Historic Houston Streets

MACARTHUR: Douglas – He was unquestionably one of America’s greatest military leaders. MacArthur was a very complex person: a military genius, highly intelligent (graduating 1st in his class from West Point), headstrong, flamboyant, fearless and controversial. There was a good reason he was known as the “American Caesar.” During World War I he was highly decorated for bravery, winning the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Cross and seven Silver Stars. In World War II he commanded the U. S. Army forces in the Far East. President Harry Truman relieved MacArthur of his command in the Korean War in a dispute over policy. He will be remembered for two of his more famous quotes: “I shall return” on retreating from the Philippines in 1942 and “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away” from his farewell speech to the U. S. Congress. ³

MACBETH: In the east side neighborhood of Highland Estates there are several street names relating to Scotland. This Scottish king (1040-1057), who ascended the throne after killing his cousin Duncan, is most remembered as the focal point of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth. ⁴

MACEDONIA: This Waller County road remembers Macedonia Community that was located west of Tomball. It was established by German immigrants in 1878. A farmer and rancher, Heinrich Konrad Karl Leverkuhn, first named it Foresouth Prairie but later changed it to Macedonia Community. It once had a cotton gin, syrup mill, blacksmith shop, school, Methodist church and cemetery. The latter is all that remains. ⁵

MACGREGOR: Henry F. – He was a major influence at the Houston Post for many years. MacGregor, along with John Kirby, put up the land for St. Agnes Academy. He was one of the organizers of the Houston Symphony Association. He gave the city a park with a fountain, pool and sculpture on the corner of Main and Richmond. Little of the park remains today, but the statue of his wife Elizabeth Stevens MacGregor, nicknamed Peggy, has been restored and is located in MacGregor Park. Gutzon Borglum who later became famous for his monumental presidential busts on Mt. Rushmore did the sculpture in 1927. (See tombstone on page 205.) ⁶

MACZALI: Years ago the Houston Fire Department asked Planning and Development to use this Hungarian surname to name a street in the southwest part of town. They wanted to use an uncommon name so they searched the phone book and found no other last names with only one listing. Later a firefighter named George J. Maczali saw the street on the map and searched out its provenance. He had a photograph of himself taken in front of the sign. On a trip to Hungary to visit relatives he took the picture along to show them. ⁸

MADISON: James – The 4th President of the United States, Madison is remembered as the “Father of the Constitution” for his skillful structuring of that document at the Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787. He was an author of the Federalist Papers and strong advocate of the Bill of Rights. The War of 1812 and the burning of the White House by British troops hurt his popularity but an improving economic climate revitalized his presidency. ⁹

MAGELLAN: Ferdinand – Located in the maritime themed neighborhood of Newport, this street honors one of the greatest seaman and navigators in history. Among his many accomplishments: he initiated the first circumnavigation of the world, discovered the Straits of Magellan, named the southern tip of South America Tierra del Fuego (because of the many fires he saw there) and named the Pacific Ocean. Magellan was born in Portugal in 1480. At 15 he joined the Portuguese navy where he excelled. In 1513 he had a falling out with King Manuel, renounced his citizenship and became a Spaniard. Charles V of Spain knew a good thing when he saw it and commissioned Magellan to sail around the world. His fleet of five ships departed August 10, 1519. It was a difficult expedition. Magellan was killed by islanders in the Philippines on April 27, 1521 but one ship limped home with a crew of 18 to complete the voyage. ¹⁰

MAHAFFEY: Amos – This Scotch-Irish settler arrived in the north Harris County area from Mississippi following the War Between the States. He purchased part of the original Elizabeth Smith league and settled down with his wife and eight children. ¹²

MAHAFFEY: R. O. – He was a merchant who opened the first general store in Tomball in 1908. Located in a two story building, the store was on the ground floor and the family lived upstairs. His daughter, Hazel, was the first baby born in Tomball. ¹³

MAID MARIAN: She was the lover of the mythical Robin Hood, the English hero/ bandit who was known to rob from the rich and give to the poor.

MAIN: In the minds of Houston founders John and Augustus Allen as well as chief surveyors Gail and Thomas Borden this was to be our city’s most important thoroughfare. As a result it was platted at 90-feet wide versus 80-feet for the other 16 streets on the first map of Houston in 1836. For many years it was the king of our streets. The best merchants built their stores on it. The leading banks, hotels, entertainment palaces and restaurants were here. At the south end the city’s leading citizens built their palatial homes. The changing demographics of our city resulted in a slow process of decay for Main that began in the late 1970s and continues today. Hopefully the new Metro light rail project and other plans can restore it to something of its former glory. ¹⁴

MAJESTIC PRINCE: Legendary jockey Bill Hartack (who rode five winners in 12 rides at the Kentucky Derby) won the 1969 Derby on Majestic Prince. It was the only overwhelming favorite Hartack mounted in the “Run for the Roses,” going off at 6-5. The race was close but the Prince won by a neck. ¹⁶

