# Related places with four compass-point names (explained better in the OP) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 13, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652 "2026-01-13T18:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/21 "2026-01-13T21:43:55Z")
If unofficial neighborhoods count, I’m thinking a lot of cities will qualify or come close. There’s a North Philly, a South Philly, a West Philly, and a Northeast Philly. And Boston has the North End, South Boston, the South End, East Boston, and the West End. Though their actual locations bear little resemblance to their names… ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/22 "2026-01-13T22:23:26Z")
New Haven,CT is bordered by the towns of North Haven & East Haven, and the city of West Haven. No South Haven, though ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/23 "2026-01-13T22:32:55Z")
There was Montreal East, West, North, and South. East and West remain as independent municipalities; North became part of Montreal (remains by name as a borough) in 2002; South remained independent until 1961, when it merged with Longueuil. Geographically - “West” is almost directly south of “East”; “South” was more or less east of “West”; “North” is just to the west of “East”. Montreal remains in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/24 "2026-01-13T22:40:23Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > New Haven,CT is bordered by the towns of North Haven & East Haven, and the city of West Haven. > > No South Haven, though Apparently at one point, the New Haven neighborhood of Morris Cove wanted to break off to form a proposed South Haven. So we _almost_ had all four compass points. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/25 "2026-01-13T22:58:30Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > If unofficial neighborhoods count, I’m thinking a lot of cities will qualify or come close. London, England has North London, South London, East London, and West London, surrounding Central London and the City of London. (Plus the East End and West End.) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/26 "2026-01-13T23:02:15Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > New Haven,CT is bordered by the towns of North Haven & East Haven, and the city of West Haven. > > No South Haven, though Likewise, New Jersey has the Oranges (East, West, South, but no North) and the Caldwells (West and North, but no East or South). ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/27 "2026-01-13T23:20:36Z")
Don’t know if this counts but the small town of [Lebanon, Maine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Maine) includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, and East Lebanon ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/28 "2026-01-13T23:47:16Z")
So South is north of Center. Got it. Jeebus Christ; can’t anybody there play this game? 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/29 "2026-01-14T00:08:46Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Those are really just neighborhoods in the city of Weymouth though. They don’t have a separate government like the MSWN-boroughs do. Y’know, I think I’ve been corrected on this once before. But my memory is soup, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/30 "2026-01-14T00:12:36Z")
Well, we’ve explored the 4 trivial roots - any areas that really step up their game and box the compass, even if only in small part? 1. North 2. North by East 3. North-northeast 4. Northeast by North 5. Northeast 6. Northeast by East 7. East-northeast 8. East by North 9. East 10. East by South 11. East-southeast 12. Southeast by East 13. Southeast 14. Southeast by South 15. South-southeast 16. South by East 17. South 18. South by West 19. South-southwest 20. Southwest by South 21. Southwest 22. Southwest by West 23. West-southwest 24. West by South 25. West W 26. West by North 27. West-northwest 28. Northwest by West 29. Northwest 30. Northwest by North 31. North-northwest 32. North by West 33. North ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/31 "2026-01-14T01:15:53Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > New Haven,CT is bordered by the towns of North Haven & East Haven, and the city of West Haven. No Old Haven? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/32 "2026-01-14T02:01:11Z")
That was the stand-in for Martha’s Vineyard in _The Ghost Writer_. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/33 "2026-01-14T02:13:57Z")
There’s a town in Vermont called [Westminster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_(town),_Vermont), it contains the villages of - Westminster - North Westminster - Westminster Station - Westminster West That’s got to be worth something. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/34 "2026-01-14T03:45:37Z")
Way back in 2016, I found what may be the best answer of all here. https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.1012252,-106.6724213&z=18&output=embed&dg=ntvb&q=Southeast+Cir+NW,+Albuquerque,+NM+87104 ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/35 "2026-01-14T05:42:44Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Are there any groups of related nearby places that consist of a North X, East X, South X, and West X? In Victoria, Australia there is the ordinal full house of Melbourne (postcode 3001), North Melbourne (postcode 3051), South Melbourne (postcode 3205), East Melbourne (postcode 3002) & West Melbourne (postcode 3003). Bit further north in NSW there is Sydney (postcode 2001), North Sydney (2060), South Sydney (postcode 2015), East Sydney (postcode 2010) but there is no suburb of West Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/36 "2026-01-14T12:13:46Z")
That’s really a doozy. Great cite. I get that the NW suffix refers to the quadrant of the larger city. If you (anyone) zooms in, or better yet clicks the “view larger map” to get a full-sized tab, then zooms in, the naming of the streets in that whole small diagonal subdivision is just insane. - Northwest Circle is the northeastern part of the subdivision. - Northeast Circle is the northwestern part of the subdivision. - Southeast Circle is several separate streets that branch & twist around paralleling one another _here_ until they intersect with themselves over _there_. And while generally in the southern part of the subdivision, they cover the full span east to west. And also go well into the northern part. I’m surprised the city or county authorities permitted those streets to be named that way, and those houses to be numbered as they are. Sure not conducive to quick sure emergency response to the correct address. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/37 "2026-01-14T12:32:29Z")
Historically, Yorkshire, England was divided into “Ridings” (Thirds), but now exists as the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/38 "2026-01-14T13:45:54Z")
There are the Brunswicks in New Jersey. There is North Brunswick (I used to live there), South Brunswick, East Brunswick, and New Brunswick. No West Brunswick though. I always liked that North Brunswick was south of New Brunswick. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/39 "2026-01-14T13:52:05Z")
Manhattan has the Upper East, Upper West, and Lower East Sides. A few real estate developers tried rebranding Battery Park City as the Lower West Side, but it didn’t stick. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652/40 "2026-01-14T14:43:48Z")
Washington DC has streets officially designated NW, NE, SW, and SE depending on what direction they are from the Capitol building. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-places-with-four-compass-point-names-explained-better-in-the-op/1026652.md?page=3)