History : What’s in a Street Name?

To motorists, Orange County’s grid of wide boulevards that crisscross the landscape provides reference points that help drivers keep their bearings amid the maze of cul-de-sacs, lesser-known streets and sweeping freeways. But 30 years ago, many of Orange County’s largest streets had different names, and those names varied from city to city. In the early 1960s, county officials began renaming streets so that major roads kept one identity countywide, although there continue to be exceptions. Some of the results:

BEACH BOULEVARD

* Old Names: Huntington Beach Boulevard in the cities of Westminster and Huntington Beach; Stanton Avenue north through the city of Stanton and Grand Avenue through Buena Park.

* Background: The county renamed the entire length of street--also known as California 39--Beach Boulevard. That makes sense because the road ends at the ocean.

WARNER AVENUE

* Old Names: Delhi Road in Santa Ana; Wintersburg Avenue through Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley.

* Background: Delhi Road (pronounced del-high) was named after a farming community in southern Santa Ana. Wintersburg Avenue was named after a farming town north of Huntington Beach. County officials renamed the street after former Supervisor Willis Warner in the 1960s.

EDINGER AVENUE

* Old Names: Smeltzer Avenue east of the Santa Ana River, and Edinger Avenue to the west of it.

* Background: Smeltzer Avenue was named after a small farming area near Huntington Beach. The full street was renamed Edinger Avenue in the 1960s.

HARBOR BOULEVARD

* Old Name: Los Angeles Street through portions of Anaheim and Fullerton.

* Background: Until road improvements were completed in the 1950s and ‘60s, Harbor Boulevard ended in downtown Anaheim. Los Angeles Street ran north through Fullerton and into Brea and La Habra. Road realignments eventually connected Harbor Boulevard directly with Los Angeles Street. The entire stretch of road was renamed Harbor Boulevard.

BROOKHURST STREET

* Old Names: Wright Street north from the beach through Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach; called Brookhurst in Anaheim and Garden Grove.

* Background: The full length of the street was changed to Brookhurst Street in the 1960s.

SEAL BEACH BOULEVARD

* Old Name: Bay Boulevard.

* Background: Bay Boulevard was named for Anaheim Bay, which is just south of central Seal Beach. The name was changed as Seal Beach grew.

Sources: “Historic Place Names in Orange County,” by Don Meadows; Santa Ana Historical Society; Orange County Historical Commission;