MAJESTIC: This Denver Harbor street recalls the magnificent Majestic Theater at the corner of Texas and Milam. Jesse H. Jones built it in 1910 at a cost of $300,000. “Actors praised it, for every comfort has been provided for them, both in the modern dressing room and the large and fully equipped stage. The public appreciates it because in the whole house there is no angle, no obstructing pillar nor column and no seat that does not furnish a good view of the stage” according to an early newspaper review. ¹⁷

MALMEDY: The Malmedy Massacre occurred on December 17, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. An American truck convoy was intercepted by a German Panzer tank division. The outgunned Americans surrendered. The Germans herded the 81 POWs into a nearby field and mowed them down with machine guns. Survivors were shot in the head where they fell. It was the worst atrocity against American troops in Europe. Following the war 74 Germans were tried and convicted of these war crimes. ¹⁸

MALONE: William – This Houston real estate promoter bought 3,000 acres in north Harris County in 1907. Malone paid approximately $9,100 for this acreage. A small town named Peck was located on his property. He replatted the land and changed the name to Tomball. (See Tomball.) ¹⁹

MALTBY: W. J. – Another member of Walker’s Texas Division, he was the Captain of Company G of the 17th Texas Volunteer Infantry. ²⁰

MANASSAS: Also known as Bull Run, this small Virginia town had two battles fought over it. The first on July 21, 1861 saw the Confederates under General Pierre Beauregard rout the Union army under the command of General Irvin McDowell. Almost a year later on August 30, 1862 the result was the same with General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s Southerners defeating General John Pope’s Federals. ²²

MANCHESTER: This Houston Ship Channel community was a stop on the Texas & New Orleans Railroad in the 1860s. Since the 1920s the Manchester Corporation has operated a large freight terminal on the south bank of the Channel near Brady Island. ²³

MANGUM: Eugene – This gentleman owned Mangum Development Company. He was asked to attend a meeting at the Houston Planning & Development Department. When he arrived the committee informed him they were naming a road in his honor. ²⁴

MANVEL: Originally named Pomona, the name was changed to Manvel when it was discovered that a west Texas town was already know as Pomona. It was named for the president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. The first settlers arrived here in 1857 but the town did not develop until 1890. In 1931 oil was discovered here and Manvel became a very prosperous place. Today it is known as a large rice producing area. ²⁵

MAPLE VALLEY: This street, along with Shady River and Stones Throw, were named for streets where Mary Catherine Farrington’s classmates at Randolph-Macon Women’s College lived, according to her book, Tanglewood, The Story of William Giddings Farrington. ²⁶

MAPLETON: This Iowa town was the home of Q. A. Wooster, Baytown area pioneer, prior to moving to Texas. (See Wooster.) ²⁷

MARC ANTHONY: One of ancient Rome’s famous citizens, he is most remembered for his “friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears…” speech after the assassination of Julius Caesar. He was given the eastern third of the Roman Empire to govern but, following his torrid affair with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and a falling out with Octavian, he committed suicide after a major military defeat by other Roman forces. (See Brutus, Cassius and Caeser.)

MAREK: This family was among the first people to settle in the small town of Guy. (See old Guy.) ²⁹

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

MARJORIE: This lady was the daughter of David C. Bintliff. Developer Frank Sharp name it for her and named Beverly for her sister. (See Bintliff and Sharpstown.) ³⁰

MARKS: Emil Henry – Much to my regret this Addicks area road is not named for the author of this opus. However, it does remember one of the county’s more interesting men. Born October 26, 1881 in Addicks, he was the son of a German immigrant who arrived in Texas in 1833. He went to work on a ranch following the death of his father. Marks was only 10 years old. In 1898 he went out on his own and bought his first Longhorn steer. By 1913 he was leading trail drives into Houston every week. In 1917 he bought a section of land and opened the LH-7 Ranch. By the 1950s he owned the largest private herd of Longhorn cattle in the world and was known as the “Longhorn King of Texas.” ³¹

MARLOWE: Christopher – This 16th century English dramatist’s writings had a profound influence on William Shakespeare. His works include Dr. Faustus, The Jew of Malta and Hero and Leander. Marlow died in a tavern fight, stabbed to death by another patron. ³²

MARQUETTE: Opened in 1881 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this co-educational university is operated by the Jesuit Fathers. ³³

MARTEN: Rosehill’s Salem Lutheran Church is the oldest Lutheran congregation in Texas, founded in 1852. In the 1870’s another wave of German settlers arrived in north Harris County. Many of these new immigrants joined Salem including the Marten family. ³⁴

MARTENS: The Martens were early settlers in the Tomball area. William Martens was the first justice of the peace. Family members are interred in the Seidel (Rosehill) Cemetery. (See Siedel Cemetery.) ³⁵

MARTIN: Daniel W. – A La Grange native this black student arrived at Prairie View A & M University in 1911 to study agriculture. He changed his degree to mechanical arts and graduated in 1918. The following year Martin was hired by the school as a Refrigeration Engineer. He became a instructor after earning his B. S. in Electricity in 1924. His five children also graduated from this university. ³⁷

