by Marks Hinton
Parsley, Sage & Rosemary – all we need is a little thyme
Dallas & Southfork – where is J. R.
Macbeth & Banquo – tragic Scottish King and the ghost
Romeo & Juliet – “…wherefore art thou”
Varsity, Faculty & Graduate – cap and gown stuff
Winkin, Blinkin & Nod – snuggled in the arms of Morpheus
Sunshine, Moonlight & Raindrops – the Weather Channel
Spring, Summer, Autumn & Fall – a season for everyone
DAMON QUARRY: Located on the flanks of the Damon Mound this quarry has been supplying limestone to the surrounding area since 1918. (See Beasley-Damon.) 8
DANBURY: This community sprang up along the Missouri Pacific Railroad line in Brazoria County in 1905-6. There are two stories about how it was named. One says the men building the line named it for D. J. “Dan” Moller, a popular rancher in the area, who entertained the crews at night with music and tall tales. The other attributes the name to Daniel T. Miller, another resident. 9
DANDRIDGE: See sidebar America the Beautiful, page 176.
DANVILLE: Another Montgomery ghost town, it was named by Samuel and Joseph Lindley in 1830 for their hometown in Illinois. By 1838 it was a bustling community. Danville threw a barbeque for Sam Houston in 1858. The town’s demise began in 1870 when the railroad line was laid through nearby Willis. By 1920 even the Catholic Church had been abandoned. 10
DARRINGTON: This street is the main entrance to the Texas Department of Corrections Darrington Unit in Brazoria County. The 6,770 acre prison farm is a medium security level facility established in 1917. It can house up to 1,610 male prisoners. Much of the food for the Texas prison system is produced here including field crops, cattle, pigs and eggs. Horses and guard dogs are also raised here for prison use. 11
DARST: Abraham – He came to Texas from Missouri in the early 1820s and settled at Damon Mound. Darst received a league of land from Stephen F. Austin and was a member of the Old 300. Edward and R. B. Darst fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. W. H. Darst was a member of Terry’s Texas Rangers during the War Between the States and later, Sheriff of Fort Bend County. A number of members of the Darst family are buried in the historic cemetery on top of Damon Mound. (See Beasley-Damon.)12
DARST: Emory – This early Fort Bend County pioneer was born in 1814. He is a direct descendent of Daniel Boone. His daughter, Lorena Darst Damon had the famous Damon Salt Dome named in her honor. In 1908 his grandson built the historic Darst-Yoder house in Richmond. (See Beasley-Damon.) 13
» ABRAHAM DARST: Historic marker on his grave in Damon
DARTMOUTH: A university in Hanover, NH, this institution of higher education was chartered in 1769 by King George III and is named after the Earl of Dartmouth. 14
DAVID MEMORIAL: (See David Vetter.)
DAVID VETTER: This young boy was born in Shenandoah, near The Woodlands, in 1971. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed prior to his birth with a rare genetic disease known as severe combined immune deficiency syndrome (SCIDS). Less than 10 seconds after being removed from his mother’s womb David was placed in a plastic germ-free environment that would be his home for the rest of his life. He was dubbed “the boy in the plastic bubble” by the media. He lived in this environment at Texas Children’s Hospital until 1981 when he was discharged to a plastic bubble at his home. He died of cancer at age 12. David Elementary School was named for him in 1990. 15
DAVIS: J.O. – This Pasadena street is named for the civil engineer who laid out the city. 16
DAVIS: League City was once the site of Davis Auxiliary Army Airfield #3. In 1942 near what is now the intersection of Marina Bay Drive and FM 518, this field was used to support flight training at nearby Ellington Air Force Base. It was one of several of these auxiliary airfields around Houston during World War II. It was closed in 1946 but the runways were still visible in 1976. However, all traces of the base disappeared over the next 20 years as South Shore Harbor was developed. 17
» W.K. DAVIS: William Kenchen tombstone
DAVIS: William Kenchen – This Rosenberg street may be named for this early Texan. He was a member of the Mier Expedition, a failed raid on the Mexican town of Mier Cuidad in 1842. Davis is buried in the Morton Cemetery here. His son, John H. Pickens Davis, was a leader of the Jaybirds during the Jaybird-Woodpecker War, a political struggle that took place in Richmond in 1888. He was a rancher, banker and built the historic Davis Bank and Trust in Richmond. (See Morton.) 18
DAVIS MOUNTAINS: See sidebar The Most Scenic Spots in Texas, page 310.
