A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, according to Shakespeare, but no doubt the Bard never thought about street names when he wrote these dreamily philosophical lines for Juliet to speak.
The Prowler has noticed more than a few local street names that cause amusement, bewilderment, or both. First United Methodist Church of Los Gatos is located on High School Court, while nearby Forbes Mill Museum, however, is on Church Street.
Lexington Drive and Lexington Court are nowhere near the reservoir of the same name, but instead are in Monte Sereno off Highway 9. And while Fairview Avenue does have nice scenery, Bayview Avenue does not provide an ocean vista.
Speaking of that lovely county over the hill, how is it that we have N. and S. Santa Cruz Avenue here, but they don't have a Los Gatos Avenue over there? Santa Cruz and Capitola do have a San Jose Avenue, at least, although this cat wants to see something named after felines!
There are no wild horses left in these parts, but you might suspect otherwise from Via Palomino, Via Pinto and Dapple Grey Court. And although Twin Creeks Road does cross San Tomas Aquino Creek, the road needs to be about a mile and a half to the north if it's supposed to describe the meeting of San Tomas and Vasona creeks.
Then there are the streets that reflect evident preoccupations of the namers. Near Vasona Dam is a tract of homes that sounds more hilly than San Francisco. Along with Nob Hill Way (how appropriate), there are ways named Holly Hill, Ivy Hill and Green Hill. Right across Highway 17 from these is a tract that takes its street names from the wise old trees that grow here in abundance: Oakwood, Oakdale and Highland Oaks, to name a few.
Among this cat's fragrant favorites are the four lanes that bloom with names of Apple, Orange, Cherry and Peach Blossom.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, November 20, 1996.
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