Monday, June 17, 2013

C Street

I've heard some call Portland a small, big city. In lots of ways, that oxymoron works for me. One sure indication that it's not all that big is that every school has a name. We have no Public School 250. As a matter of fact, to my knowledge every school in Maine has a rightful moniker. Now, we have no 42nd Street in our claim to fame, but we do surprisingly have three of the oddest street titles. Just behind the Greyhound bus station, you'll find A, B, and C Streets. These street names have been there forever, and I have always thought it a bit of a joke that a city of this size had to resort to letters of the alphabet for 'creative names'. I do so love a good book or article filled with the assorted 26 letters of the alphabet, but these three streets in my book just have to go. Heck, I could throw some names in the direction of the city fathers. How about Birdman Lane or Birdman Drive? There, that took me about three seconds to come up with. I wonder what they are waiting for--- the perfect name?

By the way, rest easy tonight, I recently read that the three aforementioned streets are getting real names this summer. I wonder why it took our city so long. To me the idea that all streets should have real names is as easy as A, B, C.

11 comments:

  1. I'm with you on the A,B,C thing. I love unusual names . . . like Sweet Potato Row and Ragged Ledge Road and Blue Mill Street and . . .

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  2. Very funny. And it's good to know that you did eventually learn your "A, B, C's."

    But, I'm sorry, Birdman? C'mon. What kind of name is that? Now, "Lowell" is the perfect New England name. And you could even pretend it would be for James Russell Lowell, but I'd always know better!

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  3. Probably named by civil engineers. No wait, then it would have been First, Second, and Third streets.

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  4. LOL. You are lucky you don't live in Salt Lake City. There your address might be 200 W 300 S. Trying to grasp their street system was a real challenge for me when I had to travel there for work.

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  5. I'm sure it will be a lot less confusing for the people who live there too!

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  6. Mr. Dear Mr. Birdman, sir: You had the size right. But that's my hat size, not my waist size. Jeez!

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  7. Well, here most streets are called roads and are named after the farmers who live on them.

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  8. Yes, A,B,C would be easier, better than County Road 86 Mile Marker whatever.

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  9. Maybe the 'street namers' are having difficulties in coming to an agreement..it could happen :)

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  10. How about Birdman Roundabout or Birdman Circle or Birdman Court?

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