DAVY JONES: As the third largest port in the United States, Houston has many streets with marine related names. Davy Jones is the nickname for the devil/saint/god of the seas. Davy Jones Locker is an idiom for the resting place of drowned sailors at the bottom of the sea. 19
DAWN HILL: See sidebar Tennis or Golf, Anyone?, page 348.
DAY: This Montrose area street is named for the Day family who lived on it. 20
DAYTON: (See Crosby-Dayton.)
DE CHAUMES: Michael – He was an architect who built the third Harris County courthouse. As it was not yet finished when the War Between the States erupted in 1861, the Confederate army assumed control of the structure and used it for a guard house, cartridge factory and officers quarters. 21
DE CHIRICO: Giorgio – This Greek-Italian surrealist was born in 1888. He is most remembered for the haunting mood of the paintings of his “metaphysical period” (1909-1919). Among his greatest works are Enigma of the Oracle, Enigma of an Afternoon and The Red Tower.
DE GAULLE: Charles Andre Joseph Marie – A French general during WW II he organized the Free French Forces to oppose German occupation. From 1959 to 1969 he was the first President of the Fifth Republic in France. 22
DE GEORGE: Michael – Real estate developers in our city have historically named streets for themselves and/or family members. This man was an Italian immigrant who arrived in Houston in about 1890. He started as a fruit and vegetable cart operator. De George invested his profits in real estate and may have named this Norhill area street. He operated a grocery store where Hobby Center is today and built the De George Hotel that has recently been turned into housing for veterans. His son Gaspar M. De George built the Auditorium Hotel (now the Lancaster.) 23
DE ZAVALA: Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano – Born in Merida, Mexico in 1789, he became a young liberal firebrand and was imprisoned by the Mexican government. He was constantly persecuted by the Federales and finally came to Texas in 1835. He was an active participant in the Texas Revolution. Following the Battle of San Jacinto, his home on Buffalo Bayou was used as a hospital for the wounded. He also owned land on Old River. He died in 1837. In 1858 the State named Zavala County in his honor. (See Old River.) 24
DEAF SMITH: Although deaf from birth, this handicap did not stop Erastus Smith from becoming one of the heroes of the Texas Revolution. He fought valiantly at the Battles of Concepcion, Grass Fight and San Jacinto. Upon hearing of the fall of the Alamo, General Sam Houston sent Smith to obtain the details. He returned with Mrs. Almaron Dickenson and her baby daughter, the only survivors of the Battle of the Alamo. 25
DEBORAH: Early Houston resident, landowner and building supply impresario Herman E. Detering named this East End street for his granddaughter, Deborah Detering, in the early 1940s. In high school at St. John’s in 1959 your author’s chemistry lab partner was Miss Detering. (See Detering and Eberhard.) 26
DECKER PRAIRIE: This road in northwest Harris County recalls Isaac Decker, a County Commissioner of the short-lived Spring Creek County in the early 1840s. He was a Canadian immigrant who arrived in the area in 1834 to claim a land grant along Spring Creek. He operated a tannery. 27
DECKER: Thomas – One of the major thoroughfares in Baytown is named for this Harris County Commissioner. 28
HOUSTON STREETS WITH AGGRESSIVE NAMES
Maybe it’s just our Old West mentality but developers love to christen our streets with names that glorify our “d
on’t mess with Texas or Houston” attitude. Again a search of various maps produced the following street names with aggressive personalities. They are: Ambush, Armory, Arsenal, Battle, Buck Knife, Cannon Ball, Cannon Fire, Donnybrook, Gunpowder, Long Barrel, Marksman, Musket, Point Blank, Powder Keg, Powderhorn, Rifle Gap, Rifleman and Ruffian. 15
DEEPWATER: Once a small community between Pasadena and Deer Park, Deepwater was named because of its location on the Houston Ship Channel. In the late 1890s the town was a stop on the Galveston, Houston & Northern Railroad. The town was platted by Colonel J. H. Burnett who also founded Genoa, Texas and platted Pasadena. (See Burnett.) 29
DEFEE: W. E. – He was a land developer in Baytown. (See Jack and Wright.) 30
