Wednesday, April 27, 2011

More New Orleans street names

Some of the streets downtown (downriver) of Saint Bernard Avenue had different names more in keeping with the poetic ones found in the neighborhood.  Since these streets met with streets already named by the New Orleans when the Faubourg New Marigny was incorporated in the city, the more humdrum names had precedence.  These streets now have names of Spanish governors, when, if the naming had gone in the other direction, we would have:

Magistrate Street instead of Dorgenois Street.  That's not too bad.  People have a hard time figuring out how to say Dorgenois.

Virtue Street instead of Rochenblave Street.  Again, not a bad switch.  I like the idea of saying, "Meet me on Virtue Street," but Rochenblave offers a pleasing mouthful of sounds.

Force Street instead of Tonti Street.  This seems like an even swap to me.  Everyone asks me to spell Tonti to make sure I don't mean Conti, though I am well aware by now that they are pronounced differently (ton-TEE vs con-TIE).  I'm kind of fond of Tonti Street for this reason: it gives me a chance to show off my mastery of local pronunciation.  Aside from that, it's got a lot of potholes and I avoid it.

Liberal Street instead of Miro Street.  Nothing against Gov. Miro, but I like the idea of having a Liberal Street.

Lastly, Genius Street instead of Galvez Street.  The name alone would increase property values.  The character of some of the neighborhoods this street passes through would be very different.  Imagine if you had to say you live on Genius Street but couldn't live up to your address.  You may as well move to another disappeared street from the same part of town, Madman Street.

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