Historic Houston Streets

DACUS: Over the years many communities came and went in Montgomery County including this one. In 1687 the French explorer, Le Salle, passed through here and recorded about 40 Indian huts. White settlement began in 1823 with a man named Francis Wheeler. Later the village was named for J. B. Dacus, also an early arrival. ²

DAGG CEMETERY: This small family cemetery is located in southwest Harris County. Family members buried here include Garret W. Dagg Sr. (1856-1922), Elizabeth Dagg (1866-1928), Garrett W. Dagg Jr. (1890-1942) and Lee M. Dagg (1885-1905). Other families interred here include Perrys and Woods. Coincidently, there is a dead end road sign on this street. (See Dagg.) ³

DAGG: Garrett W. Sr. – This man settled in the area near Pearland in the late 1800s. The Dagg Family Cemetery is located nearby. (See Dagg Cemetery.) ⁴

DAIRY-ASHFORD: In 1894 surveyors named the town we call Alief today Dairy or Dairy Station as it was located on the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad line. Residents nicknamed the day train the “Dinky” and the night train the “Davy Crockett.” When the U. S. Post Office denied an application under the name Dairy the town changed its name to Alief honoring the first postmistress, Alief Ozelda Magee. Ashford, also known as Satsuma or Thompson Switch, was located near Cypress on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad. J. T. Thompson platted the town and called it Satsuma because of the orange groves in the area. It was later changed to Ashford. (See Alief-Clodine) ⁵, ⁶

DAMON GIN: The old cotton gin in Damon was on this road. (See Beasley-Damon.) ⁷

HOUSTON’S BEST STREET INTERSECTIONS

Never let it be said that real estate developers in Houston lack a sense of humor. While some of these intersections and parallel streets might have just been put together accidentally I can’t help believe most were intentional. Here are some examples: 14

Sears & Roebuck – old line retailer

Bell & Telephone – the phone company

Preston & Smith - a Texas governor

Thomas & Jefferson – our third President

Corvette & Isetta – high horsepower vs. no horsepower

Longneck & Lite – have a cold one

Six pack & Strohs – a little free advertising

Plantation, Tara & Rhett – Gone with the Wind Too Far

Scarlett & O’hara – ditto

Affirmed & Alydar – greatest thoroughbred rivals

Girl Scout, Campfire, Boy Scout & Webelos – all-American

Discipline & Patience – good virtues

Currency & Dividend – financial responsibility

Perception, Edification, Insight & Enlightenment – good streets for a guru

Fearless, Courageous, Bravery & Victorious – early Texas virtues

Sigma, Kappa, Gamma & Epsilon – fraternity row

Faith, Grace & Hope – an intersection for optimists

Stonewall & Jackson – the South’s great martyred general

Miracle & Gospel Way – hallelujah

Gulf Stream & Jet Stream – rapid water and air currents

Edinburgh & Castle – that city’s most famous site

Aztec & Inca – two great pre-Columbian civilizations

Madrigal & Minstrel – olde English music

Black Gold & Oil Center – it’s a gusher

Metairie & Ponchartrain – laissez les bon temps roulez

Mutiny & Bounty – Captain Bligh vs. Fletcher Christian

Pitcairn & Mutineer – the resting place of HMS Bounty

Okra, Tomato, Carrot, Turnip & Squash – vegetarian’s delight

Old Masters & Rembrandt – very artsy

Packard, Reo & Kaiser – defunct automobile manufacturers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAY: This Montrose area street is named for the Day family who lived on it. ²⁰

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

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

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

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

DIABLO: See sidebar Learn a Foreign Language on Your Morning Walk, page 125.

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 2^nd 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 2^nd Regiment of the Texas Partisan Rangers

Wingate – killed in the Goliad Massacre

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 Dickinson 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

DISMUKE: Thomas – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

DIVOT: When a piece of turf on a golf course is torn out as a ball is being struck, it is called a divot. For more on the odd street names of the Sky Lakes subdivision, see Bogie.

