Why is part of Pulaski also honorary Pulaski

[Cheryl44]

Okay, I don't remember exactly what part, but part of Pulaski Road has the brown signs that signify that it's also Honorary Casimir Pulaski Road. WTF?

[panache45]

It might help if you let us know where you are.

[Squink]

Chicago Trib knows all: (http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2006/03/honor_this_alle.html)The best example of how stupid this practice can be is Pulaski Road, also known in places as "Honorary Casimir Pulaski Road." The road already has his name. It's a shame that taxpayer money probably went to this classic example of a failure of intelligence.

[Gfactor]

It looks like this belongs in the Sweet Home Chicago forum in the Straight Dope Chicago section. I'll move it there from General Questions. If there's a problem, let me know.

Gfactor
General Questions Moderator

[ScatteredFrog]

Speaking of which....my wife once wondered if you mail a letter to an "honorary" street name, should one expect it to get there? You'd think it WOULD, or else the "honorary" street name would be pretty pointless....

I'm slanting toward "no, it won't get there" -- mainly because there are TWO Honorary Bob Fosse Ways -- one at Paulina and Montrose, and another downtown...

[mm33]

Pulaski Rd used to be Crawford Ave (and still is, north of Devon and south of about 120th). My guess (as I don't know this for a fact) is that it was Crawford Ave, and honorary Pulaski, then when the official name was changed in the 30's, the honorary designation stayed.

Other vestiges of the change include the Midwest Power electric plant at 35th and Pulaski, called the Crawford Generating Station.

Info on why it was called Crawford Ave at http://www.chicago-scots.org/july-1995-newsletter.html

[LurkMeister]

Also, the area where Pulaski and Milwaukee cross is (or at least was) known as Milford. There was a Milford Theater, and my Dad used to work at Milford Bakery.

[Mr Downtown]

The change from Crawford to Pulaski predates the "honorary" program by 50 years. Many aldermen will simply put through any honorary street name requested, and some Polish heritage organization apparently asked for a brown sign to supplement the green ones they already had.

Honorary street names cannot be used as part of postal addresses.