MARTIN: Wyly – He was born in Georgia in 1776. Under the command of General Andrew Jackson, Martin fought in the War of 1812. He arrived in Texas in the 1820s and received a league of land. He was a captain in the Texas Army during the fight for independence. Martin settled near Richmond and was elected Chief Justice of Fort Bend County. He died in 1842. ³⁸

MARY BATES: This Sharpstown area thoroughfare is named for the wife of W. B. Bates, a real estate developer. ³⁹

MARY LOU: Mary Lou Henry of Vernon G. Henry and Associates Planning Consultants worked for the Planning & Development Department of Houston in the 1960s. A developer brought in a plat with a duplicate street name on it. Since duplication is prohibited, a senior officer, whom everyone called Miss Mack, decided to rename the street Mary Lou. Mrs. Henry’s expertise on our city’s street names was of great value to your author in writing this book. ⁴⁰

MARY MOODY NORTHEN: Born in Galveston in 1892 she was the granddaughter of financier William L. Moody. She was very active in business and philanthropy. Northen was president of American National Insurance Company, Moody Bank, Galveston News and W. L. Moody Cotton Company to mention some of her interests. She chaired the Moody Foundation, commissioned the outdoor historical drama, Lone Star, established the Railroad Museum and helped to found Texas A& M Maritime Academy. Moody was so critical in the Galveston Historical Society’s acquisition of the Elissa that the figurehead on the vessel has her face on it. (See Moody and Elissa.) ⁴¹

MASONIC PARK: This Brazoria street recalls a March 1835 day when six Masons met under a large oak tree, since known as the “Masonic Oak,” and founded the first Masonic Lodge in Texas. ⁴³

MASSEY: Charles D. – He was a Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner from 1927 until 1935. Among his accomplishments during this eight year term were: opening Market Street to Houston Street and completing the Hog Island Causeway to the Morgan’s Point Ferry. He also had a ferry named for him that could carry 20 cars from Hog Island to Morgan’s Point. ⁴⁴

MASTERS: This most prestigious golf tournament in the world was originally named the Augusta National Invitational Tournament by founder Robert “Bobby” Trent Jones in 1934. Five years later it was changed to The Masters. Many of golf’s greatest players have triumphed here including Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. ⁴⁵

MATHIS: This road runs south from Waller, Texas into Fort Bend County. The Mathis family were early settlers in this area. Many of the family members are interred in the Burton-Mathis-Canon Cemetery at the corner of Burton Cemetery and Mathis roads. (See Burton Cemetery.) ⁴⁶

MATISSE: Henri – The Memorial area neighborhood of Gaywood is filled with streets associated with artists, composers and operas. One of the most famous French painters of the 19th century, Matisse was greatly influenced by the Impressionists. He was an important member of the “les fauves” group. He is renown for his unique treatment of light in his paintings. ⁴⁷

MAY: Pam, Holli and Sandy – These three women own May Airport, a private landing strip in northwest Harris County. The elevation here is 166 feet and the runway is 3,440 feet long. ^{49, 50}

MAYDE CREEK: South Mayde Creek is a 16-mile watercourse with headwaters north of Katy, Texas that meanders southeast, emptying into Buffalo Bayou. ⁵¹

McCALL: Andrew - See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

McCALL: Screven Aaron – This attorney was born in Georgia in 1861. He moved to Texas in 1876 and opened a law office in Willis. McCall served as District Attorney for Montgomery County from 1899 until 1906. He was appointed a District Judge in 1929. His office was eventually moved to Montgomery where it is now open to the public. ⁵⁵

McCARTY: J. C. – This gentleman was a railroad surveyor in the late 1800s. The proximity of this road to the huge Englewood Rail Yard south of U. S. 90 leads me to believe McCarty is named for him. In 1904 he gave up surveying and partnered with James B. Earthman Sr. to found Earthman & McCarty Undertaking Company. Upon his death the firm’s name was changed to J. B. Earthman Company. This long time Houston family still operates Earthman Funeral Directors and Cemeteries today. ⁵⁶

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

McCRARY: The McCrary’s owned a considerable amount of acreage where this Fort Bend County road is located. They were farmers and ranchers. ⁵⁷

McDONALD: Allen J. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

McDONALD: R. D. – He was a land developer in Sweeny during the early 20th century who was president of Bernard River Land Development Company. McDonald donated a plot of land to every church denomination in Sweeny. The town was named for John Sweeny, a plantation owner in the area. ⁵⁸

McENROE MATCH: John McEnroe was one of America’s greatest professional tennis players. He won the U. S. Open in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984. McEnroe added the men’s singles crown at Wimbledon to his trophy case in 1982, 1983 and 1984. He was also a great doubles player winning three of those championships at the U.S. Open and four more at Wimbledon. McEnroe is also remembered for his bad temper and penchant for screaming at referees and linesmen. ⁵⁹

