Street Smarts: Once member of Confederate army, Drachman prospered as tobacconist

Samuel Harris Drachman was born in Poland to Harris and Rebecca Drachman in 1837 and spent his early years there.

May 21, 2013 12:00 am Comments

Street Smarts: Slight but tough rancher helped tame wild, wooly Arizona

Burton C. Mossman stood barely 5 feet 8 inches tall with his boots on, and weighed 160 pounds after a steak dinner.

European-educated Philip Contzen surveyed land across Southern Arizona

Philip Contzen was a Tucson native, but he was educated in his father's home country, Germany.

Street Smarts: Eastside street leading to church named after Pope Pius X

Pope Pius X - or Pio Decimo in Spanish and Italian - was born Giuseppe M. Sarto near Venice, Italy, in 1835.

Street Smarts: Two Ott avenues named for 1870s Tucson sheriff

A Tucson sheriff during the 1870s had not one but two streets named after him - but one of them is no longer in use.

Street Smarts:Tucson's Magee Road got its name from 1929 homesteader

Homesteading - or claiming federal land with the intent of living on it and improving it - gave a prominent northwest-side street its name.

Street Smarts: Three downtown Tucson streets named for men killed by Apaches

Just south of the Tucson Convention Center downtown are three streets named in 1872 in honor of men killed by the Apaches.

Street Smarts: Tucson road named for ancient people shrouded in mystery

Makohoh Trail, south of East Snyder Road and east of North Soldier Trail, is named for the Makohoh Indians.

Old West history group holding 'roundup' tonight

The local chapter of a national organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating Western history is celebrating its 60th anniversary today.

Street Smarts: Longtime Tucson teacher Oyama left his name on local street as well as school

You may already know that longtime local educator Henry "Hank" Oyama has a school named in his honor.

Miles St. named for general

Running through the middle of the Miles Neighborhood is East Miles Street, named in honor of the man credited with getting Geronimo to surrender.

Street Smarts: East-side Case Park, two streets named for journalist/enthusiast of the Old West

A journalist who interviewed some of the biggest names of his day eventually got his own name on east-side streets and a park.

Street Smarts: If it bears name of a tree, chances are she named it

In 1905, Anna Lester, who owned much of the land directly north of the University of Arizona, recorded four street names with the Pima County Recorder's Office.

Street Smarts: 1936 plan sought to rename streets for saints, pioneers

If a group of civic leaders convened in 1936 had its way, Tucson's main streets would all be named for Spanish saints, city pioneers and area army posts.

Street Smarts: Woman's homestead led to Lester St.

Running east and west between Speedway and Grant Road is a street named after a woman who homesteaded an area north of the University of Arizona.

Stamp aficionados can collect some AZ history this weekend

Stamp collectors can pick up a pair of specially designed souvenir envelopes this weekend at an event to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Arizona Organic Act, which created the Arizona Territory.

Street Smarts: Kramer Ave. named for winter visitor who helped start rodeo, parade in 1925

Kramer Avenue, which is one block west of the Arizona Inn on East Elm Street, is named in honor of the man who gave Tucson its famed rodeo and parade.

Street Smarts: NY salesman's jesting may have inspired Tucson's Broadway

In 1862, Maj. David Fergusson of the Union Army commissioned a survey of the little sun-baked adobe town of Tucson.

Street Smarts: Developer's days in Colombia inspired subdivision's names

The streets of the Desert Palms Park subdivision on Tucson's east side are named for people and places in Colombia, where the neighborhood's developer spent much of his early career.

Brady Ave. is short; namesake had stature

Chuck Pettis, left, and Fred Hambly, descendants of Peter R. Brady, pose with a painting of their forebear, who came to Tucson in 1854 as one of its earliest Anglo settlers.

Street Smarts: Brady Ave. is short; namesake had stature

Brady Avenue, one of Tucson's smallest streets, is named after a big man in Arizona history.

Street Smarts: Plumer was an early banker here and helped create the local YMCA

Plumer Avenue, between Campbell Avenue and Tucson Boulevard, is named in honor of a banker who helped Tucson grow and develop.

