Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-04
Nomenclature Of the streets and Ave.
nues OF Washington.

EDIToR STAR: An article In the STAR, in
relation TO giving real names TO the streets of
this city in place OF the letters by which they
are now designated. contains some valuable
suggestions and will be of great benefit if il
attracts public attention to the necessity of
making eN tensiye changes in the nomancla-
ture, not only of the streets, but also of the
great avenues of the Capital. The names of
the avenues are badly arranged and we PRO
pose making few suggestions for their i'm
rrOVement.
Pennsylvania avenue is commonly undcr-
stood, even in this city, as extending from
The Capitol TO the Treasury and Presidents
House, and to strangers visiting the District
and To people throughout the country it is
not known to extend beyond those points ON
either side. In the debates i'm Congress and
IN nneWSraperartlcleSa and letters everywhere
the Capitol is referred to as at one end of ..rhp
avenue" and the Presidents House or the
Executive at the other end of il. And yet
only OEe-thlru of this avenue is embrace
within those boundaries. Dne-fhiri lies ON
Capitol hill, east of the Capitol, and the other
third, west of the Presidents House towards
Georgetown, both of which have no historical
or social nOtOriety as Pennsylvania avenue
proper and are little known as such except
to the few persons who reside there and their
Immediate friends, and those who are Obliged
TO pass through those portions of the avenue
as a thOrOughfare. We propose " Illinois ave
nue. for that portion east of the Capitol and
Presidents House.
Virginia avenue is divided by the grounds
of the Washington monument reservation
We suggest that the part which lies west Of
the Presidents House, running from the old
canal near the northwest corner of the Pres
dents grounds TO Georgetown, be named
''West Virginia avenue" 1t is again broken
by reservation IL. and that part of il which
lies southerly of that reservation might be
called "Nississippi avenue"
New York avenue is broken by the Prasi-
dents grounds, and we suggest that the Dor
tlon of 1t west of those grounds be NAMED
"FlOrida avenue
DplHNyofp iS iriI N,-t no ;tD1
grounds, and that part of il which is south of
the Capitol might be called Alabama ave
nue.
Maryland avenue is divided by the Capitol
grounds al we suggest Texas avenue" for
that part lying southwest of those grounds.
Georgia avenue extends in opposite direC-
tions from the navy yard. That part south
erly Of that yard might be named "A arkansas
avenue
New Jersey avenue, divided by the Capitol
grounds. might take for the name Of the north
part of it Nebraska avenue"
Massachusetts having the largest avenue
in the city, running from the pOOrhousc res
ervation TO Georgetown, and divided by six
squares ard reservations, might surrender
portions of it to California. Kansas, Mime
sofa, Michigan and Wisconsin.
New hampshire avenue could well divide
its honor with Oregon, giving up the ex-
treme nOrtherly portion to that name.
We do not propose these new names as
surely the best and most appropriate which
can be selected, but mention them only aS IL
lustratiOns of improvements which might he
made. We hope this subject will be carefully
considered by Congress, and the nOmancl;t-
ture of the streets and avenues of Washington
improved