McILHENNY: Samuel K. – Named for an early Houston merchant, McIlhenny Company’s offices were at Franklin and Fannin. He was also a director and organizer of the Houston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade in 1874. He served as president of the Exchange on several occasions. (See Anita.) ⁶²

McINTOSH: John McK. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

McKEE: Frostown expert Kirk Ferris believes McKee was a freed slave who owned property in this historic area following Emancipation. The McKee Street Bridge is one of Houston’s architectural jewels. Built in 1932 under the direction of City Bridge Engineer James G. McKenzie, this colorful, undulating span’s beams demonstrate how the design carries the weight of the bridge and its traffic. Ferris was responsible for the renovation and painting of the bridge in 1985. (See photograph on page 214.) ⁶³

McKINNEY: Thomas F. – As one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred colonists, McKinney was given a league of land in what is today Brazos County. He became wealthy through trading, lumber and agriculture. In 1834 he partnered with Samuel M. Williams and established the largest commission-merchant firm in Texas. That company helped finance the Texas Revolution by advancing the Republic $150,000 and issuing notes that circulated as legal tender. McKinney became a famous thoroughbred breeder. He was opposed to Secession but reluctantly accepted it. Employed as an agent for Simeon Hart, the Confederate quartermaster for Texas, McKinney sold cotton to Mexico to purchase arms, ammunition and other necessary war supplies. The Civil War and a disastrous speculation in cotton ruined McKinney and he died broke. ⁶⁵

McKNIGHT: L. W. – I believe this street, south of Tetter Cemetery where he is buried, is named for this early settler. He was born in 1862 and died in 1937. (See Tetter Cemetery.) ⁶⁶

McMASTER: Clyde: He was a mayor of Pasadena, Texas who moved to this Ship Channel city in 1909. ⁶⁷

McNAIR STATION: This small principally black community was once a stop on the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western Railroad. The town and street recalled by this name have been on area highway maps since the 1930s although the community started 10 years earlier. ⁶⁸

MEADE: George Gordon – Not many Houston streets remember Union generals from the War Between the States. However, Meade was one of President Abraham Lincoln’s top commanders. He saw action at numerous battles including Mechanicsville, Glendale (where he was severely wounded), Bull Run II, Antietam and Chancellorsville. But Meade is most remembered for his defeat of General Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg. As commander of the Army of the Potomac, only Ulysses S. Grant outranked him.⁶⁹

MECOM: John Whitfield Sr. – Born in 1911 this Texas oilman made his initial fortune acquiring abandoned fields and finding large additional reserves others had missed. He also made major discoveries in Louisiana and Saudi Arabia. He purchased a large tract of land in Hitchcock that was once a naval blimp base. His plan to develop it never materialized. Mecom once owned the Warwick Hotel (now Hotel ZaZa). The fountains in the photo front that property. (See Blimp Base.) ⁷¹

MEDICAL COMPLEX: This street leads to the Tomball Regional Hospital and the Texas Sports Medicine Center. The former was founded in 1976 and now serves the citizens of Tomball, Magnolia, Waller and Cypress. The latter is a division of the hospital and was the first hospital-based sports medicine center on the Texas Gulf Coast. It opened for business in 1982. ⁷²

MEDICAL PLAZA: This street leads to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands. ⁷³

MEEK: Chester A. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

MELLOW BREW: The developer and residents of this unincorporated neighborhood of trailer homes must really enjoy a cold beer periodically (or possibly more often) as almost every street is related in some way to the brewing process. Other streets include South & North Lite, Longneck, Cooter (as in “drunk as Cooter Brown”) as well as two platted but yet unpaved lanes to be called Six Pack and Strohs. ⁷⁴

MELLUS: See sidebar Texas Heroes’ Names for houston Streets Urged in 72 proposed changes, page 96.

MELTON: Jim – This gentleman was a large land owner near Magnolia in Montgomery County in the early 1900s. (See Magnolia.) ⁷⁵

MEMORIAL BEND: In 1955 two real estate developers, Howard Edmunds and Robert Puig, formed the Memorial Bend Development Company, so called because the property was where Memorial Drive takes a sharp bend northward. The neighborhood was given the same name and many of the streets there are named for famous operas. (See Butterfly, Faust, Figaro, Hansel & Gretel, Isolde, Mignon, Tosca and Taviata.) ⁷⁶

MEMORIAL CITY: This is one of many huge shopping malls in the Houston area with the entry way street named for the project. ⁷⁷

MEMORIAL HERMANN: This Pearland street leads to the Memorial Hermann Hospital in that community. ⁷⁸

MEMORIAL: At the end of this road is the Galveston Memorial Park Cemetery in Hitchcock. ⁷⁹

MENARD: Michel Branamour – Born near Montreal, Canada in 1805 he came to Texas to trade with the Indian tribes. He later added cattle and horse trading with Mexicans. Menard built a saw and grist mill on Menard Creek in 1833. He signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836. Menard and his partners Samuel May Williams and Thomas F. McKinney formed the Galveston City Company for the purpose of developing a town on the eastern end of Galveston Island. (See McKinney.) ⁴³

MERCEDES: This street runs behind the Mercedes-Binz Center on I-45 North. This fine German motorcar began life as a bus. Karl Binz began manufacturing busses in Manheim, Germany in 1895. He later turned his attention to the production of luxury automobiles. ⁸⁰

MERCURY: See sidebar Space City U.S.A. or “Houston the Eagle Has Landed”, page 106.

