Very often, a street's name will reflect something about its history. For instance, many of the city's older streets bear the names of early pioneers, or the names given to them by early developers (who apparently could name them whatever they wanted). A number of streets have also been named after "more contemporary" Austin pioneers. Here is a sampling of some prominent Austin streets and heir various name origins:
Anderson Mill Road
Named after a mill and its owner, Thomas Anderson, who lived in the vicinity in the 1850s.
Barton Springs Road
Named for William Barton, first "owner" of Barton Springs.
Ben White Boulevard
Named to commemorate Ben White ("Uncle Ben") who served sixteen years on the Austin City Council (1951-1967).
E.M. Franklin Avenue
Renamed in 1995 in honor of the popular pastor in East Austin (previously Redwood Avenue).
Ed Bluestein Boulevard
Bluestein spent the bulk of his career overseeing the building of Austin roads and highways for the Texas Highway Department.
Enfield
Named by Governor Elisha Pease after the town in Connecticut where he was born.
Exposition Boulevard
Was the main thoroughfare leading to Camp Mabry where fairs and "expositions" were often held.
Lamar Boulevard
Named after the city's key founder, Mirabeau B. Lamar.
Jollyville Road Named after John Grey Jolly, a robust Civil War veteran who farmed, ran a store, and raised a family in the area in the latter part of the 19th century.
Koenig Lane
Named after the North Austin developer, Adolph Koenig.
Lorraine
Named by Governor Pease after his father (although an extra "r" was added).
Manor Road
Named after the Tennessee native James Manor, who followed Sam Houston to Austin and settled in the region east of the city.
Monroe
A family member of John Milton Swisher, founder of the "Swisher Addition" in South Austin in 1877 (streets that were also named for members of the Swisher family include Milton, Elizabeth, Newton, Nickerson, Nellie, James, Stacy, and Annie).
Newning Avenue
Named after C.A. Newning, developer of Fairview Park.
Niles Road
Niles was the maiden name of Governor Pease's wife Lucadia.
Oltorf
Named by Mrs. John La Prelle in honor of a relative.
Pershing Drive
Renamed in honor of General of the Armies John J. Pershing (originally Palo Pinto Drive).
Robert T. Martinez St.
Robert Martinez was an Austin Police Officer killed in the line of duty on February 25, 1989. The street, formerly Canadian Street, was renamed on May 25, 1989.
Slaughter Lane
Named from nearby Slaughter Creek, which was named for Stephen F. Slaughter, who received the original grant of land in the area on March 12, 1835, and was one of the first settlers in the current Travis County area (originally part of Bastrop County).
Speedway
Named by developer Monroe Shipe for the broad, graded gravel road out to the racetrack in Hyde Park.
Waller Street
Named in honor of Edwin Waller, surveyor of the city of Austin and its first mayor.
West Lynn
Derived from the fact that it ran along the "west line" of the subdivision.
Westover
The road ran "west over" a hill.
Windsor
Named after Windsor, Connecticut by Governor Pease.
William Cannon Drive
Named after the 1836 "Battle of San Jacinto" hero who owned property in that area.
810 Guadalupe | (512) 974-7480 | P.O. Box 2287, Austin, TX 78768-2287
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The Austin History Center is a division of the Austin Public Library.
