What is in a name?
Some years ago, I noticed another old foghi walking down my street looking at various houses and making notations on a worn dog-eared notepad. I approached this gentleman and asked him what he was doing - he was taking inventories of houses and proudly informed me that my former address was on Estelle Street. This got me wondering about other houses on the street and why the change of street names?
After a proper history lesson over a beer, (seems history is best learned over a beer and most appropriate!) I learned that not only was my street name changed but several others as well. Seems that after the annexation of Georgetown to Seattle, all same or like street names needed to be changed to avoid confusion (not only for the post office but for fire and safety). Below are a few examples the Seattle street names followed by the Georgetown original.
Bailey – Bateman
Carleton – Estelle
Corson - Charleston
Ellis - Mable
Flora – Flora
Warsaw – Monroe
Willow – Lincoln
This old foghi loves to hear the story of Estelle Street.
Julius Horton, one of the first pioneers of Georgetown, had four children – Dora, Maude, Howard and George. Many know the story of George and how Georgetown got it’s name but little realize Dora “Estelle” Horton would find her namesake on a Georgetown street.
Later after annexation and street name changes, Dora “Estelle” Horton Carle would still see her name on the street fronting her stately mansion she shared with her husband Will A Carle.
Perhaps a retelling of the community naming is in order as it does fall under the topic of what is in a name. The community was first simply known as Duwamish after the river and native peoples who first lived in the valley. When the Horton family arrived in 1869 they speculated that the area would be developed quickly and business would thrive between the coming railroads and the navigable river. By 1890, the Hortons had sold much of their original claim and named the newly platted town “Georgetown” in honor of their son George who had recently completed medical school in New York.
The name of the community called Duwamish was officially changed to Georgetown in May 1901.
After a proper history lesson over a beer, (seems history is best learned over a beer and most appropriate!) I learned that not only was my street name changed but several others as well. Seems that after the annexation of Georgetown to Seattle, all same or like street names needed to be changed to avoid confusion (not only for the post office but for fire and safety). Below are a few examples the Seattle street names followed by the Georgetown original.
Bailey – Bateman
Carleton – Estelle
Corson - Charleston
Ellis - Mable
Flora – Flora
Warsaw – Monroe
Willow – Lincoln
This old foghi loves to hear the story of Estelle Street.
Julius Horton, one of the first pioneers of Georgetown, had four children – Dora, Maude, Howard and George. Many know the story of George and how Georgetown got it’s name but little realize Dora “Estelle” Horton would find her namesake on a Georgetown street.
Later after annexation and street name changes, Dora “Estelle” Horton Carle would still see her name on the street fronting her stately mansion she shared with her husband Will A Carle.
Perhaps a retelling of the community naming is in order as it does fall under the topic of what is in a name. The community was first simply known as Duwamish after the river and native peoples who first lived in the valley. When the Horton family arrived in 1869 they speculated that the area would be developed quickly and business would thrive between the coming railroads and the navigable river. By 1890, the Hortons had sold much of their original claim and named the newly platted town “Georgetown” in honor of their son George who had recently completed medical school in New York.
The name of the community called Duwamish was officially changed to Georgetown in May 1901.
Labels: Dora Horton, Dr. George Horton, Estelle Street, street names
posted by foghi @ 10:39 AM
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