MERKEL: Joseph R. & Caroline – In August 1860 this German immigrant couple paid $3,000 for 101 acres of land where this street is today. Many German families settled in this area, later called Merkel’s Grove, in the 1840s and after including the Blau, Schrimpf and Freund families. The family sponsored competitive target shooting contests on the farm. In 1885 Merkel opened the area for public recreation, 14 years before the city constructed its first park. (See Engelke and Canal.) ³⁵

MERLIN: In Arthurian legends he is a famous magician and counselor to King Arthur.

MERRIMACK: When the Union forces abandoned the Norfolk Naval Yard early in the Civil War, they scuttled this steam frigate. Raised by the Confederates it was converted into an ironclad and renamed Virginia. On March 9, 1862 she squared off against the Monitor in the first battle of ironclads. The four-hour, close-range battle was a draw. Although they never fought each other again, both met their fates at the bottom of the sea. The Rebels destroyed the Virginia (nee Merrimack) in May 1862 to prevent her capture by advancing Union armies. The Monitor sank in rough seas off Cape Hatteras in December of the same year. ⁸²

METAIRIE: See sidebar Laissez les bon temps roulez (Let the good times roll), page 188.

METCALF: W. – A captain of Company F of the 34th Regular Texas Cavalry Dismounted, he fought under Walker’s Texas Division during the War Between the States. ⁸³

METZLER CREEK: There are a number of members of the Metzler family buried in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery west of where this street is located. It is possible it is named for German immigrants who arrived in the Tomball, Texas area in the 1800s. (See Lutheran Cemetery.) ⁸⁴

MEYER PARK: This street and park are named for Elizabeth Kaiser Meyer. ^{72, 85}

MICHAUX: Located in developer William A. Wilson’s Woodland Heights neighborhood, this street is named for Mr. Michaux, a close friend of Wilson’s. A long time resident told me this civic-minded man was president of the Chamber of Commerce as well as the YMCA. ⁸⁶

IT’S MUSIC TO MY EARS

Woodwind Lakes in northwest Houston has to be our most musical neighborhood. Visit here and you can drive on Adagio (a slow tempo); Andante (moderately slow tempo); Allegro (a lively tempo); Brahms (classical German composer); Cadenza (melodic flourish in an aria); Cantata (musical piece composed of choruses, solos and recitatives); Chorale (Protestant hymn melody); Clarion (shrill, Medieval trumpet); Concerto (three movement orchestral composition); Crescendo (gradually increasing musical volume); Cymbal (brass percussion instrument); Ensemble (work for two or more musicians); Golden Chord; Melody; Musical; Opus (creative musical body of work); Oratorio (sacred story composition); Percussion; Prelude (short piece for piano); Rhapsody (improvisational composition); Rondo (triple musical theme between contrasting themes); Rhythm; Scherzo (¾ time movement); Serenade (musical performance professing love); Sinfonia (overture to an opera); Sonata (composition for four instruments); Symphonic; Toccata (free style piece for organ); Whistling and Woodwind (wind instrument with a reed). 34

MICHELANGELO: See sidebar Neighborhoods with Interesting Street Names, page 104.

MIDLINE: This town was established in the 1830s and grew when the Houston, East and West Texas Railway passed through it. It got its name due to its location near the Montgomery-Liberty County line. Like many towns in the area it benefited from the lumber boom of 1900. By 1930 the lumber business had declined. Midline began its slide into obscurity and very little remains. ⁸⁷

MIDWAY: This small community was established in 1822 but no longer exists. It was located where Baytown is today. ⁸⁸

MIDWAY: This street is named for a decisive WW II battle that occurred on and around this South Pacific island on June 3-6, 1942. Fought on sea and in the air, the defeat of the Japanese navy here was the turning point in the momentum of the War in the Pacific. During the action American forces sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, severely impacting that country’s ability to deliver offensive blows. ⁸⁹

MIGNON: In 1866 the French composer Ambroise Thomas wrote this opera. It is the story of Lothario, an elderly wandering minstrel, in search of his lost daughter, Mignon, who has been kidnapped by gypsies. The plot thickens with heroics, love, rejection, the other woman, attempted murder and finally redemption. During his career Thomas penned cantatas, ballets and 19 other operas. ⁹⁰

