Street Sign Discrepancy

[JLWM8609]

At the corner of Washington and Durford (where the McDonald's is), the modern green street sign says "Durford", but the old, tile curb sign says "Durham". Durford is a short street that runs E-W.The Durham that I know is located a few miles to the east and runs N-S. Was there some sort of name change or a screwup by public works crews? I don't have any maps that go back far enough to see if there was a name change or not.

[tmariar]

Looks like it was called "Durham" as recently as 1961. It also looks like it was called "Durham" in 1942.

[sevfiv]

It's also Durham on the block book map (and before that it was Everton):

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v044/AE1997_44-1_0265.jpg

[Mr. Chenevert]

roughly when were those tiled curb street name put in place?

[CHiPs]

Looks like it was called "Durham" as recently as 1961. It also looks like it was called "Durham" in 1942.

I have a question. Who decides to rename streets, but more importantly, why?

[kjb434]

I have a question. Who decides to rename streets, but more importantly, why?

Really anybody can re-name a city street. It just takes an act of city council to do so. If there is enough opposition it may not carry. Usually it's for a reason such as someone valuable to community passed away and it's in memorial to them.

If the road is a state owned road (such as an interstate, FM road, SH road), TxDOT has to ok it. Usually this isn't a problem in municipalities.

Don't expect to get your name to replace the Katy Freeway or anything! If you really want to change a street name, just ask your council member. Petitions also help!

[gonzo1976]

There's also a name discrepancy between those two street markers on Cortlandt/Courtlandt in the Heights.

[The Voice of University Oaks]

University Oaks used to have the same discrepancy. When the neighborhood was platted, the names of the east-west streets took the names of the streets already running through Riverside Terrace, i.e. Wentworth, Blodgett, etc. But sometime in the 1960s, the neighborhood successfully petitioned for the names of the neighborhood's east-west streets to be changed, because they weren't connected to the older streets they were named after. so Wentworth became Faculty, Blodgett became Fiesta, etc. The old street names remained on the tiles, however.

A few years ago the streets in the neighborhood were completely rebuilt, and the tiles were removed.

[JLWM8609]

University Oaks used to have the same discrepancy. When the neighborhood was platted, the names of the east-west streets took the names of the streets already running through Riverside Terrace, i.e. Wentworth, Blodgett, etc. But sometime in the 1960s, the neighborhood successfully petitioned for the names of the neighborhood's east-west streets to be changed, because they weren't connected to the older streets they were named after. so Wentworth became Faculty, Blodgett became Fiesta, etc. The old street names remained on the tiles, however.

A few years ago the streets in the neighborhood were completely rebuilt, and the tiles were removed.

You see, that's why I love this forum, because of the things you learn here. Thanks for sharing that!

And for those of you who got the old maps out for me, thanks for that too.