Memorial Road names are a way of thanks By Matthew Agullar El Paso Times Drive around East El Paso long enough, and you'll become familiar with a variety of golfers, entertainers and athletes. But most residents have no idea who these people are and why they warrant a street in their honor. Most street names are honoring people of significant accomplishment, but remain faceless to most residents. "No, I don't know who he is," said Norma Ramirez, who lives on Peter Hurd. "But I heard he was a painter." Hurd, a New Mexico artist, is among a group in the Montwood area honored for their creative talents. "I think (other residents) think he was a golfer. But there are Van Gogh and Picasso streets in : the area, so maybe they picked up on it," area resident Yvonne Serna said. Tragedy makes El Paso artist . Manuel Acosta well known on the street that bears his name. "A lot of people in the community know about him," Marcia Berry said. "He was a famous painter who was murdered about seven years ago." Acosta was beaten to death in his home in 1989. But many El Pasoans don't know the origins of their street names. They don't know, for example, that Joe Battle Street was named after a recently retired district engineer for the Texas ; Department of Transportation who worked on major freeway ; construction in El Paso. And few recall that, George Dieter was a civil engineer Wno-eerved -Br El T Paso's director of public works in the 1960s. , Seven-year-old Saul Kleinfeld thinks its neat to have a street with his name on it. The honor was done in tribute to his grandfather, Saul Kleinfeld, who died in 1988, three days before his namesake was bom. The elder Saul , Kleinfeld wasn't an engineer, a golfer or an athlete. He was a local humanitarian who ; was citizen of the year in 1969 and was named the local and district humanitarian in 1971 for his work with needy children and his promotion of sports in the state. "I'm proud of it," said Joel Kleinfeld. Saul Kleinfeld's 55-year-old son. "The street is like a major artery around here." Don Budge was a tennis player who, in 1938, became the first player to win the Grand Slam the French, Wimbledon, U.S. and Australian titles in one year. Don Please see Names Page 2 . v 1 f I ill - , . I 1 7 . me -:"!; t if u Memory lanes crisscross the city to help us recall history, heroes and changes that have come to our streets By Victor R. Martinez El Paso Times Genie Padilla imagined herself riding away from Downtown EJ Paso in a dusty carriage heading to San Francisco. "I can see it now," said Padilla putting the back of her hand to her forehead. "The wind blowing at my bluebonnet, the dust piercing my skin as I make my way to the Golden State." Padilla, who was walking on San Francisco Street, saw the route many early El Paso settlers took when a lot of the city's roads were known by their ultimate destination. For example. Santa Fe Street leads to Santa Fe, N.M., San Antonio Street to the Alamo City, and so on. "That makes a lot of sense," said East El Pasoan David Chester. "It definitely makes more 6ense than the name of my street, Cheryl Ladd. Why anyone would name a street after one of Charlie's Angels is beyond me." Chester resides in an area developers named after famous entertainers like Glen Campbell, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Nowadays the names of streets and subdivisions are mostly created to serve the marketing themes of developers. But in the early days, streets were given more practical names which now serve as a record of El Paso's history and culture. One main road was El Paso Street, so called because it led to El Paso del Norte, now Juarez, in 1832. Downtown streets were formal- "1 designed in 1858 when Anson Mills, a trader from Missouri and a West Point dropout, came to what was called Franklin, in the ButterfieldOverland Stagecoach. "So now you've got a . little community called Franklin and it's got 200 to 300 residents living there and all they have are horse trails," said El Paso historian and author Leon Metz. "So Anson Mills gets off the stage, and Please see History Page 2 Mary Chang El Paso Times Seven-year-old Saul Kleinfeld, sitting atop his father Joel Kleinfeld's shoulders, likes having a street with his name on it The street is named for his grandfather, who died in 1988, three days before the young namesake was born. The elder Saul Kleinfeld was known for his charity work. What streets have you been wondering about? The neighborhood editions staff will do their best to help solve the mystery. Send items to be researched to Zone editor, El Paso Times, P.O. Box 20, El Paso. Texas 79999. Fax is 546-6415.