Hillcroft Renamed Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Possibly

[Highway6]

Nice work sevfiv

[Pumapayam]

The only entry is for Voss - "Records leads us to believe this thoroughfare is named for a landowner in the area named C.H. Voss."

The earliest map I could find was from 1952 which has, starting from the south in Fort Bend county:

Blue Ridge Rd. (prison) --> nothing --> Ave. F (Bellaire - I think this is the right alignment) --> nothing --> Voss --> nothing --> Bingel (sic)

the next map (1965) shows them connected and Bingle ending at Lang Rd., right before Pinemont. Bingle between Hempstead and W. Tidwell nowadays might be the 1965 part of Lang - Langfield is still just to the west...

1952:

1965:

That whole area around Woodway used to be a Country Club!

[JLWM8609]

I was in Chicago and I noticed that instead of doing full fledged street name changes, they'd put up a sign below the street sign and the sign would denote an honorary name change. This sign would only be placed at one intersection and not the whole corridor.

Here's Albertina Walker and The Caravans Drive, which as you can see is not an official name change, but honors the group. If you're wondering who they are, they're a gospel group that was founded in Chicago in 1949 and is still based in Chicago and tours worldwide some 60 years later.

Perhaps this would be sufficient instead of a full fledged name change? I know they've already done so here in town when they put up that street sign honoring Milo Hamilton.

Edited July 15, 2009 by JLWM8609

[JLWM8609]

► Bingle Rd ► W. Little York ► N. Houston Rossalyn ► 249 ► Bammel N. Houston ► 1960

..sorta

You forgot the Fort Bend Tollway. When Hillcroft intersects Fondren, the through lanes become an onramp onto the Tollway. It's not really a street, but for frontage road purposes near Highway 6, I guess that counts, right?

SOUTH ► Fort Bend Tollway ► Fondren Rd ► Hillcroft St ► US-59 ► Mahatma Gandhi St ► Westpark Dr ► Hillcroft St ► Westheimer Rd ► S. Voss/Voss Rd ► I-10 ► Bingle Rd ► W. Little York Rd ► N. Houston Rossalyn ► 249 ► Bammel N. Houston ► 1960

►NORTH

[sevfiv]

On the above maps I wasn't completely sure about Ave. F matching up to Hillcroft, but I found a block book map that confirms (it's also shared with Westward south of the split):

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v052/AE1997_Vol_52-53_0005.jpg

Also, here is an old Blue Ridge before the prison:

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v041/AE1997_41-3_0189.jpg

one that shows the not-quite-aligned Bingle/Voss:

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v044/AE1997_44-1_0108.jpg

and a few showing Bingle ending at W. Tidwell (Lang Rd. at one point) near Diehl, and the cut through at W Tidwell (Evergreen at one point):

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v043/AE1997_43_0031.jpg

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v043/AE1997_43_0033.jpg

http://books.tax.hctx.net/v030/AE1997_30_0191.jpg

[Dagnabbit]

The last change of a major street that I (barely) remember was in 1981, when part of 69th was renamed to SSgt. Marcario Garcia. If it happened today, would I approve? Yes.

It's a relatively small street in Dedicated to a Medal of Honor Winner and has roots locally (Sugarland).

Ghandi?

Unless he has a major connection here, No.

I believe your correct in that was the last time a road or streets name was changed.

However does anyone recall about a dozen years or so ago when some uptown galleria area businesses and forign cousels went before the Houston city council claiming to have area business owners consent to change a local street name to "Avenue of the Americas".The street name they wanted to change was "Post Oak Blvd".

Once the news broke on the local TV stations and the longtime residents and business owners got wind of it most for the first time, it was over for that name change.

The forign counsels did get their Avenue of the Americas, and it did require a name change. Chenevert in front of the Goerge R.Brown convention center is now Avenida de Las Americas.

[CDeb]

The only entry is for Voss - "Records leads us to believe this thoroughfare is named for a landowner in the area named C.H. Voss."

Where do you get those old Houston street maps, Sevfiv?

[Fringe]

I was in Chicago and I noticed that instead of doing full fledged street name changes, they'd put up a sign below the street sign and the sign would denote an honorary name change. This sign would only be placed at one intersection and not the whole corridor.

