The Lane

When my family moved out of Chicago in 1980, we ended up in Fort Worth, Texas. Like a typical kid who liked things the way they were, I was not happy about the move at all until I found out that we’d be living in the hotel my dad was just hired to manage for a bunch of months while mom and dad found a house for us.

My parents eventually decided to buy a home that was being newly constructed, something that was doubly exciting because not only would they be the first owners, but the home would be the first one they had ever purchased.

As thrilled as I was to be moving into a brand-new house that would include the benefit of my very own bedroom for the first time in six years, I was disgusted by the name of the street on which the house was located. It was one of the ugliest street names I had ever heard, and still can’t think about it without my nose crinkling up just a little bit.

Shagbark.

Even after my mom told me that Shagbark was a type of tree and confirmed it was not just a name that was made up by some hateful person, I remained extremely disappointed that our house didn’t sit on any of the other delightfully named streets in the subdivision.

To add insult to injury, Shagbark was a Street.

Shagbark Street.

It sounded so harsh, so…hard. Unwelcoming.

My eleven-year-old self wondered what the builders were thinking. Couldn’t they have used a gentler–and more desirable–name like “Shagbark Place” or “Shagbark Avenue”?

We only lived on Shagbark Street for about eighteen months before my dad got a new job in Tennessee and we had to move, but it stuck with me. It was during the time I lived on Shagbark Street when I began taking real notice of other street names and sought out ones that were interesting.

Cinnamon Court and Breezy Circle are two that have made me smile.

In Niles, Illinois, there are tons of streets that begin with the letter “O”. I laughed to myself every time we drove down Touhy Avenue to visit M in her condo because it seemed like whoever named the cross streets just opened up the dictionary and started writing down words from the section dedicated to the fifteenth letter of the alphabet.

Main Street in any town makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I discovered my favorite so far the other day, when my sister and I were in the car together. The GPS was guiding us to our destination and one directive made me say, “HUH?”

It was telling me to turn right on “The Lane”.

“That can’t be right,” I said. “The WHAT Lane?”

It never occurred to me that The Lane could just be…The Lane.

After .7 miles I saw it for myself.

The Lane

One hundred percent charming. I’d like to live there.

11 Comments

  • Alisha

    I once lived on Chillingham Court. That’s probably the closest I’ll ever be to living like royalty 😉

  • Colleen

    Cute! Given that naming streets is, well, optional to someone at some point, you’d think they’d all have inviting names. Don’t they want people to WANT to live wherever the heck that street is?!? As a kid I grew up on St. James Street. I remember it kinda made me feel royal and important, even though it wasn’t in the best area of town. And this past weekend when I moved I moved to a place on Weslyn Court. No idea what the heck a Weslyn is (or WHO Weslyn is) but “court” makes it seem grander than a block long street with nothing but apartment buildings on it…

  • Patty

    That’s a very cool street name!
    I’d like to live on one that’s NOT a number….47 street (childhood) and now 66 RD…both fascinating numbers…I know! 🙂

  • Izzie

    My aunt used to live in the neighboring suburb of Morton Grove, IL and they have the same “o” street names.

    I will admit that when we were house hunting, there were a few houses I hoped we wouldn’t like because of the street name. 🙂

  • mags

    LOL, Shagbark. That’s a funny name and though I would hate living there, it’d make me giggle to visit you.

    I often get sent to “road” whilst using my GPS. But that’s not because it’s a cute name, it’s just that they don’t know the actual road I’m on!!

  • Toni

    I always wanted to live on a “circle”…but I guess I’m stuck with Delaware Street…probably the most boring state in all of the US…well, I guess it could’ve been Nebraska Street…that state is pretty boring too. 😉

    The Lane. Sounds like something from a Nicholas Sparks book.

  • ConnieFoggles

    So much fun to read this as it brought back memories. I lived in an area that had street names focused around the Pilgrims. My street was Mayflower Avenue – so homey. Now I’m stuck with a street name that no one can spell or understand over the phone. And we have the alphabetical thing here too.

  • candy @ Mommypalooza

    how funny! my sis and i just had a convo about street names just this past week because my mom just moved into a new house (in Texas, too!) and their street name is nutty, just like ALL the street names she’s seemed to have over the years! Why can’t street names just be more “normal”? 🙂

    xo,
    candy @ Mommypalooza