MIKE GAIDO: In 1911 San Jacinto Gaido opened Gaido’s Seafood Restaurant in Galveston. Its first location was atop Murdoch’s Bath House that extended on a pier into the Gulf of Mexico. In 1934 it moved to its present location at the intersection of Seawall and 39th Street (now renamed Mike Gaido Boulevard.) Mike was S. J. Gaido’s son. The fourth generation of the family operates this excellent eatery now. Treat yourself to a visit here and order the Snapper Sapparito. It might just be the greatest seafood dish in the world. ⁹¹

MILBY: Charles H. – Milby arrived in Harrisburg in 1872. During his life he ran a general store, founded a bank, manufactured bricks and was elected Harris County Commissioner. He was a civic-minded Houstonian, financier and owner of the Milby Hotel (1910). Milby led a drive to construct a new county courthouse. As a landowner in Harrisburg he contributed land, money and time to encourage Congress to deepen and improve the Houston Ship Channel. The Milby home, built in 1885-88, was at 614 Broadway at Elm in Harrisburg. His wife, Maggie Tod Milby, lived in the home until her death in 1942. The house stood vacant for many years and was demolished in 1959. ⁹³

MILL CREEK: This estuary has two forks that rise in Washington County and flow approximately 30 miles southeast before uniting. From there it continues fourteen more miles to its mouth on the Brazos River near Stephen F. Austin State Park. Early settlers called this creek Palmetto. The current name was adopted between 1820 and 1845. ⁹⁴

MILLER: Arthur O. – Following its incorporation in 1945, this man was elected to Katy, Texas’ first city council. ⁹⁵

MILLER: Charles E. or James E. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

MILLER: Hermann – This German immigrant settled in Bellville in the 1850s and opened a general store on the main square. ⁹⁶

MILLET: C. F. – He was a 1st Lieutenant in Company G of the 16th Texas Volunteer Infantry. Millet fought under Major General John George Walker during the War Between the States (1861-65.) ⁹⁷

MILLIE BUSH: To the best of my knowledge this street is the only one in the Houston area named for a dog. Millie Bush (who is also remembered by the 13-acre Millie Bush Bark Park in Barker Reservoir) was “First Dog” during the administration of President George H. W. Bush. First Lady Barbara Bush chronicled this Springer Spaniel’s life in the White House in Millie’s Book in 1990. In 2005 this dog park was named the best in America by Dog Fancy magazine that rated over 700 of this type of facility. ⁷⁶

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

MILO HAMILTON: On April 9, 2009 a short stretch of Hamilton Avenue near Minute Maid Park was renamed in honor of long time Houston Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton. Born in Iowa in 1927, he began his broadcasting career announcing football and basketball games for the Iowa Hawkeyes. His first major league baseball job was with the St. Louis Browns. In the next six decades he would announce games for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves (where he announced Hank Aaron’s 715th home run), Pittsburg Pirates and Houston Astros (for 20 years). He will be remembered for his catch phrase, “Holy Toledo, what a play.” (See Hamilton.) ⁹⁹

MILTON: John – This English poet’s Paradise Lost (1667), a blank verse poem about Satan’s revolt against God and Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, is one of the greatest literary works of the English language. It was Milton’s attempt to explain why there is evil in the world and how God deals with it. He later published Paradise Regained (1671), another poem detailing how Christ resisted the Devil’s temptation. This is the city’s second street called Milton. The first was on the original map of Houston drawn in 1836. Three years later that street name was changed to LaBranch. (See LaBranch.) ¹⁰⁰

MIMS: This small town and road are located on the San Bernard River in southwestern Brazoria County. It is named for Joseph Mims, one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old 300, who owned the Fannin-Mims Plantation there along with his partner James W. Fannin. All that remains is the Mims Cemetery at the end of this lonely road. (See Fannin.) ¹⁰¹

MINK LAKE: This Montgomery County street leads to a small lake of the same name. Minks are semi-aquatic carnivores that were in evidence when the first settlers arrived in this area in the mid-1850s. They were hunted for their luxurious pelts that were subsequently turned into coats and hats. ¹⁰²

MINOR: L. W. – This black Mississippi educator was hired as the first principal of Prairie View A & M University. ¹⁰⁴

MINTER: S. A. – Minter was the captain of Company K of the 19th Texas Volunteer Infantry of Walker’s Texas Division during the War Between the States. ¹⁰⁵

MISSIONARY RIDGE: A skirmish here in Tennessee occurred during the Battle of Chattanooga on November 25, 1863. Union General U. S. Grant’s men captured this ridge despite orders not to risk it. ¹⁰⁶

MISSOURI CITY: Two real estate promoters, R. M. Cash and L. E. Luckle, purchased a sizable plot of land out South Main Street in Fort Bend County in 1890. They elected to market their development in St. Louis. Three years later another investor, W. R. McElroy, acquired some acreage in the same area and began promoting it under the name of Missouri City. ¹⁰⁷

MISSOURI PACIFIC: On Independence Day 1851 ground was broken for the construction of this railroad, the first “iron horse” west of the Mississippi River. Its advertising motto was “We extend from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean.” ¹⁰⁸