Here's Albertina Walker and The Caravans Drive, which as you can see is not an official name change, but honors the group. If you're wondering who they are, they're a gospel group that was founded in Chicago in 1949 and is still based in Chicago and tours worldwide some 60 years later.

Perhaps this would be sufficient instead of a full fledged name change? I know they've already done so here in town when they put up that street sign honoring Milo Hamilton.

Good idea. Or just put the Hillcroft name in Indian like they did Bellaire Boulevard further out in the Asian community. If we allow anyone to change the name of the street to corespond to their ethnicity then soon almost every street in Houston will have a Spanish name. 

[rsb320]

The last change of a major street that I (barely) remember was in 1981, when part of 69th was renamed to SSgt. Marcario Garcia. If it happened today, would I approve? Yes.

It's a relatively small street in Dedicated to a Medal of Honor Winner and has roots locally (Sugarland).

Ghandi?

Unless he has a major connection here, No.

Isn't/wasn't Mahatma Rice based here?

[sevfiv]

Where do you get those old Houston street maps, Sevfiv?

I try to collect, but mostly they are from libraries' or individuals' scanned maps that are posted online. A fellow HAIFer has a really good list of them here:

http://houstorian.wordpress.com/old-houston-maps/

[rsb320]

Interesting that Bissonnet was called Richmond and Richmond was called Alief Dr.

I love old maps. It looks like the southern portion of the West Loop was still under construction in '65.

[Highway6]

Interesting that Bissonnet was called Richmond and Richmond was called Alief Dr.

I love old maps. It looks like the southern portion of the West Loop was still under construction in '65.

Which map are ya lookin at... 1965 shows it was Westpark that used to be called Alief.

It is pretty neat though seeing all these points, former small towns or developments, and the different degrees to which they have survived. Spring and Cypress fared well, others are remembered as schools or school districts, and some, their only remaining legacy is half a street name.

N Houston - Rossalyn

Bammel - N Houston

Fairbanks - N Houston

Aldine Mail Route

Addickes - Satsuma

Addickes - Howell

Almeda - Genoa

Spring - Cypress

Humble - Westfield (1960)

[rsb320]

Which map are ya lookin at... 1965 shows it was Westpark that used to be called Alief.

It is pretty neat though seeing all these points, former small towns or developments, and the different degrees to which they have survived. Spring and Cypress fared well, others are remembered as schools or school districts, and some, their only remaining legacy is half a street name.

N Houston - Rossalyn

Bammel - N Houston

Fairbanks - N Houston

Aldine Mail Route

Addickes - Satsuma

Addickes - Howell

Almeda - Genoa

Spring - Cypress

Humble - Westfield (1960)

Pardon my grand faux pas. Actually, I think it was probably Harwin that runs along the railroad track (to Alief). It's hard to say now because the maps are so compressed; so many filler streets are in between now. Use Jeanetta and Dunvale as an example (no Fondren).

[VicMan]

Just put the name in Indian under the English name like the Chinese do in Chinatown.

India's national official languages are Hindi and English, and it has countless regional languages as well.

[rsb320]

That stretch is not exclusively Indian anyway. There's a whole gamut of ethnicities through there.

Doesn't Hillcroft bend through that stretch? We could call it the Curry Curve.

[TheNiche]

I don't like it. There's the public cost of a name change (in new signage), the business costs, confusion among locals and those using mapping software or navigational GPS devices, and the irony that such culturally-specific iconography would likely cause more friction among local subcultures than it would yield togetherness and cooperation.

If the owner of a particular retail center along Hillcroft wants the City or some partnership of philanthropic organizations to purchase a pad site and erect a large statue, or something to that effect, that'd be awesome. It'd be even more awesome if the statue were put up somewhere not so obvious. Ghandi's iconography is global in scope; Indians do not own him or his message, and if a giant statue of Ghandi ended up in Montrose, the East End, or Clear Lake, that would itself be very symbolic.

[CoolBuddy06]

I'm surprised to see so many against the name change. I'm interested to hear the reasons.

The length is just too short. What they want to achieve they can by upgrading everything at Hillcrof and Harwin intersection and naming the area "Mahatma Ghandi Center". Heck they can even name that entire corridor.

[CoolBuddy06]

I don't like it. There's the public cost of a name change (in new signage), the business costs, confusion among locals and those using mapping software or navigational GPS devices, and the irony that such culturally-specific iconography would likely cause more friction among local subcultures than it would yield togetherness and cooperation.