DEKE SLAYTON: Chosen as one of the first U. S. astronauts in April 1959, Donald K. “Deke” Slayton was the only one of the seven not to fly a Mercury mission after a heart condition was discovered. However, 16 years later he was given a clean bill of health and flew with the Apollo Soyuz Test Project in July 1975. 31
DEL MONTE: Dating from 1897, the Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, California is the oldest golf links west of the Mississippi. 32
DELANEY: John and Nancy – This couple owned a dairy farm where this street is located today near the intersection of I-45 and Loop 610 North. 33
DEMONTROND: The DeMontrond family has owned automobile dealerships in Houston for over 50 years. George DeMontrond opened a Buick dealership on the corner of Westheimer and Kirby in the 1950s. When that property became too valuable for a car lot, DeMontrond, like most dealers, moved operations to the suburbs. Today they sell Buick, Volkswagen, Volvo, Kia and Suzuki from their new location on the I-45 North. 34
DEMOSS: James – This early Houstonian leased approximately 9,700 acres of ranch land where Bellaire is today. Although he resided in the city of Houston he would ride out to the ranch to work. The DeMoss home was located just west of Peggy Point Park at the intersection of Richmond and Main. Bellaire developer W. W. Baldwin purchased 9,449 acres that DeMoss leased to begin the development of Westmoreland Farms, later named Bellaire. (See Bellaire.) 35
DENMAN: Leroy Gilbert – He was appointed an associate judge of the Texas Supreme Court by Governor James S. Hogg in 1894. He remained on the bench until 1899. Sources say Denman was not known for his legal acumen but was a great speaker. During his tenure he handed down 146 opinions that were known for their “brevity, simplicity and accuracy.” 36
DENNIS: E. L. – It is likely that this street honors a man who was a founder and one of the first directors of Houston’s Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). 37
DEPELCHIN: Kezia Payne – The DePelchin family arrived in Galveston in 1837. By 1839 Kezia was an orphan as both of her parents died in a yellow fever epidemic. During the Civil War she was a nurse in Houston. In 1888 DePelchin was chosen the first woman matron of Bayland Orphans Home for Boys. She founded the city’s first day care center in 1892 and a year later chartered Faith Home, a facility that still exists today as DePelchin Children’s Center. 38
DEPOT: Brookshire was a stop on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad (now Union Pacific). This street ran in front of the train station or depot, although the building is now a memory. 39
DESERT AIRE: See sidebar Tennis or Golf, Anyone?, page 348.
» DEPEL CHIN: Kezia Payne DePelchin
DESOTA: Wedged between LaSalle and Coronado streets we have another example of the often-demonstrated poor spelling abilities of area developers. Mission Estates Addition in Friendswood is full of names of early explorers. However, this gentleman’s correct name is Hernando de Soto. Born in Spain in about 1496, he sailed to the New World in 1519 to explore the coasts of Guatemala and Yucatan. In 1532 he joined Francisco Pizarro in conquering the Incas. Hearing tales of great treasure in Florida he arrived there in 1538. Unfortunately, a four-year search proved fruitless and he died in 1542. 40
DETERING: Herman Eberhard – He was an early Houston merchant and landowner. He founded the Detering Company, a building material supply firm that is still in operation today. Detering wanted to develop some property he owned east of Memorial Park. According to his grandson and current president of the family operation, Carl, the bureaucrats were slow in installing the utilities. To accelerate the process Mr. Detering decided to name a number of the streets in the addition for Harris County commissioners. That was all it took. (See Eberhard.) 41
DEVON: See sidebar All Things English, page 175.
DEWALT: Thomas Walters – He arrived from Virginia in the mid-1850s and established a large plantation in Fort Bend County on Oyster Creek where he grew sugar cane. In addition Dewalt was a lawyer and justice of the peace. The Dewalt Cemetery has been in operation since 1850 and is still in use. Many individuals from old Richmond families are interred here including Dewalt, Roane, Martin and Robinson. 42
DIABLO: See sidebar Learn a Foreign Language on Your Morning Walk, page 125.
DIAMOND HEAD: See sidebar Bali Hai May call You, page 322.
