenue, I chuckle a bit. We have one in Dallas.

There are dozens, probably hundreds, of towns that have a Della Street, named before or after the name was used for Perry Mason's secretary in the novels and popular TV series.

There are numerous streets called Lois Lane, and thee subdivisions have decided on Lois Lane Drive. No Superman Street, but Superman Square is appropriately in Metropolis, Illinois.

That brings to mind this oddity: Gabby Street Boulevard in Joplin Missouri is named after Gabby Street, who lived the last years of his illustrious life in Joplin. Gabby was a major league catcher, world series winning manager, and long time broadcaster over a baseball career of a half a century. He was the first player to catch a baseball dropped from the Washington Monument in a highly publicized stunt. There are also streets named simply "Gabby Street" in Croswell Michigan and Folkston Georgia.

[Acajack]

In the Ottawa, Ontario, Canada suburb of Orleans, you have an intersection between Scully and Mulder:

scully and mulder ottawa on - Google Maps

[jtur88]

The intersction of Goofystraat, Mickey Mousestraat and Donald Ducklaan, in Almere, Netherlands.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Goofy...=12,307.4,,0,0

Europeans in general, and the Dutch in particular, seem to have a much greater willingness to commemorate marginal personages in the naming of their streets.

Another comic book connection in the US is Far Side Lane in Garfield, Arkansas. Both are very likely coincidental.

[Blinx]

There's a Glenn Campbell Dr. in the Andorra section of Philadelphia. It's been there for 30 years or so. None of the surrounding streets are named for celebrities. I always wondered if the developer was just a big fan.

[Neworleansisprettygood]

Originally Posted by jtur88

One can always come back to New Orleans for bizarre street names. In one very old neighborhood just off Canal Street, the streets were named over a century ago for the Greek Muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania.

I think almost every city has streets named for famous African Americans in high-diversity housing projects. There is an Ella FitzGerald Street in Kansas City.

Pronounced "CAL-ee-op," ..., "YOU-turp," "MEL-po-mean," "terp-SICK-orey" not to mention the "CL-10" bus line...

We have an Earhart Blvd and Expressway named not for Amelia, but for Fred, a historical director of the levee board...

near Audubon park, in a neighborhood filled with streets named for politicians, there is an "Eleonore," perhaps Ms. FDR?

There's a Peniston street...

Lots of Audubon things... St., Pl., Blvd....

Rosa Park- NOT named for the civil rights activist- and it's full of multi-million dollar homes.

Elysian Fields Ave- the English translation of "Avenue des Champs-Lysees"