DOBBIN-HUFSMITH: What would become west Montgomery County was first visited by the French explorer LaSalle in 1687. Americans settled in the area in 1831. In 1880 the Navasota & Montgomery Railroad opened a station here called Bobbin. In 1909 the name was changed to Dobbin. (See Hufsmith.) ⁵⁰

DOERRE: This family owned land in the area near Klein, Texas where this street is located. A number of these early settlers are interred in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. (See Klein Cemetery.) ⁴

DOLIVER: Because of his daughter Mary Catherine’s fascination with Hawthorne’s Tanglewood Tales, developer William Farrington planned to name all of the streets in his new project for people and places in the novel. Except for the title street however, Doliver was the only other name he liked in the book. ⁵¹

DONERAIL: The naming of this street proves that the winner of the Kentucky Derby achieves immortality. Donerail won the Run for the Roses in 1913 by 1/2 a length. This high-strung thoroughbred refused to stand still while the blanket of roses was placed over his head, a winner’s circle tradition. Jockey Roscoe Goose dismounted, removed the saddle and climbed back on. No one knows why, but this seemed to satisfy Donerail and he was photographed with Goose and the roses on his bareback. He never won another major race. ⁵²

DONEY: A. G. V. – This man was a surgeon in the 11th Texas Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He was in Walker’s Texas Division. ⁵³

DONEY: See sidebar Texas Heroes’ names for Houston Streets Urged in 72 Proposed changes, page 96.

DONIGAN: Paul – This gentleman was a prominent doctor in Brookshire. Donigan was born in Turkey. His former home is now the Waller County Museum. ⁵⁴

DONNA BELL: Real estate developer Frank Sharp named this Oak Forest Addition street for his secretary’s daughter. (See Frank Sharp.) ⁵⁵

DOOLITTLE: James H. – He became famous as the U. S. Army Air Corps general who led the air raid on Tokyo on April 14, 1942. Leaving from the aircraft carrier Hornet, this daring raid gave American morale a needed boost following the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. ⁵⁷

DORAL: This Miami, Florida golf club and spa is the home of five championship links including the famed “Blue Monster.”

DOUBLETREE PLAZA: This short street fronts on the 313-room Doubletree Hotel at Houston Intercontinental Airport. ⁵⁸

DOW: C. Milby – This Deer Park street and park of the same name remember this gentleman who donated the land for a park in 1958. ⁵⁹

DOW: Dow Chemical Company was incorporated in 1897 by Herbert H. Dow to produce bleach. Along the way the product line expanded to include chlorine, ethylene, anti-knock gasoline, polystyrene, Saran Wrap, measles vaccine, Ziploc bags and compact discs to mention a few. The company has a large presence in the Ship Channel town of Deer Park. ⁶⁰

DOWDELL: In the U. S. Census of 1850 there was a 55-year-old Virginian living in north Harris County where this road is located by the name of Edward R. Dowdle. It is possible the street is named for him. It was not uncommon in those days for people to have their names misspelled or later alter the spelling. Examples in the area include Kurkendale to Kuykendall, Thaisz to Theis or Struck to Strack. ⁶¹

DR. JOHN E. CODWELL: He was one of Houston’s greatest black educators. HISD valued his skills so highly they waived the retirement age policy so he could continue his service for another decade. Among the positions he held were coach, assistant principal and principal at Phyllis Wheatley Senior High School and principal of Jack Yates Senior High School. (See Wheatley.) ⁶³

DRAKE: Founded in 1881 in Des Moines, Iowa this university is named for a major financial contributor, General Francis Marion Drake. He was a Civil War general, Iowa governor, attorney, banker and railroad man. Drake consistently ranks academically as one of the top schools in the Midwest. Since 1910 it has been the home of the Drake Relays, one of the greatest track and field meets held in America. ⁶⁴

DRISCOLL: Years ago the Driscoll family owned a large dairy farm where Montrose and this street are today. The vintage family farmhouse was razed in 2004 to make way for a townhouse complex. One of our city’s grisliest murders took place at 1815 Driscoll on June 20, 1965, Father’s Day. Three days later Houston homicide detectives discovered the neatly butchered bodies of Fred and Edwina Rogers in the icebox of the home. The crime has never been solved but their mysterious son, Charles, remains the chief suspect. No one has seen him for more than 40 years. Learn more about this heinous crime by reading The Ice Box Murders by Hugh and Martha Gardenier. ⁵⁹

DRY BAYOU: This estuary rises northwest of Angleton where its source was dammed up to form Harris Reservoir. It runs 14 miles to join Middle Bayou before emptying into the Brazos River near Brazoria. (See Harris Reservoir.) ⁶⁵

DRYDEN: John – He was a 17th century English poet and dramatist. But it was his essays on literary criticism that made him famous. His best-known work in this field, A Defense of an Essay of Dramatique Poesie, was written in 1668. To make a neighborhood seem full of intellectuals, who better to name a street after than John Dryden? ⁶⁶

