Along66, March 2022: How Gemstone Avenue Got Its Name and the Big Orange

MARCH 27

Early Route 66 advocate was behind naming Springfield, Missouri's Gemstone Avenue.

John T. Woodruff of Springfield named it after 18th century English poet William Shenstone.  He was also one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening.  Woodruff came up with Gemstone because it rhymed with the poet's name.

Gemstone was the Route 66 alignment through town from 1930 to 1977.

And, of course, what more can you say about John T. Woodruff and Springfield, Missouri.

MARCH 30

Repairs, relocation planned for Bono's Historic Orange in Fontana, California.  It once stood on Route 66.

The seven foot tall orange juice stand was built by Bob DeVries in 1931 and was placed in storage after Bono's closed in 2003.

Good to have it back on view.

I'll Have a Big Orange.  --RoadOrange

What Is the Difference Between a "Street" and an "Avenue"?

From the December 2014 Smithsonian  "Ask Smithsonian."

Seth R. Digel  of Smethport, Pennsylvania, asked the question.

ANSWER;  A street is  a basic paved traffic link within an urban area; an avenue was originally grander, wider and often lined with trees or other flora.

But the distinction has eroded over time, as when, for example, real estate developers indiscriminately call new roads "avenues" to make a more grandiose impression.

Nancy Post, curator of the National Postal Museum.

Now You Know.  --AvenueDog  (So Much More Grandiose, Don't You Know.)