The town of Gilmer had no set rule or pattern in naming its streets, but
as the town grew and what had been an opening between a few
rough-boarded houses, became a street, the name followed later on, and
indicated the character or location of the street. For example: Titus
street was the road northward to Mount Pleasant and Titus County.
Marshall street merged into the road to Marshall. Tyler street was so
named because it connected with Montgomery street and thence to the Big
Sandy road. The first route to Tyler was through Big Sandy, and it is
still possible to reach Tyler by that route.
The principal residence street of the town, Montgomery, was named for
one of the village’s early citizens that lived on that street where Dr.
Madison Ragland’s new residence is located. Cass and Kaufman streets
were evidently inspired from the same source that gave two Texas
counties the same names. Bledsoe street was named for the Bledsoe
family, who still live on this thoroughfare. Harrison street undoubtedly
got its name from the Harrison family. Mrs. J. R. Warren of Tyler, named
Warren avenue. She was instrumental in getting the street opened, and
built her large home at the intersection of Warren and Trinity. It was
sold to T. H. Glesen and is now Frank L. Futrell’s home. Mrs. Warren
also built several other houses on this street.
“Silver Alley” in the downtown section, leading from the square to the
city hall, may have had another name, but no one can remember it. This
cognomen came from a bunch of town wags. The Gilmer Mirror was at one
time located on the corner of Silver Alley and Harrison street. Mr.
Holmes was editor at that time and he would always come up this alleyway
to the square. His opening remarks, when he was collecting, were
invariably, “Can you let me have a little silver today?” He probably
remembered the paper money of Civil War days and his preference for
“hard money” inspired the wags to call the street “Silver Alley.”
Trinity street is one of the main thoroughfares of the town, but no one
knows why it was so named. In the Pecan Grove residence section, most
street names were given by Mr. T. C. Mitchell, who once farmed and later
subdivided this addition. Pecan street is very evidently named for the
many pecan trees on it. Walnut street was so named because of the large
walnut trees along Mr. Mitchell’s home property. Mitchell street was for
the family name, and Mary street for the late Mrs. Mitchell, his wife.
One of the most picturesque names, no longer belonging to a street, but
to a country road, is that of the “Cherokee Trace.” This road was
probably the first road ever made through Upshur County from the north.
It was the trail followed by the Indians in getting to the old fort at
Nacogdoches. Later it became a wagon road. Now the Trace loses its name
and identity at Walnut street, but in olden days it wound on down to the
spring in the present Roosevelt Park. This spring was the site of a
camping ground and from there the Trace went southward. During the Texas
Centennial year, 1936, a marker was placed at the old camping ground in
the park. The first Upshur County court was held on the Cherokee Trace
before the present courthouse location was made. The country road that
still bears that name is still one of Upshur County’s most picturesque
and level rural roads.
The latest street to be named is that leading from the First National
Bank to the Bell Hotel. Until it was paved, about five or six years ago,
it was a nameless alley. Then, in honor of Mayor Horace V. Davis, who
had been instrumental in bringing about Gilmer’s biggest paving program,
it was named Davis street.