Take the Street Smarts road test
Readers of David Leighton’s columns will do best at this quiz, which tests how much you know about the history of local street names.
1. Ruthrauff Road takes its name from:
A. Ruth A. Rauff, a clerk for the Southern Pacific Railroad who disappeared from Jaynes Station on March 3, 1928. When the train station closed, the street just south of it was named Ruth Rauff Road, as a memorial to her. By 1943, it was known as Ruthrauff Road.
B. William M. Ruthrauff, a football coach at the University of Arizona who owned land just north of the street.
C. John “Mos” Ruthrauff, chief engineer for the city of Tucson. He was also involved in obtaining land for what became Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
1. Ruthrauff Road takes its name from:
C. John “Mos” Ruthrauff, chief engineer for the city of Tucson. He was also involved in obtaining land for what became Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
2. Prince Road gets its name from:
A. Levi M. Prince, a homesteader in the area who helped found the Amphitheater School District.
B. Hiram Jacobs, who owned the land on the northeast corner of Oracle Road and present-day Prince Road. He is said to have named both Prince Road and King Road after passages from the Bible.
C. Roger Prince, who homesteaded 640 acres in the area. He is credited with naming both Roger Road and Prince Road after himself.
2. Prince Road gets its name from:
A. Levi M. Prince, a homesteader in the area who helped found the Amphitheater School District.
3. Columbus Boulevard derives its name from:
A. Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer credited with the European discovery of America.
B. Columbus Glasmann, a brewer who later went into real estate.
C. The Tucson City Council renamed Thoreau Boulevard, in 1919, in honor of the victims of the attack by Pancho Villa forces against the little town of Columbus, New Mexico in 1916.
3. Columbus Boulevard derives its name from:
B. Columbus Glasmann, a brewer who later went into real estate.
4. The origin of the name Stone Avenue is from:
A. Col. John Finkle Stone, an early pioneer and Civil War veteran who built the first house on what became Stone Avenue. The home, which was built in the early 1860s, was located on the southwest corner of present-day McCormick Street and Stone Avenue, where the parking lot for the police station is now located.
B. The street was originally known as Avenida Zarzuela, due to the theatrical performances that were held in the area by traveling performers from Mexico. By 1862, the street had been renamed Avenida Piedra for unknown reasons. As English became more common, the translation Stone Avenue began to be used.
C. S.W. Foreman named this street in 1872, while doing the survey of the Tucson townsite because a large stone was found there.
4. The origin of the name Stone Avenue is from:
A. Col. John Finkle Stone, an early pioneer and Civil War veteran who built the first house on what became Stone Avenue. The home, which was built in the early 1860s, was located on the southwest corner of present-day McCormick Street and Stone Avenue, where the parking lot for the police station is now located.
5. Miracle Mile received its name from:
A. The Miracle Mile Motel, the first motel on the then unnamed street.
B. Stanley Williamson, a real estate developer and visionary who named it in honor of the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles, Calif.
C. Tucson Mayor W.A. Julian is credited with naming Miracle Mile. The name came from the Miracle Mile Mine, located in the Sierrita Mountains.
5. Miracle Mile received its name from:
B. Stanley Williamson, a real estate developer and visionary who named it in honor of the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles, Calif.
6. What was the original name of Ajo Way:
A. Indian School Road, named for the Indian school that existed on the road from 1908 to 1960.
B. Gunsight Road, because the road went to the mining camp of Gunsight, Arizona.
C. Robles Road, named for Bernabe Robles who created the Robles Ranch, located where Robles Junction (Three Points) is now.
6. What was the original name of Ajo Way:
C. Robles Road, named for Bernabe Robles who created the Robles Ranch, located where Robles Junction (Three Points) is now.
7. Does Tucson really have a Super Chicken Drive:
A. No, it’s a made up street name.
B. Yes, but the street sign was stolen so many times they stopped putting it up.
7. Does Tucson really have a Super Chicken Drive:
B. Yes, but the street sign was stolen so many times they stopped putting it up.
How did you do?
Let us know your score in the comments.
Complete list of answers:
1. C (John “Mos” Ruthrauff)
2. A (Levi M. Prince)
3. B (Columbus Glasmann)
4. A (Col. John Finkle Stone)
5. B (Stanley Williamson)
6. C (Robles Road)
7. B (Yes)
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