Old Missoula

More on Missoula’s Streets

What’s In a name?

By Kathleen Johnson

Oscar Patten lives at 1510 Khanabad Drive – right down the street from Khanabad Way.

Every time he sees the signs on those streets, he feels a bit of pride.

Patten, 70, named the streets, using some words he picked up during his 15-year-long state department job in Jordan, Afganistan, and Napal.

“In Persian, ‘Khana’ means important person. ‘Bad’ means a place to live. So Khanabad means a place for important people to live,” Patten said.

Patten is more modest than most land developers, who, since the early days, have named streets in the Garden City after what they knew and loved. And many of those early developers loved the sound of their own name.

Missoula is rife with them – streets named after local characters, poets, trees, birds, presidents, Indians and states. There are streets named for the function they serve and for their location – even streets named for an atmosphere the developer tried to create.

What’s in a name?

Judging from data 70-year-old Audra Browman has compiled, there’s plenty.

Browman, 664 S. Sixth St. E., is a “de facto” historian whose hobby is collecting information. For more than 20 years, Browman has pored over old county courthouse records and yellowing Missoulians, jotting down bits of information about people, places and events.

She has filed each gem on a 3×5-inch card and cataloged it in several files in her study.

Browman said her information may not be exactly correct because many of the courthouse records were handwritten and have faded over the years. She said the Missoulian articles were often written “in a hurry” by people – “and people make mistakes.” Browman thinks much of what she has found may be based on hearsay and speculation.

“Take it with a grain of salt,” she warned.

Here is what Browman – and a few others contacted by the Missoulian – found:

A dirt road becomes a street

It all started with a few dirt roads in 1860, when Christopher P. Higgins and Frank L. Worden founded a trading post at Hell Gate, about four miles west of what is now downtown Missoula.

Four years later, after gold had been discovered in Virginia City, they started the Missoula Mills Co. saw and grist mill near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek.

In 1866, a townsite plot was drawn up and filed at the recorder’s office. That plat has since vanished.

In the fall of 1870, the first official survey of the valley was done. Forty acres were set aside for a townsite, the plat for which was filed in June, 1871.

The earliest Missoula streets were: Front Street, known as Main at the time and part of the well-traveled Mullan Road; Higgins Avenue, known as Second Street; First Street, which became Stevens and later, Ryman; Third Street, later named Pattee Street, and Fourth Street, which became Clay.

William Stevens, known as “Uncle Billy,” had one of the first hotels in Missoula – Stevens House. Stevens Street was frequently confused with Stephens Avenue, named after William J. Stephens, an early Missoula attorney and real estate man.

That is why Stevens Street was changed to Ryman.

James H. T. Ryman was an early school principal.

David Pattee was a partner in the Missoula Mills Co. with Worden and Higgins.

Clay Street is the subject of some controversy. Some say it was named for an early territorial governor, Green Clay Smith, who served from 1866 to 1869. Others, including Browman, say it was named for the muddy clay that existed where the street ran. The clay was used to make adobe buildings in the early days.

By the 1880s, Missoula had begun to send out shoots.

With 40 houses south of the Clark Fork River, early real estate men, lawyers and city officials decided it was time to plat parcels of land. And the earliest street-planning squabbles began.

Missoula attorneys William J. Stephens and Walter Bickford platted a half-section south of the Clark Fork River about halfway to Fort Missoula. It was to be a separate town called South Missoula.

Bickford and Stephens decided it would be a good idea to use the existing main road from Missoula to the Fort and the Bitterroot as the main street of their little city. They named it Stephens Avenue and made it big and wide so several teams of horses could travel it at once.

Bickford and Stephens didn’t mind that it ran diagonally across the valley. They merely lined all their streets and avenues along it.

When the county accepted their plan for South Missoula, Stephens and Bickford thought life was just a bowl of cherries.

Then the trouble began.

Judge Hiram Knowles filed his plat for the Knowles addition, running north and south – not diagonally like Bickford and Stephens had done.