If the owner of a particular retail center along Hillcroft wants the City or some partnership of philanthropic organizations to purchase a pad site and erect a large statue, or something to that effect, that'd be awesome. It'd be even more awesome if the statue were put up somewhere not so obvious. Ghandi's iconography is global in scope; Indians do not own him or his message, and if a giant statue of Ghandi ended up in Montrose, the East End, or Clear Lake, that would itself be very symbolic.

Well said man.

[sheeats]

I vastly prefer John Lomax's idea, and eagerly await the unveiling of Dr. Ed Young Avenue and Marvin Zindler Boulevard:

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/07/why_rename_hillcroft_only_once.php

[JLWM8609]

Since some people want Houston to be more like Atlanta, let's rename Hillcroft as Peachtree Drive instead, and start adding directional suffixes to our streets as they do in Atlanta. Imagine it, stuff like North MacGregor Way SE, North Braeswood Drive SW, West Hardy Drive NE and E 43rd Street NW.

[ricco67]

I vastly prefer John Lomax's idea, and eagerly await the unveiling of Dr. Ed Young Avenue and Marvin Zindler Boulevard:

http://blogs.houston...t_only_once.php

I'm more along those lines;

The ones I'm more inclined whom I think MIGHT deserve a street are, in no particular order:

Ron Stone

Marvin Zindler

Dave Ward

Mayor White

Mayor Lanier

MAYBE Mattress Mac

Barbara Jordan.

I'm sure there are a few Prominent People that need consideration Before Ghandi.

[TheNiche]

I'm more along those lines;

The ones I'm more inclined whom I think MIGHT deserve a street are, in no particular order:

Ron Stone

Marvin Zindler

Dave Ward

Mayor White

Mayor Lanier

MAYBE Mattress Mac

Barbara Jordan.

I'm sure there are a few Prominent People that need consideration Before Ghandi.

I like your list, but they need to hold off on renaming for these folks until they die. And notable local businessmen should definitely make the list, whether they were considered personable or not. They don't need major thoroughfares named for them, though. Sakowitz Street is a good archetype from which guidelines ought to be set.

[JLWM8609]

I like your list, but they need to hold off on renaming for these folks until they die.

Barbara Jordan is on his list and has been dead for 13 years.

[ricco67]

I like your list, but they need to hold off on renaming for these folks until they die. And notable local businessmen should definitely make the list, whether they were considered personable or not. They don't need major thoroughfares named for them, though. Sakowitz Street is a good archetype from which guidelines ought to be set.

I forgot to add the "After they pass" statement at the end. Oops.

Forgot all about Sakowitz, and perhaps the Fingers.

Barbara Jordan definitely needs to have a street named after her, but I don't think it would be fair to single it out in a particular neighborhood.

[JLWM8609]

Barbara Jordan definitely needs to have a street named after her, but I don't think it would be fair to single it out in a particular neighborhood.

Yeah, it would be predictable to do something like rename Scott St. or W. Fuqua as Barbara Jordan Blvd. Maybe they can give a freeway an honorary Barbara Jordan name like they did for Ronald Reagan (290 from BW 8 to Waller County Line), Lloyd Bentsen (US 59 from I-45 to I-35 in Laredo) and Nolan Ryan (288 from Clear Creek to the portion where the freeway portion of 288 ends in Freeport). Spur 5 would've been a good choice, but it's already been named for John B. Coleman, M.D. Maybe 288 inside Harris County could become the Barbara Jordan Memorial Highway. It wouldn't cause street signs to change as it's honorary and would only be denoted with two signs, one just south of the interchange at US 59 and one just north of Clear Creek. If Ronald Reagan, a Californian could get his name on two Texas highways (he also got part of I-20 from the Tarrant-Parker County Line to Grand Prairie named after him), surely a native daughter could be honored on a short section of one highway.

[LTAWACS]

Dont we have a Tigers From The North Avenue?

[IronTiger]

Up here in College Station, there's George Bush Drive (which was renamed in 1995 in anticipation of George Bush Library) which is OK to me but I can definitely see some people being opposed to that. Besides, he was a President (the "was" is important here, unlike other things like Barack Obama Elementary School). The one I do have a problem with is William D. Fitch Pkwy., a four-lane highway (which, here, is pretty large). He was a developer