Manchaca Rd Ridiculous Name Change to Menchaca (Austin, Brushy Creek: city hall, cost)

[austin-steve]

This topic arose in another thread about city growth and I think it deserves it's own thread.

I want the City Council to stop changing existing street names, period. The latest example of this stupidity is the vote to change Manchaca Rd to Menchaca Rd. I own commercial property on Manchaca Rd and I want the city to focus on making streets work better, and leave the names alone.

What I wrote in the other thread, when asked why I'm against the name change is:

"I'm opposed to the name change because I literally don't care about any descendants of a supposed somebody who spelled it different. Not my problem. I don't care if that sounds insensitive. I literally just don't care about the issue.

And I think it is selfish and narcissistic for anyone to want to change the street name and inconvenience all these business owners. The community of Manchaca and it's post office will still be Manchaca. The street "Old Manchaca Rd" will still be spelled that way.

The argument for the name change is actually weak at best. The entire thing is really, really stupid, in my personal opinion, and I'm offended that I have to even deal with it. (I'm helping with a lawsuit that has been filed to stop the change)

And, finally, to top it all off, the utter hypocrisy of the City Council, there are a sh*tload of misspelled names at the Austin Airport and nobody is clamoring to do anything about it. There was a story about it.
Why Is The Map On The Floor Of The Austin Airport Full Of Misspellings? | KUT

So, sorry that I have zero interest or concern about any purported misspelling of Manchaca. I want it to remain as-is.

Steve"

When additionally challenged by someone saying the city should correct it's mistakes if it was misspelled, I wrote:

"Well, the "City" never named this street. The first "Manchac" post office, as it was spelled then, was established in 1851. The second "Manchac" post office in a new location in 1874, then a 3rd new one called "Manchaca" (though still pronounce 'ManShack' even with the trailing "a"), came when the railroad came through in 1881.

Since Manchaca Rd itself runs roughly parallel to that railroad from 1626 all the way until it hits Lamar, we know the street name would have followed long after the post office and "community" name. So it was named after the Post Office and its community, not any person.

If the freaking name was supposed to be spelled with an "e", then there were 3 chances in the 1800s when each new post office was opened to correct it.

The commercial property I own, south of Slaughter, I was told by an older lady who owned property next door, used to be a "beer joint" in the 1940s and Manchaca Rd was then just a rough dirt road way out "in the Country" nowhere near "Austin".

The southern boundary of the City of Austin didn't include any part of Manchaca Rd. until at least after 1940, because a 1939 Travis County Road map shows Austin ending before the intersection Manchaca/Lamar.

It was no doubt probably named Manchaca Rd because it went to Manchaca. It still goes to Manchaca and the post office and zipcode still are "Manchaca".

I know this somewhat hijacked the thread, but this idiotic City Council has absolutely no business reaching back into 1851 to say the first Manchac post office, and each one thereafter, should have been spelled with an "e" because supposedly some guy who spelled his name with an "e" "once camped there". What the he*l does that even mean, "once camped there"? Who gives a sh*t?

I'm really starting to hate the idiots that run this city and the people who they take guidance from. What a bunch of complete morons."

So, if anyone wants to discuss this further, it's in its own proper thread.

[Trainwreck20]

I don't really mind when they change numbered streets to names, seems like the numbers were just holding places.

More related to your specific gripe - unless there is a clear history of the intent of the name (which there is not for Manchaca), then leave it alone.

Although I can't say I get near as riled up as you .

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I don't really mind when they change numbered streets to names, seems like the numbers were just holding places.

More related to your specific gripe - unless there is a clear history of the intent of the name (which there is not for Manchaca), then leave it alone.

Although I can't say I get near as riled up as you .

Ha, I guess I'm pretty riled up because it's so absolutely stupid, and it affects me directly.

What's next "Slaughter" Ln is offensive to Vegans? Let's drop the "S" and change it to Laughter Ln. and name every side street after a Comic? I mean, our idiot city council would probably give it serious consideration.

[ashbeeigh]

There's some history behind it. What's In A Name? The Long Debate Over Manchaca Versus Menchaca | KUT

[ScoPro]

I am in total solidarity with Austin-Steve on this topic.
However I think his description of the CoA leadership is too mild.

I thank the legislature for allowing us Brushy Creek residents to vote ourselves out of the Austin ETJ 20+ years ago to escape the mindless oppression of those PC numbnuts in city hall.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

I guess if the Menchaca family doesn't have any kin in the Austin area, I suppose it really doesn't matter how the street name is spelled.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

What's next "Slaughter" Ln is offensive to Vegans? Let's drop the "S" and change it to Laughter Ln. and name every side street after a Comic? I mean, our idiot city council would probably give it serious consideration.

Which was also named after an early settler of the city.

[FalconheadWest]

Hey, Steve... So, I'm a bit confused... do you want the name change or not? You didn't really tell me how you really feel about it...

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I don't really mind when they change numbered streets to names, seems like the numbers were just holding places.

.

I think numbered streets are fine...they provide some logic and order to the process of getting from place to place.



Not everyone knows the geographical line-up of the rivers in Texas and we can't use the names of planets any more in case one gets demoted.

[earthisle]

So you're in favor of bad spelling. What is this huge cost that you think will be incurred?