MITTELSTAEDT: This pioneering German family immigrated to the Klein-Spring area in the late 1800s. Many family members are buried in the historic Budde Cemetery off Louetta Road. (See Budde Cemetery.)¹⁰⁹

MOBY DICK: This 1851 novel by Herman Melville follows the tale of a sailor named Ishmael’s voyage aboard the whaling ship Pequod. The ship’s insane Captain Ahab is chasing a huge white whale that had previously ripped off the captain’s leg. Ahab’s voyage of revenge does not turn out well. This fictional tale is based on a true story about Owen Chase, a sailor aboard the Essex that was rammed and sunk by a whale in the Pacific Ocean in 1820. Read about this adventure in Stove by a Whale by Thomas Heffernan. ¹¹⁰

MONROE: Although we might fantasize that this avenue is named for the glamorous movie star Marilyn, nee Norma Jean Baker, it is actually honoring the 5th President of the United States, James Monroe (1817-25). His greatest accomplishment was the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine, the ne plus ultra statement of American foreign policy of the times. ¹¹²

MONTEZUMA: Montezuma Xocoyotl or Montezuma II was the last Aztec emperor of Mexico. He is one of the most tragic figures in Mexican prehistory. His religious superstition allowed the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez to seize control of the Aztec empire virtually without a fight. Montezuma believed the conqueror to be Quetzalcoatl, the light-skinned god of Aztec mythology who would one day return to earth. By the time he discovered otherwise it was too late. Cortez imprisoned and humiliated this once proud leader. In 1520 his own people killed Montezuma. ¹¹³

MONTGOMERY: This Conroe street recalls old Texas towns that existed at one time or another in the area. Today they are remembered by names on a map: Bays Chapel, Beach, Bethel, Brantley, Butlersburg, Honea, Lake Creek, Longstreet, McRae, Peach Creek and Pools. ¹¹⁴

MONTGOMERY: Andrew J. – This northern Harris County road leads to the town of the same name. Montgomery set up a trading post there in 1823. He later fought in the Texas Revolution.¹¹⁵

MOODY: William Lewis – He was born in Virginia in 1828. After graduating from law school he moved to Texas to practice his trade. In 1855 he and his brothers formed a mercantile and cotton business. He fought valiantly for the South in the War Between the States. Moody was wounded several times, captured and honored for bravery during the campaign. After the War he moved to Galveston and opened a cotton and banking firm that became known as W. L. Moody & Company. He was a founder of the Galveston Cotton Exchange and became very active in politics. The Moody family remains very prominent in Galveston. (See Mary Moody Northen.) ¹¹⁷

MOON ROCK: See sidebar Space City U.S.A. or “Houston the Eagle Has Landed”, page 106.

MOONSHINE HILL: This Humble area road conjures up visions of stills brewing up white lightning and revenuers chasing good old boys with 3,000-gallon tanks of moonshine in their stock cars through the back hills of Appalachia. But the truth be known it is named for the Moonshine Oil Company and the tent city of roughnecks, drillers and tool pushers who prospected for black gold here following the discovery of the Humble oilfield in 1904. Founders of the oil company included Walter Sharp and Howard Hughes Sr. It was reported in 1909 that Moonshine Hill had eight saloons but only one church. (See Sharp and Humble.) ¹¹⁸

MOORE RANCH: In September 2004 this dusty Ft. Bend County lane was renamed for the Moore family who has owned land here for several generations. Located in the town of Orchard, it is shown on the original plat as Moore Road but for a reason no one can remember it was changed to Jap Road in about 1940. ⁴⁶

MOORE: Francis – He came to Texas in 1836 to help in the fight for independence from Mexico. Moore served as an assistant surgeon. Following the war he purchased the Telegraph and Texas Register, a newspaper, from Thomas H. Borden. He held the position of editor for 17 years before selling the company to Edward H. Cushing. Moore was elected mayor of Houston for four terms between 1838 and 1853. (See Cushing.) ¹¹⁹

MOORE: Frank M. or Thomas W. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

MORELOS: Jose Maria – This priest/soldier was one of the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain. In 1813 following the capture and subsequent execution and beheadings of Father Miguel Hidalgo and General Ingacio Allende (the loyalists hung the heads in cages from the walls of the granary in Guanajuato as a warning to other would-be insurgents) Morelos assumed command of the rag tag army of mestizos. He was captured in late 1815 and was also put to death. (See Hidalgo.) ¹⁰

MORGAN CEMETERY: The Morgan family of Montgomery County donated the land for this cemetery in 1887. The first burial here was Louis Collins baby daughter, Page, who died while the Collins family was traveling through the area. ⁷⁹

MORITZ: One of three Spring Branch streets in a row (along with Hillendahl and Pech), Moritz is the Christian name of one of the early members of the Pech family. ¹²¹

MORRIS: Joseph Robert – This tinsmith arrived in Texas in the 1840s. He set up shop in Houston in 1847. Due to his support of the Union he was named mayor of Houston during Reconstruction in 1868. The next year he joined other influential investors in starting the Houston Direct Navigation Company and the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company. Morris is rumored to have built our first skyscraper, a four story building downtown. ¹²²

MORRIS: Roscoe W. – See sidebar Houston Streets Named for Men Killed During World War I, page 22.