Street smarts: School, nearby lane named for early school board member

William Cross Davis was born in Clintonville, Pa., in 1842 and arrived in Tucson by mule team in 1869.

Street Smarts: Super Chicken Drive honors plucky character on US-crossing balloons

Just north of Tanque Verde Road and west of Pantano Road is a street with one of Tucson's quirkiest names: Super Chicken Drive.

Street Smarts: Gates paid for road himself to speed trip

Thomas Gates came to Arizona in 1866 with Billy Brannen, a fellow poker player.

Street Smarts: Early ranching family gave names to Rancho Sotomayor streets

Carlotta Parra Rodriguez was born in 1913 on a ranch homesteaded by her parents near North Campbell Avenue and East River Road.

Street Smarts: Ochoa led freight business, large store

Estevan Ochoa learned about the freighting business as a child, and used that early knowledge to build a successful career.

Street Smarts: Campbell Ave. carries name of lawyer-judge

Running north and south along the eastern edge of the University of Arizona, Campbell Avenue was named in honor of a judge whose influence reached from a local to a national stage.

Hospital, school, shrine due to Oteros

Members of the Otero family ranched, built a school, helped develop a hospital and allowed the creation of El Tiradito shrine downtown. It's no wonder that a downtown street bears the family name.

Historical Society fest has eye on the past

The Arizona Historical Society's holiday festival will honor the past while celebrating the season.

N. Hughes recalls a territory pioneer

Thomas Hughes Sr. rose through the ranks of the Union Army during the Civil War, and arrived in Arizona in 1868.

Street Smarts: N. Hughes recalls a territory pioneer

Between the Sam Hughes Neighborhood and the former Hughes Aircraft Co., Hughes is a common name in Tucson.

Tucson Oddity: Family history in front yard

Driving past the east-side home of Richard and Carol Hughes, you might think they were having an antique yard sale.

Contractor Blacklidge built homes on namesake street

Frank E. Blacklidge Sr., the namesake of a street in central Tucson between Fort Lowell Road and Glenn Street, was an early contractor who was also a celebrated rancher and cook.

Pennington named for early family in territory

Pennington Street is named for an early family that made its permanent home in what is today Arizona.

Ina named for early PE director at UA

Ina Road (which should be pronounced Eena) is named in honor of the woman who homesteaded the area and was the first director of physical education for women at the University of Arizona.

Herbert Avenue named for Drachman offspring

Herbert Drachman was born in 1876 in Tucson to Samuel and Jennie Drachman at a time when the Old Pueblo was still part of the Old West.

History society guests to meet AZ pioneers

Actors will portray some of Arizona's most important pioneers Friday evening as guests tour the Arizona Historical Society.

Wife named homestead road to Tucson to honor husband, George H. Anklam

Anklam Road was named in honor of the man who homesteaded the area that the road runs through.

Samaniego was a prominent Tucson civic leader

Samaniego Avenue, located south of the Tucson Convention Center downtown, is named in honor of a naturalized U.S. citizen who became one of the most powerful men in early Tucson.

West-side road, school recall noted 1800s Tucson teacher, miner

Augustus C. Brichta was such a strong advocate of education that he worked two months without pay as the area's first school sputtered and then closed.

Ruthrauff helped build city's roads, bridges

Ruthrauff Road, which runs east from Interstate 10, is named after a man who is credited with turning Tucson from a sleepy village with dirt streets into a modern city.

Bentley named for family; 1 member had key role aiding poor

Bentley Avenue was named not for the famed automobile, but for a Tucson family whose most prominent member helped improve education and health-care opportunities for the area's poorest residents.

Wetmores had deep roots in north-side area

The Wetmore family arrived in Tucson well before statehood and left its mark on local education, entertainment and shopping.

Eglestons had big tracts of land on NW side

Egleston Memorial Drive and Egelston Drive, both in Oro Valley, are named in honor of landowners who helped preserve some of Tucson's most scenic land.

17th-century Mohawk to be canonized Oct. 21

At a canonization in Rome next month the first American Indian will be declared a saint - and some local Tohono O'odham members hope to be there.

Shibell St. named for 1870s sheriff

An early Tucson lawman and politician found that it pays to have friends in high places when he ended up with a road in a west-side barrio named after him.