DIAMONDHEAD: Located in the small residential neighborhood of Newport east of Lake Houston, this road is named for the developer of that area, Diamondhead Corporation, known for their resort projects around the country. 43
DICK SCOBEE: Viet Nam war hero (Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal) and test pilot, NASA chose him for astronaut training in January 1978. An experienced spacecraft commander, he died tragically, along with six other astronauts, in the explosion of the orbiter Challenger on January 28, 1986. His memory is preserved at the Model Airplane Facility in George Bush Park. (See Challenger Seven.) 44
“TEXAS HEROES’ NAMES FOR HOUSTON STREETS URGED IN 72 PROPOSED CHANGES”
This headline appeared in the May 8, 1929 edition of the Houston Chronicle. Two city engineers, Jack Graham and C. E. “Jack “Tooke, recommended that City Council change the names of 72 duplicate streets to honor heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto, The War Between the States, Texas statesmen and local citizens. Searching such records as the 1890 Texas Census Index of Civil War Veterans and The Campaign of Walker’s Texas Division by J.P. Blessington I was able to verify a number of these individuals did exist. However, there were 16 men that I could not locate in the search of the database available to me. The other 56 are included in the main text. Not wanting to omit information on the history of our street names I assume Messers. Graham and Tooke had correct information that has disappeared since 1929. Therefore below is a listing of the 16 “missing” recommended street names as they were given to Council. 16
Arnot – fought at Battle of San Jacinto
Buford – colonel commanding a Texas regiment in the Civil War
Cummins – a city employee in 1929
Chisum – fought in the 2nd Regiment of the Texas Partisan Rangers
Doney – fought with Walker’s Texas Division in the War Between the States
Eddington – member of Walker’s Texas Division in the Civil War
Flowers – member of Walker’s Texas Division in the Civil War
Gwinn – member of Walker’s Texas Division in the Civil War
Karnes – a captain in the Texas Revolutionary Army
Kelton – a surgeon in the Texas Navy
Mellus – a lieutenant in the Texas Navy
Pickens – Inspector General of Holtclaw’s Brigade of the Confederate Army
Rains – an attorney in early Texas
Stratton – fought with the 2nd Regiment of the Texas Partisan Rangers
Wingate – killed in the Goliad Massacre
DICKEY PLACE: William M. Dickey owned a farm near where River Oaks is today. When that area was being developed in 1923-4 he sold a portion of his land for the construction of River Oaks Elementary School. He then developed Avalon and Dickey Place nearby as well as the Avalon Center at the corner of Westheimer and Kirby. 45
DICKINSON: John – The street, the town and the bayou are named after this early pioneer. He was given a land grant for this area in 1824. In the 1850s Dicki
nson became a stop on the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad. In the early 1900s the Galveston & Houston Electric Railway made regular stops there. 46
DIEPPE: On August 19, 1942 Canadian troops attacked the German coastal defenses at Dieppe, a French city on the English Channel. The battle was a debacle for the allies physically, with the Canadians sustaining huge casualties. However, tactically it answered questions about the strength of the Nazi defenses and the problems an invading force would face in the future. 47
DING-AN-SICH: This oddly named Liberty County drive is German for “a thing in itself.” It is a notion in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. A “thing-in-itself” is an object as it would appear to us if we did not have to approach it under the conditions of space and time. For more information on this obscure subject see his classic works Critique of Pure Reason (1781) and Critique of Practical Reason (1788), in which he put forward a system of ethics based on the categorical imperative. 48
MAYOR OSCAR HOLCOMBE’S REVENGE
Years ago a Houston Press (a newspaper from 1911 to 1964) reporter named Tom Abernathy succeeded in aggravating Mayor Holcombe. Not one to take this lying down the Mayor decided to level the playing field with Mr. Abernathy. Contacting the head of the Public Works Department, Holcombe indicated he wanted to name a street after Abernathy – but not just any street. Director J. M. Nagle instructed Chief City Draftsman Keating that the Mayor wanted the worst street in the city renamed for the reporter. So Keating recommended Oates as the candidate for renaming. It was a short, muddy, unimportant, Fifth Ward lane that abutted the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad tracks. Then the Mayor issued a press release stating he was naming a street for “a Houston Press reporter.” Abernathy’s initial reaction was a combination of excitement and confusion due to his adversarial relationship with Holcombe. He was quoted in his own paper as saying “I was excited and a bit flattered when I first saw the list and noted my name proposed for one of the streets.” Further investigation “promptly deflated my ego” according to Abernathy. So the “Grey Fox” as the mayor was known, proved again how he got his nickname when the Press headline stated “Press Reporter Not Greatly Flattered When He Finally Finds Street That Was Named For Him.” Although this story remains, Abernathy Street no longer exists. 17
