# Chicago question: There is Ida B. Wells Drive and Wells Street (they intersect). Are these named after different people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751 "2023-11-27T02:58:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/1 "2023-11-27T02:58:53Z")
Title says it all. Are these two different people or the same person? I know who Ida B. Wells is but but not sure about the Wells of Wells Street. You can see the intersection here (middle-right quarter of the map below): https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.8755317,-87.6362244&z=17&output=embed&dg=ntvb&q=W%2BIda%2BB.%2BWells%2BDr%2B%26%2BS%2BWells%2BSt,%2BChicago,%2BIL%2B60607 ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/2 "2023-11-27T04:17:28Z")
[Wells Street](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Street_(Chicago)) , named after an army captain who died in the war of 1812. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/3 "2023-11-27T04:35:47Z")
Thanks! It seems I could have probably found that out myself but this was more fun (I did try actually but missed it somehow…I admit I did not try very hard). As an aside, I am not seeing why he was special enough for a prominent street name but I don’t know how that happens and really not worth being fussed about I do not think. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/4 "2023-11-27T06:02:34Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > As an aside, I am not seeing why he was special enough for a prominent street name but I don’t know how that happens and really not worth being fussed about I do not think. > [@](#): > > Wells led a group of Miami Indians from [Fort Wayne, Indiana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wayne,_Indiana), to aid the evacuation of Fort Dearborn. [much deleted] As the evacuated garrison walked down the beach, Wells rode in advance to keep an eye on the Potawatomi, and he was one of the first to fall when they attacked. Fort Dearborn being in the location that is now Chicago. > **[William Wells (soldier) | Fort Dearborn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wells_(soldier)#Fort_Dearborn)** > > In 1812, the Madison administration failed to notify the frontier that the United States was about to declare war on Great Britain. As a result, the British and Indians knew several days before the Americans that hostilities had broken out. Hundreds of Potawatomi warriors surrounded Fort Dearborn (present day Chicago) and demanded its surrender. Wells led a group of Miami Indians from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to aid the evacuation of Fort Dearborn. Among the Americans under siege at Fort Dearborn wa... ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/5 "2023-11-27T06:20:20Z")
That is cool…he is cool! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/6 "2023-11-27T06:46:50Z")
The east/west street was renamed from “Congress Parkway” to “Ida B. Wells Drive” only five years ago. Capt. Wells’ coolness aside, I maintain that “his” street – the one running north/south – is the one that should have been renamed! I get it. I see the appeal in renaming Congress Parkway. Who the hell has much fondness for Congress? And I’ve got nothing against Capt. Wells. But I _do_ dislike that we now have two “Wells” streets/drives in this town. I dislike that they’re both downtown. I dislike that they intersect. Renaming “Wells St.” to “Ida B. Wells Drive” would have been a clever solution! Aside: a year later, Chicago _did_ pull off a homophonic renaming of a park, trading “Douglas Park” for “Douglass Park.” An upgrade in my view! > **[West Side Park Officially Renamed For Frederick And Anna Murray Douglass](https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/11/19/west-side-park-officially-renamed-for-frederick-and-anna-murray-douglass/)** > > NORTH LAWNDALE — The park at the heart of North Lawndale has officially been renamed in honor of abolitionists Anna Murray Douglass and Frederick ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/7 "2023-11-27T06:54:42Z")
> [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](#): > > The east/west street was renamed from “Congress Parkway” to “Ida B. Wells Drive” only five years ago. And the city renamed Lake Shore Drive to “ **Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive** ” Kind of annoying. I am not opposed to recognizing historic figures but I am not sure renaming iconic roads is the best way to go about it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/8 "2023-11-27T07:02:55Z")
The official position in our household: 1. Renaming “Douglas Park” to “Douglass Park” – good and clever! 2. Renaming _a_ street for Ida B. Wells – good! 3. Failing to rename Wells Street for Ida B. Wells – missed opportunity to be clever! 4. Renaming Lake Shore Drive – stupid! Thank you for coming to my lecture. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/9 "2023-11-27T07:11:03Z")
> [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](#): > > Renaming Lake Shore Drive – stupid! There was a song about Lake Shore Drive. Even included in the Marvel movie “Guardians of the Galaxy”. “ **Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive** ” doesn’t work. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WZGMJWG4CT0/maxresdefault.jpg "Lake Shore Drive - Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah [Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2] Official Soundtrack") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGMJWG4CT0) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-question-there-is-ida-b-wells-drive-and-wells-street-they-intersect-are-these-named-after-different-people/993751/10 "2023-11-27T16:04:27Z")
> [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](#): > > Renaming Lake Shore Drive – stupid! The official name changed but [enough people still use the shorter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_titles#Use_commonly_recognizable_names) name that Wikipedia also uses the shorter name. > **[Lake Shore Drive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Shore_Drive)** > > Lake Shore Drive (officially Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive, and called DuSable Lake Shore Drive, The Outer Drive, The Drive, LSD or DLSD) is an expressway that runs alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and adjacent to parkland and beaches, in Chicago. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue (5200 North), Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S. Highway 41. A portion of the expressway on the Outer Drive Bridge and its bridge approaches is multilevel. > Previously...