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Changing the name of Market Street to Park Avenue established a precedent which threatens to inaugurate a wholesale demand for rechristening of streets.  This is a matter council should take into earnest consideration, as the confusion that would result from many changes would not be easily anticipated.

The names of streets are of more than ordinary importance to every city and should not be changed except for good cause shown.  What would Cleveland be without her Euclid Avenue?  Columbus without her High Street?  Or Cincinnati without her Vine Street?  And again who would ever learn to know these streets by any other name should they at any time be changed?

The origin of the name of a street is sometimes of particular significance and Mansfield has a number of streets that derive their names from their location or the points they lead to.

Park Avenue derived its original name from the location of the old public market on that street in the building now occupied by the fire department and city offices.  After the market was abandoned the residents of the street frequently agitated a change of name but could never agree upon any name that was considered appropriate until the Sherman-Heineman park was laid out, and the street has since been known as Park Avenue, because it is a direct thoroughfare between the two parks.

The recent change from Clay Street in the fourth ward, to Home Avenue, was deemed necessary as there were two Clay Streets in the city.  Home Avenue was considered more appropriate for the one in the fourth ward, as it leads direct from Diamond Street to the Children's Home and the change was made accordingly.

The more recent rechristening of Water Street proves the facts above stated.  Why it was ever named Water Street is a question to be asked in vain unless it was merely to give the street a name for there is no body of water from which it could derive the name.  It will be some time before Mansfielders will forget to call it by its original name and this was one of the arguments offered in favor of the change for when it shall become familiarly known as Adams Street (named after John Adams, the second President of the United States) it will lose the odious reputation the street obtained some time ago on account of some notorious nests of vice located thereon.

Marion Avenue was so named from the fact that it is the city terminus of the Marion highway.

Lexington Avenue gets its name because it extends to the direct road to Lexington.

Newville Road was so named because the highway beyond leads to Newville.

Spring Mills Street was originally the direct road to Spring Mills and Shelby before it became a street, hence the name.

Surrey Road, if it is ever re-opened, derives its name from being the principal thoroughfare between two buggy factories, although it might be considered the namesake of Surrey Road, London, Eng.

Leesville Road is a continuation of West Fourth Street from No. 153 and leads to Leesville.

Glessner Avenue was named in honor of the late John Y. Glessner, because the avenue joins the old Glessner homestead.

Miller Street was named after John Miller, president of the city council when the street was laid out.

Sherman Avenue was so christened in honor of the Hon. John Sherman.

Sturges Avenue derived its name from the fact that much of the property abutting thereon was owned by members of the Sturges family.

Adams, Grant and Madison Streets and Washington Avenue are the only streets in the city named after presidents.

Cedar, Cherry, Chestnut, Maple, Mulberry, Oak, Olive, Elm, Orange, Pine, Poplar, Sycamore, Spruce, Walnut and Willow Streets derive their names from the various species of wood, not all of which abound in the Buckeye state.  In the same manner Flint, Granite and Diamond Streets are geologically named.  Blanch, Elizabeth, Lida and Maud Avenue have feminine names.  There is a Euclid Street in this city but it is not as familiarly known as Cleveland's widely known avenue.

Daisy and Lily streets are the only ones that have horticultural names.

A number of streets derive their names from well known residents of the city.  For instance:  Blecker after the Bleckers;  Hedges after the Hedges family;  Newman after the Newman family;  Ritter after the Ritters;  Tracy after the Tracy family;  Bushnell after Dr. William Bushnell;  Burns after a family of that name residing thereon;  Herring Street is named from citizens of that name;  likewise, Baymiller, Bell and a number of others.

Johns Street was named after an early day resident, a large landholder in the north end.  Wood Street after John Wood.  Bowman Street after George Bowman.  Buckingham Street from the fact that Camp Buckingham was in the vicinity it traverses.

Why Sugar Street was given such a name does not appear.  The Prospect Street between Fourth and Bloom has little prospect of ever becoming anything more than a wide alley with buildings on each side of it.  There are two Bell Streets, two Ford Streets, two Chestnut Streets, two Prospect Streets, and several others have names that are almost duplicated.

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