Part Three of a Special Three Part Series - - - - - Final Segment - - - - - Also Read   Why Our Streets Are Located Where They Are From Cobblestone to Asphalt — Hammond's First Paved Streets

Do you know the names of these city streets in the above overhead shots?
Left Hohman Avenue in Downtown Hammond -- Right Columbia Avenue - Highland and Lyons Streets in East Hammond.

Why Did They Call It That?

Taking a trip down a number of the city’s well-known streets, or just simply looking at a road map of the city is a lesson in Hammond’s early history. A majority of Hammond’s well-traveled roads take their names from the towns founding fathers and prominent citizenry.

It is quite an honor to have a building, school, park or street named after you and Hammond did not shortchange its early settlers in this respect. Streets in the city’s Downtown, central, north and east Hammond sections read like a who’s who of Hammond. Hohman Avenue - named for Ernest Hohman, an early settler. Towle Avenue, named for Marcus Towle, Mayor and businessman. Rimbach Street - named for Jacob Rimbach, early citizen / businessman. Sohl Avenue - named for Ernest Sohl, an early citizen. Conkey Street - named after W. B. Conkey, an early industrialist.

The Robertsdale/Roby areas of Hammond also took part in naming some of their streets after their founding families as well. Here are a few prime examples - Burton Court - named for W. M. Burton, a chemist at Standard Oil Company. Atchison Avenue - named after Robert Atchison, early area resident. Warick Avenue - named for W. E. Warick, a plant supervisor at Standard Oil Company. Caroline Avenue - named for Mrs. Jacob Forsythe, sister of George Clark.

Naming of city streets is not rocket science, it just takes a little common sense. However this was not the case in the early days of Hammond. As the city grew and expanded at a rapid pace, streets were being named in a hodge podge of ways following no special rhyme or reason. Some streets had very peculiar or hard to pronounce names. For example - Zachau Avenue, Shinton Street, Pochman Boulevard and Krapac Place. Other streets even had the very same names in different parts of the city. Examples - there were three roads with the name of Harrison, one called Harrison Avenue and two named Harrison Street. Morton Avenue and Morton Court. Walter Avenue and Walter Street.

Imagine a poor wary traveler, new to the city trying to locate a particular address, even while many of the town’s own residents were dumbfounded as to its location. The Hammond City Council attempted several times to remedy this situation. Once in 1890 and once again in 1930. The 1930 event brought about the most changes, with some eighty-eight city streets being changed or renamed in an effort to bring about a much more organized and urban feel in the naming of Hammond’s streets.

Recognize any of these city streets in the old photographs above?
Left - Highland Street with the former Lyndoa Hotel in the background. Right - Douglas Street and Stateline Avenue.

The numeric sequence in street names first matched those in nearby Gary, but were later changed to match the city’s bigger neighbor of Chicago. The naming of streets in identifying groups makes it easier for one to remember and thus locate. Hence the names of trees, flowers, presidents and states. Somehow the naming of streets after diseases or body parts just has not caught on yet. Maybe we should be thankful for that! :-)

Several more modern era streets have been renamed or titled after local businessmen or politicians. Ben Levin Drive - named after a local businessman. Ray Madden Drive - named for a local politician. Joe Hirsh Drive - named after a local businessman. Frank Martin Drive - named for a local politician.

Just how were Hammond’s streets to be renamed? Well there were plenty of opinions and ideas from city politicians and plain townsfolk as well. City Engineer Lyons — of Lyons Street fame? agreed that something must be done to help clear up the confusion, with Harrison Avenue and two Harrison Streets. Councilmen made themselves heard as well. Councilman John Kane — gee did he name Kane Street after himself? was quite boisterous in this matter. Then Mayor Patrick Reilley suggested that streets beginning at the lakefront be numbered One, Two, Three. Etc.

Once a decision on just how to rename Hammond’s streets was reached, street signs needed to be erected to help identify these changes. This choice was much more easier then picking and choosing the names for the city’s roadways. City Council members simply looked no further then Hammond’s adjoining neighbors of Gary and East Chicago for ideas in this matter. These two cities used enameled metal street signs, these type of signs were frowned upon because they were not impervious to the elements. Over time these metal street signs would rust and break. Council members much preferred the more durable concrete post with letters stenciled on its sides. How many of you remember the old concrete sign posts which took up residence at the city’s street corners? Some of which are pictured in the photos to the left.

These concrete pillars served the city well, until they were replaced by the much more visible and informative street signs that we have today, all to help point us in the right direction.

Photos courtesy of The Calumet Room of the Hammond Historical Society.
Some source information from "The Times" newspaper microfilms at the Hammond Public Library.
Hammond Surface Streets © 2000 HammondIndiana.com all rights reserved.

Read the remaining segments of this three part series - Hammond Surface Streets
Part one of our Special Series From Cobblestone to Asphalt — Hammond's First Paved Streets
Part three of our Special Series Placements & Patterns — Why Our Streets Are Located Where They Are

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