While the discussion of which Alexandria streets should be renamed has grabbed headlines, a subcommittee on the ground floor of Lloyd House (220 N. Washington Street) in Old Town has spent months mulling over an equally important question: what should they be renamed to?
At the Ad-Hoc Proposed Street Name Committee’s meeting last Friday (Aug. 11), the group voted on a final list of recommended replacement names that should be considered for streets around Alexandria.
The list will go to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission tomorrow at 7 p.m. before going to the City Council for approval.
The list isn’t public yet, but Committee members said the list prioritizes restoring the original names of streets renamed in 1953 to honor Confederate leaders — such as returning Beauregard Street in the West End to South Walter Reed Drive.
For new street names, Committee members said there are a few conditions: the focus should be on those underrepresented in Alexandria street names, such as women or minorities, and the names shouldn’t honor anyone currently living.
This, unfortunately, ruled out naming a street for Francis C. Hammond High School graduate and Twin Peaks creator David Lynch, as the sole member of the public in attendance at the Committee’s meeting suggested.
One of the names discussed at the meeting was Thomasina Jordan, an Alexandria resident and the first American Indian to serve in the United States Electoral College, as a replacement for the namesake of Jordan Street. Jordan was also known as Red Hawk Woman and it was suggested Jordan Street could be renamed to Red Hawk Street.