MORRISON: Most likely this Katy street is named for that city’s second postmaster, W. P. Morrison, a grocer in the 1890s. (See Thomas.) ^{123, 124}

MORSE: A. T. – A subdivision map of the Allen C. Reynolds league indicates Morse owned 1,963 acres of land in what is now Montrose where this street is located. ¹²⁵

MORTON: E. M. – An early settler in Katy, Texas he was also a founding member of the First United Methodist Church in that community. I was told he operated a rice farm. ^{127, 128}

MORTON: William – Little is known about this early Fort Bend County resident. He was one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old 300. The schooner the Morton family was on wrecked on Galveston Island in 1822. In 1824 he settled near what is today Richmond. The 1826 census lists him as a farmer and stock raiser of unknown age. He opened the city’s first burying ground naming it Morton Cemetery. Morton drowned in a Brazos River flood in 1833. (See Morton Cemetery.) ¹⁰²

MOTT: In the 1920s the name Mott Homes was as recognizable to Houstonians as Perry, David Weekley or Kickerillo Homes are today. Harry Mott was the premier builder of his day. During the Great Depression he was a sales representative for the River Oaks Corporation. Late in his career he constructed some homes in the Memorial Villages area where this street recalls his contribution to the architecture of our city. He and his wife Katherine B. Mott resided at 11527 Memorial Drive, not far from this short lane. ¹²⁹

MOUNT BATTEN: Here is another example of a developer misspelling a street name. Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten was the great grandson of Queen Victoria and a British war hero in both WW I and WW II. He was the last Viceroy of India (1947) and the first Earl of Burma (1947). The Irish Republican Army assassinated Mountbatten in 1979. ¹³⁰

MOUNT EVEREST: Our fair city has an elevation of 43 feet above sea level and the 18th green at River Oaks Country Club may be the closest geological feature resembling a mountain. Nonetheless, it is possible to visit the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, in west Houston. Named for English surveyor Sir George Everest, this Himalayan peak on the Tibet-Nepal border tops out at 29,035 feet. It was first climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. (See photograph on page 226.) ¹³¹

MOUNT HOUSTON: This road once lead to Mount Houston, Texas in north central Harris County. This little community was a stop on the Houston, East & West Texas Railroad in the early 1900s. Houston engulfed it in the 1920s. ¹³²

MOURSUND: Walter H. – Dr. Moursund joined Baylor Medical School in 1911. From 1923 until his retirement he was Dean of Baylor’s medical branch in Houston. This Texas Medical Center street is named in his honor. ¹³³

MT. CARMEL: This southeast side high school was founded by the Order of Carmelites in 1956. Since its creation over 5,000 students have graduated from this institution. In 1986 the Diocese of Galveston-Houston assumed ownership of the school. It has an interesting Latin motto – non licet nobis esse mediocribus or “it is not permitted to be mediocre.” Your author competed against students from Mt. Carmel in football and track from 1957 to 1960. ⁸⁴

MULCAHY: R. T. – Known as the “Father of Rosenberg” Mulcahy is remembered for his civic minded nature. Among other projects he raised the funds for Rosenberg’s first school. ¹³⁵

MULLINS: This family moved to Texas in 1910 from Kansas. They knew the soil near Simonton was rich and well suited for growing new and red potatoes. Unfortunately, they over planted the fields. The quality of the soil declined leading to an epidemic of potato blight. As a result the business failed. For a time however Simonton and nearby Fulshear were called the “potato capitol of the world.” James Simonton arrived in Texas in the 1850s and established a plantation here. ¹³⁶

MUNSON RANCH: Mordello Stephen Munson was born in Liberty County in 1825. By the 1850s he was living on this ranch. He founded Munson Cemetery on the property for burials of family and friends in 1850s. The graveyard is located in Bailey’s Prairie. (See Bailey.) ¹³⁷

MURPHY ROAD MOBILE HOME: Located in Stafford, Texas this road leads to a mobile home park. ⁶⁶

MUSTANG CROSSING: This street parallels Mustang Bayou in Missouri City. The bayou starts in that city, flows 45 miles, passes southwest of Pearland, north of Alvin to its mouth on New Bayou in southwest Brazoria County. ¹³⁸

MUSTANG: Located in front of Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, this street is named for the school’s mascot.

MUSTANG: The Friendswood High School Mustangs play at a stadium on this street. ⁷⁷

MUSTANG: This Alvin street recalls the original name of that town, Mustang Station. It was a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad between Galveston and Richmond. (See Alvin-Sugar Land.) ¹³⁹

» MYKAWA: Shinpei Mykawa’s tombstone in Hollywood Cemetery. The writing on the sides of this stone is in Japanese.