List of streets in San Jose, California facts for kids

This article is about the many streets in San Jose, California. Each street has its own story, often named after important people, places, or events from the city's past. Learning about these names helps us understand the history of San Jose!

Famous Roads and Highways

Some streets in San Jose are part of California's state highway system. These are important roads that connect different cities and areas.

State Route 85

This road is also known as the West Valley Freeway or the Stevens Creek Freeway. Freeways are like big highways that help you travel quickly.

State Route 87

This road is called the Guadalupe Freeway. It's another important freeway in the area.

State Route 130

You might know this road as Mount Hamilton Road or Alum Rock Avenue. It leads to interesting places like Alum Rock Park.

State Route 82 (El Camino Real)

This road is part of the historic El Camino Real, which means "The Royal Road" in Spanish. It was a very old trail that connected the Spanish missions in California.

Streets Named After People

Many streets in San Jose are named after people who were important to the city's history. They might have been early settlers, landowners, business owners, or famous figures.

The Alameda

This name comes from a Spanish word for a public street lined with trees. It's a historic road that connected the Mission Santa Clara with the old town of San Jose.

Alum Rock Avenue

This street is named after Alum Rock Park, which has a special mineral called thenardite (sometimes mistaken for alum rock) and natural springs. This road is a continuation of other historic roads like El Camino Real and The Alameda.

Asbury Avenue

This street is named after Francis Asbury, who was a Methodist Bishop.

Auzerais Avenue

This street is named after John Auzerais, who was one of San Jose's early pioneers. It used to be called Sainsevain Street.

Bailey Avenue

There are actually two streets named Bailey Avenue! The one closer to Morgan Hill is named after Boanerges R. Bailey.

Balbach Street

This street is named after John Balbach, who owned a company that made carriages back in 1864.

Balboa Avenue

This street is named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a famous Spanish explorer.

Barack Obama Boulevard

This street is named after Barack Obama, who was a President of the United States.

Bascom Avenue

This street is named after Ana Maria and her husband Lewis Hazelton Bascom.

Bassett Street

This street is named after Almeron C. Bassett, who was a superintendent for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Bernal Road

This road is named after Ygnacio Bernal, who owned a large farm (400 acres!) where he grew fruits and vegetables in southeast San Jose.

Berryessa Road

This road is named after Nicholas Berryessa, an early San Jose pioneer, and his family.

Bird Avenue

This street is named after Isaac and Calvert Bird, who used to live in this area.

Blach Place

This street is named after Michael S. Blach, who started the Blach Construction Company.

Bollinger Road

This road is named after Christian Bollinger, who was a farmer in the area in the late 1800s.

Booksin Avenue

This street is named after Henry Booksin, an early pioneer who owned fruit orchards in the Santa Clara County area known as the Willows.

Branham Lane

This lane is named after Isaac Branham, an early pioneer who settled in the area in 1846.

Cahill Street

This street is named after Hiram B. Cahill, who had a five-acre home here. The train station nearby was once called Cahill Depot.

Chapman Street

This street is named after W. S. Chapman, who worked with Moses Davis to sell the first housing lots in the Rose Garden neighborhood, which was then called Poplar City.

Cleaves Avenue

This street is named after Jeremiah and Margaret Cleaves, who were San Jose pioneers and lived on The Alameda.

Cleveland Avenue

This street is named in honor of Grover Cleveland, who was a President of the United States.

Coe Avenue

This street is named after Henry Willard Coe, Sr., who traded in mining supplies and bought 150 acres in the Willows area of Santa Clara County.

Cory Avenue

This street is named after Doctor Benjamin Cory, who was the very first medical doctor in Santa Clara County in 1847.

Cottle Avenue and Cottle Road

Cottle Avenue (not to be confused with Cottle Road) is named after Frank Cottle, who bought the Willows Orchard from his father. Cottle Road is named after Warren Cottle, whose ranch was near Monterey and Snell Roads.

Cunningham Avenue

The street, a park, and a man-made lake are all named after James F. Cunningham.

Curtner Avenue

This street is named after Henry and Lucy Curtner, who were early San Jose pioneers. It was also called Casey Road, but the name changed when the two roads connected.

Dana Avenue

This street is named after the Dana family farm, which the city bought to build schools.

Davis Street

This street is named after Moses Davis, who partnered with W. S. Chapman to sell the first housing lots in the Rose Garden neighborhood.

Delmas Avenue

This street in downtown San Jose is named after Antoine Delmas, who owned a property called the French Gardens tract.

Di Fiore Drive

This drive is named after the Di Fiore family, who had a cannery (a place where food is canned) and orchards in the nearby Burbank neighborhood.

Donohue Drive

This drive is named after Peter Donahue (businessman), who helped build the San Francisco to San Jose Railroad company.

Eastus Drive

This drive is named after John Eastus, who was a Deputy City Manager for San Jose.

Emory Street

This street is named after John Emory, who was another Methodist Bishop.

Flickinger Avenue

This street is named after Joseph H. Flickinger and his Orchard Cannery.

Fowler Road

This road is named after Andrew Jackson Fowler, who bought a 173-acre ranch here in 1867.

Fox Avenue

This street might be named after Bernard S. Fox, who was a tree nurseryman, or possibly his nephew Richard D. Fox.

Forbes Drive

This drive is named after James Alexander Forbes, who owned the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine and helped start Santa Clara College.

Le Franc Drive

This drive is named after Charles Lefranc.

Fremont Street

This street is named after John C. Frémont, who was a military leader during the Mexican-American War and became California's first military governor.

Gion Avenue

This street is named after Thomas Gion.

Gish Road

This road is named after David Ellison Gish, who bought a farm here in 1851 after trying his luck at gold mining.

