Tuesday, April 21, 2009

April 21- Wheeling West Virginia


We are now heading back to Missouri for some doctor's appointments, and then to Indiana for some college graduations. So being that we were on the road all day today, I will share with you my musings on strange street names I have seen- mainly in Richmond and in the D.C. area. Now I realize that a good number of them do make sense for some reason or another, but allow me to share with you my thoughts on those street names that either puzzled me or gave me a moment of mirth. The first one I will share with you is Misery Lane. As I glanced over to that street all I saw was several run-down homes. Now did the street always look like that and maybe was rightly named? I can not imagine a street with new homes on it and given a name of "misery". Quite possibly, however, it was named after Mr.Misery who was important enough to have a street named after him. And I saw a Gallows road. Is there a Mr.Gallows ? Or maybe that road has some historical significance. John thought that maybe in the seventeenth century there was a gallows on that road. In Richmond I saw a Hydraulic Road. Now how utilitarian is that? Maybe on that road is a shop that deals with " the physical science and technology of the static and dynamic behavior of fluids" (like our hydraulic jack that needed repair?) By the way, that quote is right out of Webster's Dictionary. And then there is Brevity street-- we did not have time to check it out, but just maybe that street is short and sweet with no tourist attractions. Or maybe there is a Mr.Brevity. .. Also in Richmond there is a Three Chopt road. First of all, I think the correct spelling is chop. If so, are we talking about three pork chops? Actually, we found the street again in Charlottesville, and there they were so kind as to post an explanation for that street. I will post a picture of that explanation as I am too lazy to write it out. I do wish all cities/towns would post such clarifications of their street names, but then that would take all the fun away from us out of towners, wouldn't it? Oh, by the way, after I wrote this, John pointed out Crooked Crow road. I could put some good spins on that name..but maybe I should leave one alone. And I apologize if I have offended anyone whose their last name is any of the streets mentioned, or if they just happen to live on that particular road.

1 comment:

  1. I am immensely impressed with what you've been doing on the blog here. Great reading, keep it up! :)

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