When Bickford and Stephens saw what Knowles was up to, they were upset. His addition would throw a monkey wrench into their main-road-to-the-Bitterroot plan.

They petitioned the county to deny the Knowles addition. But the Knowles addition was to be annexed into the city, not the county. The county told Stephens and Bickford there was nothing it could do to stop Knowles.

Unwilling to budge an inch, they left their town as planned, as Knowles did with his addition.
And by 1890, Missoula’s first city-county quarrel had taken place – and the first haphazard street plan had been adopted.

 

Kids, presidents and trees

Being a founding father, Higgins took a turn at platting a few parcels and naming a few streets in what is now the downtown residential area and the university district.

Being a proud father, he named nine streets for his children in order of age. They were: Francis, John, George, Maurice, Arthur, Helen, Hilda, Ronald and Gerald.

Francis, John and George streets were later consumed by the University of Montana campus, which was founded on the edge of the Montana addition in 1895.

Higgins also named some streets for our nation’s founding fathers, the presidents. But he missed John Tyler, the 10^th president. And he put Filmore Street between Taylor and Polk streets when Millard Fillmore was president after both Zachary Taylor and James Polk. (He also misspelled Fillmore’s name.)

But he got the rest right. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, Taylor, Polk and Pierce.

(Another developer who platted the Lows addition across town added the presidents Garfield, Grant and Johnson to Missoula’s list of streets.)

After children and presidents, Higgins went on to trees: Cedar, Pine, Spruce, Alder and Cottonwood.

A. B. Hammond, a prominent early Missoula businessman, named streets in his addition for trees too: Chestnut, Orange, Cottonwood, Hickory, Walnut, Ash and Oak.

William and Cyrus McWhirk, who with the Town Co., platted several small additions near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek in the late 1880s, named a few streets after trees: Vine, Poplar, Cherry, Locust, Elm, Briar, Willow, Lilac and Holly.

 

A bit of old England

In the late 1880s Englishmen John Inch, John Cornish and E. A. Winstanley gave Missoula a taste of their homeland when they platted the Homevale addition.

Some of the streets are based on English names; Lester, which originally may have been Leicester (a city in England), Thames (the river), Sussex, Middlesex and Kent (British counties), Oxford (a city in England) and Queen.

Central Avenue was the central road in the addition. North Avenue ran along the north edge of the addition and South Avenue ran along the south edge, along the tract of a section line.

 

Poetic license

It made sense. Name the streets in the school addition after poets and writers – 18^th and 19^th century English and American poets and writers, to be exact.

When the state superintendent of schools plotted some school land on the north side in the early 1890s and put the lots up for sale, he had little trouble naming more than 20 streets.

He just picked a poet’s name out of a hat: Edward George Lytton Bulwer; Robert Burns; Sir Richard Francis Burton, George Gordon Byron, James Fenimore Cooper; William Cowper; Daniel Defoe; Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Add Oliver Wendell Holmes; William Dean Howell; John Milton; Otis, the pseudonym of J. O. Kaler; John Phillips; Sir Walter Scott; William Shakespeare, Richard Henry Stoddard; Charles Tennyson Turner and Waverly, the title of Sir Walter Scott’s first historical novel.

 

A street here, a street there

Naming streets is not an exact science. Neither is documenting when they were platted and why they were named as they were.

But a search through old records and reminiscence reveals a list of several individuals after whom streets were – or may have been – named.

Again, as Browman says, “Take it with a grain of salt.”

Ardell Court was named for Ardell Ingalls, the wife of Rex Ingalls, a Missoula businessman who subdivided a parcel of land near Farviews in 1962.

Artemos Drive reportedly was named for Art J. Mosby, who subdivided Farviews in 1962.

Bancroft Street, which is in the Homevale Addition, may have been named for William Bancroft, an early Missoula assessor.

Beckwith Avenue and Street was named for Charles E. Beckwith, an insurance salesman whose wife was a sister of A. B. Hammond.