DUESSEN: Alexander – He was a petroleum engineer who donated a 309-acre site on Lake Houston to Harris County in 1956. Subsequently the land was converted into a public park named for him. ⁶⁷

DUKE: James Buchanan – Duke, an industrialist and philanthropist, founded Duke University in 1924 in Durham, North Carolina. His final consuming interest was building the university. As Duke lay dying, one of his last recorded statements was “Don’t bother me, nurse. Today, I am laying out the university grounds.” ⁶⁸

DUMONT: This was the original name of South Houston from 1907 until its incorporation in 1913. (See South Houston.) ⁷⁰

DUNCAN: Hartford – This FM 1960-area road is the surname of an early settler in the area. Descendants of the man still live there. ⁷¹

DUNKIRK: A seaport in France on the English Channel, it was the scene of about 1000 ships evacuating approximately 300,000 trapped English and Allied troops from its beachfront between May 27 and June 4, 1940 as the German forces were advancing. English civilians manned many of the boats. The RAF offered air cover for the operation. It ranks among the most tremendous feats of naval history. ⁷²

HONORARY STREET MARKERS

Unless you are a real estate developer, your best friend is a developer, you are an employee of Vernon Henry & Associates or you have strong ties to city government, it is difficult to name a street. It is even a greater challenge to change the name of an existing street. Both of these processes involve applications, lengthy reviews and approvals. However, City Council is willing to consider “honorary street markers” in certain cases. An excellent example of this is the marker honoring world famous Houston artist Dorothy Hood. She lived and worked at 819 Highlands in the Houston Heights. Her studio was a Mecca for established as well as “starving” artists. Hood was born in 1919 in Bryan, Texas and attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the Art Students League in New York City. In the 1940s she met many famous artists, poets and composers from Latin America including the Mexican muralist Jose Clemente Orozco and conductor Valasco Maidana who became her husband. They moved to Houston in 1962. Her career as an artist took off. Hood had works shown in the Museum of Fine Art Houston, Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Gallery in Washington, D. C. Her neighbors loved her and following her death in October 2000 they initiated the plan to have Highland Street renamed in her honor. The Planning and Development Department suggested an “honorary street marker’ would be much easier to get. The marker was placed in front of her home/studio in February 2001.

Standards for Honorary Street Markers are as follows: 1) A request must be made to Planning and Development listing the individual’s contribution to society; 2) Requests must be approved by City Council; 3) Honorary markers are only for local streets; 4) They are limited to one block and 5) Use of proper names is only allowed if the honoree is deceased.

DUNMAN: Joseph – An early resident of Humble, Texas, this gentleman holds the honor of being the first documented burial in the Humble Cemetery. ⁷⁴

DURANZO: See sidebar Brazoria County’s Old Plantation Streets and Roads, page 258.

DURHAM: Mylie E. – This gentleman was a general practitioner in the Houston Heights for many years. He was a founder of Heights Hospital. Long-time Heights resident Flossie Huckabee said Dr. Durham passed away on his birthday while enjoying a round of golf. ⁷⁵

DUVAL: John Crittenden – He came to Texas to fight for independence from Mexico. Duval was captured with Fannin but managed to escape before the Palm Sunday massacre at Goliad. He fought in the War Between the States but did not believe in secession. He took up writing at age 48 and was called “the First Texas Man of Letters– by J. Frank Dobie. He wrote of his fantastic escape at Goliad as well as his adventures with Bigfoot Wallace. ⁷⁶

DYER MOORE RANCH: John Matthew Moore was born in Brazoria in 1862. Following his graduation from Texas A & M, he worked on the family’s farm. In 1883 he married Lottie Dyer and became manager of her land and cattle operations. He served four terms in the U. S. Congress and was instrumental in getting funds appropriated for construction of the Houston Ship Channel. ⁷⁷

DYER: C.C. or J. E. – C. C. Dyer was a judge in Fort Bend County. His son, J. E., was born at Stafford’s Point in 1832. He was a rancher, merchant (J. E. Dyer Dry Goods Store) and banker. In addition he was county treasurer from 1852 until 1859. J. E. fought for the Confederates in the War Between the States. ⁷⁸

D’AMICO: Samuel L. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

D

HOUSTON’S BEST STREET INTERSECTIONS

HOUSTON STREETS WITH AGGRESSIVE NAMES

“TEXAS HEROES’ NAMES FOR HOUSTON STREETS URGED IN 72 PROPOSED CHANGES”

MAYOR OSCAR HOLCOMBE’S REVENGE

HONORARY STREET MARKERS

NEIGHBORHOODS WITH INTERESTING STORIES