> The 1833 document says the man lives on "Elm Street between Smith > and Main." [Street names are fictious for the exercise.] > > An 1833 map shows Elm and Smith, but not Main. Smith is between two > other streets whose names on the 1833 map match the names on the > 2009 map. > > I thought perhaps there was a convention that covered the order in > which the streets would be named, but after trying several > acquaintances and a couple total strangers, I don't think so. > > The question now becomes -- which is more likely > > A: that the clerk names the streets as if he were moving out > of the center of town > /or/ > B: that the clerk names the streets as if he were coming into > the center of town? > > I already /know/ there's no way to tell with certainty without > finding Main street on a map; I'm looking for a bread-crumb. > > Cheryl Singhals <singhals@erols.com> My guess is that you would look at a map of the town and whatever street seems to lead into town and down the section of town with stores would be named Main street. Clerk's weren't always the ones who named the streets. Most times the folks who lived on them did. Most times Main Street was most likely the street that held the most of the stores located in that town Pat "Patricia Kantzer" <mkdoc@roadrunner.com>

Patricia Kantzer wrote: > > The 1833 document says the man lives on "Elm Street between Smith > > and Main." [Street names are fictious for the exercise.] > > > > An 1833 map shows Elm and Smith, but not Main. Smith is between two > > other streets whose names on the 1833 map match the names on the > > 2009 map. > > > > I thought perhaps there was a convention that covered the order in > > which the streets would be named, but after trying several > > acquaintances and a couple total strangers, I don't think so. > > > > The question now becomes -- which is more likely > > > > A: that the clerk names the streets as if he were moving out > > of the center of town > > /or/ > > B: that the clerk names the streets as if he were coming into > > the center of town? > > > > I already /know/ there's no way to tell with certainty without > > finding Main street on a map; I'm looking for a bread-crumb. > > > > Cheryl Singhals <singhals@erols.com> > > My guess is that you would look at a map of the town and whatever > street seems to lead into town and down the section of town with > stores would be named Main street. Elm is the one that would intersect the street with the shops. Smith is well to the east of it and parallel to the shopping street. > Clerk's weren't always the ones who named the streets. Most times > the folks who lived on them did. Most times Main Street was most > likely the street that held the most of the stores located in that > town If that's what he was doing, then I'm looking at about 8 heavily populated blocks between Smith and Main. I would have thought something more pinpointed would have been wanted. Still, something to look into. Thanks. Cheryl singhals <singhals@erols.com>