More About Streets and Street Names

By John Harvey

In other articles we wrote about a number of Monticello streets and their names.  Recent conversations stirred us to look further into this subject.

We found that a street can change names almost overnight or that the original name can be lost over the years.  Often a new street will be opened beside an older street and in a few years the property owners will have taken over the old street as part of their yards.  Among the streets we wrote about were the Avenue, which has just about disappeared and Paradise Street, which became a part of another street.

Monticello was originally laid out in blocks or squares with streets running east-west, and north-south.  Savannah, Augusta and other towns were also laid out in this manner.  Here the main streets were named for Revolutionary War generals, the two main east-west streets being named for Generals Nathanial Green and General George Washington, and the two north-south streets for Generals Warren and Woolsey.

But hold on, we've already run into two interesting points.  The first concerns Green Street; in the 1880's the Central and Macon Railroad came to town (it later became part of the Central of Georgia).  Its president, Col. E. C. Machen was very popular in town and it was suggested that the name of Greene Street be changed to Machen Street to honor Col. Machen.  This was done, but the people never got used to the new name, a few years later the railroad went broke and the name of the street was changed back to Greene.  When the new signs came, the final "e" had been left off and has never been replaced.

The second point concerns Woolsey Street (Forsyth).  Originally this street ran from the Square to the Old Methodist Church.  Forsyth Street proper began at Church Street and went out to the city limits where it became Forsyth Road.  In the 1920's a connecting street was cut along the railroad to connect Church and Woolsey and Woolesy became part of Forsyth.  The part across the railroad was changed to Short Street.  In the 1940's what had been Paradise Street was added to South.  (If you haven't been confused yet, hold on - you will be!)

South Street, which runs along the south side of town between Church Street and Hillsboro Street was originally Mangrum Street.  It's name was changed in the 1920's when one of the civi clubs bought new signs and erected them only to find that they had a sign for a South Street but no sign for Mangrum Street.

The street we know today as Mill Street was originally Jasper Street named for Sgt. William Jasper, Revolutionary War hero for  whom the county is named.  When this change was made is not know, but we think we really ought to have a street named for Sgt. Jasper.  Maybe a new street could be named for him. 

In recent years, the street now known as Person Street had joined the "Street naming game".  We won't get into the controversy, but will just state the face as we heard them and let you make up your minds to which name is correct.  Some say that the street is named for the Persons family and some house lot deeds seem to bear this out.  Other say that the street was originally named for Jerimah Pearson, an early settler and merchant, who, it is said, was postmaster for a short time.

Monticello also has a street with an unusual name, Blue Ruin Street.  The street is said to have gotten its name because at one time the laundresses who lived along it used so much blueing to get clothes white that the ground was blue where the wash water had been poured out.

Would you believe that the Square also once got into the act.  The West side of the Square was known as Reid Street.

Sources: Old newspapers, Courthouse Records and personal interview with Harvey Powell.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005,  from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.