Blaine Street was named for Saron W. Blaine, who had the first house south of the Clark Fork River.

Brooks Street was named for George F. Brooks, an early Missoula surveyor and civil engineer.

Briggs Street was named for George Briggs, who owned a saloon, store and reportedly ran a house of ill repute near Fort Missoula.

Catlin Street was possibly named for the Pope Catlin clan. Pope Catlin owned one of Missoula’s early stores.

Cave Street was possibly named for Al Cave, a Missoula postmaster, school trustee and politician.

Charlo Street may have been named for Chief Charlo, who led the Flathead Indians in the 1880s.

Connell Avenue was named for Michael J. Connell, a partner with E. L. Bonner in the Bonner Store in the late 1880s.

Daly Avenue was named for the Butte copper king Marcus Daly, who owned a piece of land where the street ran.

Donley Street was named for Noah B. Donley, a jeweler and bounder of the Board of Trade, which later became the Chamber of Commerce.

Duncan Drive was named for Judge Asa L. Duncan by his son, Tom, on the last day of Tom’s term as County Commissioner.

Eddy Avenue was named for Richard A. Eddy, a member of the Eddy, Hammond and Bonner Co., which was the predecessor of the Missoula Mercantile Co.

Edith Street was named for Edith Bickford (Mrs. W. L. Murphy), the daughter of William Bickford.

Evans Avenue was named for John M. Evans, a Missoula mayor and state congressman and later the Missoula police judge. Beverly and Hastings Avenues were named after Evans’ children.

Fassett Drive was named after Newman Lester Fassett, who subdivided a parcel in the 1960s.

Flager Road was named in 1975 by Fred Crisp, an employee of the County Surveyor’s office. Flager Road was the name of a street in Knoxville, Tenn., where Crisp used to live. He also named a lane for his wife, Trudy, and a drive for Denise, a secretary in the office.

Florence Avenue was named for Florence Hammond, A. B. Hammond’s wife. The town of Florence and the Florence Hotel also were named after her.

Gharrett Avenue was named for J. E. Gharrett, who farmed in the Cold Springs area in 1887.

Harris Street may have been named for Thomas Harris, who farmed in the Bitterroot Valley in the early days.

Hartley Street may have been named for George N. Hartley, who owned a confectionary and fruit store.

Hartman Street was named for George Hartman, who bought McWhirk’s garden and raised produce there.

Hill Street may have been named for James Hill, a businessman and city alderman in 1891.

Humble Road [1]may have been named for the Humble family, which owned the land where Sentinel High School is today. Humble reportedly sold the land to the county for $10.

Gilbert Avenue may have been named for Fred Gilbert, an early real estate man. He may have been the same Fred Gilbert who was superintendent of the Rocky Mountain Division of the Northern Pacific Railroad when it came through Missoula, a farmer and a county school superintendent.

Keith Avenue was named for J. M. Keith, a partner with Hammond in the Missoula Mercantile Co.

Kennedy Street was named for William Kennedy, who owned a market and several hotels and had a fruit farm at the mouth of Grant Creek.

Kennett Avenue was probably named for Ferd Kennett, a Missoula businessman in the 1880s and 1890s.

Kern Street was named for Frank P. Kern, a blacksmith who later opened a sporting goods store.

LeVasseur[2] Street may have been named for Fred Levasseur, an early Missoula settler.

Longstaff Street was named for Thomas W. Longstaff, an architect who designed many Missoula buildings, including the Florence Hotel.

Marshall Street was named for Charles S. Marshall, an early judge.

Miller Creek and Upper and Lower Miller Creek Road were named for Ezra Miller, who ranched in that area.

McCauley Lane and McCauley Butte were named for Maj. Michael McCauley, an early Flathead Indian agent who lived in the area.

McCormick Street was named for Washington J. McCormick[3], an early real estate man. He also named streets for his daughters, May, Blanch and Nora.

McLeod Avenue was named for C. H. McLeod, a longtime manager of Missoula Mercantile.

