How Littleton streets were named

Street Patterns Explained

Taken from an article in the June, 2000 issue of The Oracle, published by the Friends of the Littleton Library and Museum

There is an article in the September 29, 1961 edition of The Littleton Independent explaining the street patterns of Littleton. This article should help explain the "why" of the street names, or at least some of them.

The diagram at right shows the pattern established in the street naming ordinance. Not all modern subdivisions have continued to follow this pattern, however.

• Streets running east and west are designated "avenues," while those running north and south are called "streets."
• Streets running east and west halfway between established grids take the name of the preceding avenue, with the suffix "place."
• Streets running north and south halfway between established grids take the name of the preceding street, with the suffix "court."
• Streets running east and west and connecting with an avenue were called "drives."
• Streets running north and south and connecting with a street are called "way."
• Horseshoe-shaped streets beginning and ending within a major block, or dead-end streets are called "circles."