Owen Street was probably named for John Owen, who farmed in the Bitterroot. He was a friend of W. J. McCormick.

Paxson Street was named for Missoula artist Edgar S. Paxson.

Rankin Street was named for one of the Rankin family, possibly John, who had a lumber mill up Grant Creek. His daughter was Jeannette, the first female elected to the U. S. House of Representatives.

Raymond Avenue was named for W. H. Raymond, who had a house up the Rattlesnake at the turn of the century. He reportedly built it for his new bride, who died shortly before or after the marriage.

Ronan Street may have been named for Peter Ronan, a Flathead Indian agent for whom the town of Ronan was named.

Schilling Street may have been named for Andrew or Edward W. Schilling. Edward built the Schilling block on Front street and owned a clothing store.

Spurgin Road was named for William Spurgin, a blacksmith and early rancher. The Missoulian reported that he patented a washing machine in 1884.

Stegner Drive was named for Missoula Realtor Dick Stegner, who subdivided the parcel in 1973.

Toole Avenue was named for the first governor of the state, Joseph K. Toole.

William Street was named for Charles E. Williams, who had the “Spring Hill Stock Farm” on the east side of the Rattlesnake.

Whitaker Drive was named for R. H. Whitaker, a trustee of the Pattee Canyon School District who lived on the hill. His wife, Blanche, was one of the first teachers at UM.

Wolf Avenue may have been named for Gustavus A. Wolf[4], an early insurance salesman.

Woodford Street was probably named for T. S. Woodford, a traveling salesman and brother-in-law of William Bickford, who platted the South Missoula subdivision.

Woodworth Avenue was named for Chauncy Woodworth, an early photographer and timber cruiser.

Woody Street was named for Frank H. Woody, who worked in Frank Worden’s store. Woody later became a Missoulian editor, historian and a Missoula district judge.

Wylie Avenue was named for C. C. Wylie, an early real estate broker.

 

A case for practicality

Every once in awhile, in spite of all the poets, presidents, trees and states from which to choose, a street gets named for the purpose it serves.

Take Bank Street, for example. Some say it was named for Higgin’s First National Bank, which was built on the street in the early days. Others say it was named because it lined the bank of the Clark Fork River before the dikes were constructed.

Cedar Street, which later became Broadway, may have been named for the tree. But some say it was so named because it was paved with cedar blocks.

Creek Crossing Road was so named because a bridge crossed Rattlesnake Creek at that point, in what is now on the edge of the Lincolnwood subdivision.

Fox Farm Road was the road to a farm on which foxes and minks were raised for fur.

Post Siding Road was the road from the post – Fort Missoula – to the railroad station.

Railroad Street was so named because it runs parallel to the Burlington Northern tracks.

And the meaning of East Missoula’s Speedway Avenue is obvious.

 

Birds of a feather

In 1956, when Elmer and Marge Fame decided to plat a mobile home park west of the city, they named it El-Mar Trailer Village, using the “El” from Elmore and the “Mar” from Marge.

And they didn’t stop there. They named streets for their daughters, nephews, nieces, Elmer’s mother-in-law – even his sister-in-law’s dog.

Missoula found itself with street names like Laurie, Kathy Jo, Julie, Sherry, Pamela, Patricia, April, Kenin, Tina – even Little Bit Street (named for the dog, of course.)

Eighteen years later, when Frame platted his El-Mar Estates subdivision, he looked around for some street names that hadn’t been used. They were getting scarce.

He wanted some names that would set his subdivision apart from the others. When he checked with the city and the county and found there were only three streets named for birds – Flamingo, Mallard and Meadowlark – he knew he had hit the jackpot.

The result was a flock of streets named for our feathered friends. Hummingbird, Pheasant, Quail, Mourning Dove, Partridge, Bob White, Woodcock, Robin, Oriole, Nut Hatch, Bluebird, Chickadee, Sage Hen, Sharptail, Warbler and Grouse.

The above article appeared in The Sunday Missoulian on July 1, 1979.

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