Goodwin Avenue

This street is named after C. B. Goodwin, who was the San Jose City Manager.

Goodyear Street

This street is named after Miles Goodyear, who owned 30 acres in the area.

Graham Avenue

This street is named after John (Jack) Martin Graham, who wrote about baseball for the San Jose Mercury Herald newspaper. The street is where baseball grandstands used to be.

Hamilton Avenue

This street is named after Zeri Hamilton, an early San Jose pioneer who bought property here in 1850.

Hamline Street

This street is named in honor of Leonidas Lent Hamline, a Methodist Episcopal Bishop, in 1866.

Hanchett Avenue

This street is named after Lewis E. Hanchett, an early property developer in San Jose. He developed the Hanchett Residence Park neighborhood in 1907.

Harding Avenue

This street is named after Warren G. Harding, who was a President of the United States and died while visiting the West Coast.

Harwood Road

This road is named after G. M. Harwood, who planted a vineyard (a place where grapes are grown) at this site.

Hedding Street

This street is named after Elijah Hedding, another Methodist Bishop. Rosa Street was connected to and renamed Hedding Street.

Hensley Street

This street is named after Samuel Hensley.

Hester Avenue

This street is named after Craven P. Hester, an early Judge in San Jose, whose home was nearby.

Hobson Street

This street is named after George Hobson, who was San Jose's first milkman. He also owned the land where Valley Medical Hospital is now.

Hoover Avenue

This street is named after Herbert Hoover, who was an American President and was part of the first class of students at Stanford University.

Jackson Street

This street is named after Andrew Jackson, who was a President of the United States.

Julian Street

This street is named after Captain Julian Hanks, who lived in the early Pueblo of San Jose.

Keeble Avenue

This street is named after Edward and Richard Keeble, who were brothers and local orchard owners. They were known as the largest shippers of green fruit in America.

King Road

This road is named after Andrew Lewis King, who settled in San Jose in 1851. There were plans to rename it Martin Luther King Jr. Road.

Lawrence Expressway

Originally called Lawrence Station Road, this road was named after the Lawrence Railroad Station in 1863. The station was named after Albert Chester Bull, who changed his name to Lawrence.

Leigh Avenue

This street is named after H. A. Leigh.

Lenzen Avenue

This street is named after Theodore Lenzen, who was San Jose's first and most active architect.

Lester Avenue

This street is named after Nathan L. Lester, who had a home on nearby Lincoln Avenue.

Lightstone Alley

This alley is named after Franz Lichtenstein (also known as Frank Lightston), who owned most of this area and ran the first store in San Jose with Charles Weber.

Lindbergh Avenue

This street is named in honor of Charles Lindbergh, a famous American aviator (pilot).

Luther Avenue

This street is named after Luther Burbank, a famous American botanist who helped the fruit industry in Santa Clara Valley.

Magellan Avenue

This street is named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer.

Martin Avenue

This street is named after John Martin, who was a business partner of Lewis Hanchett in developing the Hanchett Residence Park.

Maybury Road

This road is named after Frank Maybury, an early farmer who owned a 63-acre farm where the road is today.

McAbee Road

This road is named after Zephyr Macabee, who invented a gopher trap in 1890 that is still sold today.

McDaniel Avenue

This street is named after Josiah Jennings McDaniel, who was a Confederate soldier. He married Amanda Fine, and their 4-acre family farm was located along what is now Park Avenue.

McKee Road

This road is named after Joseph Olcott McKee, who had a farm in the area. He and his father helped move the state capitol from San Jose to Vallejo.

McKendrie Avenue

This street is named after William McKendree, another Methodist Bishop.

McLaughlin Avenue

This street is named after Edward and Adelia McLaughlin, who moved to the area from Grass Valley.

Montague Expressway

This expressway is named after Wilford Weed Montague, a millionaire from the 1870s. He owned a 400-acre farm called "Riverside Farm," and the original Montague Road ran along its northern edge.

Montgomery Street

This street is named after T. S. Montgomery, a San Jose real estate developer who had property, hotel, and railroad interests nearby.

Morrison Avenue

This street is named after James Morrison, an early Mayor of San Jose.

Morse Street

This street is named after Charles Copeland Morse, a resident of Santa Clara who founded the Ferry-Morse Seed Company in 1884.

Muller Place

This place is named after the Muller family, who owned Lou's Village Restaurant and property around it for many years.

Naglee Avenue

This street is named after Henry Morris Naglee, who was a Union General during the Civil War.

Newhall Street

This street is named after Henry Mayo Newhall, who helped found the San Francisco to San Jose Railroad company.

Park Avenue

This street was originally called Union Avenue during the Civil War. It was later renamed Park Avenue when the Hanchett Residence Park was developed in 1907.

Pearl Avenue

This street is named after John Quincy Pearl, who owned 600 acres in the Almaden Valley in 1852.

Pellier Avenue & Court

These are named after Louis Pellier, who started the prune industry in Santa Clara Valley. He used French prune cuttings and special growing techniques.

Pershing Avenue

This street is named after John J. Pershing, a famous Brigadier General who led a military expedition in pursuit of Pancho Villa.

Phelan Avenue

This street is named after James Duval Phelan, who was California's first popularly elected senator.

Polhemus Street

This street was named after Charles Bispham Polhemus, an early San Jose railroad pioneer who owned land that later became other towns. It was renamed Taylor Avenue in 1960.

Portal Court & Portal Way

These are named after Louis Portal, who owned 400 acres of vineyards in San Jose.

Randol Avenue

This street is named after James B. Randol, who managed the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine and was part owner of the land where the street is located.

Reed Street and Family Streets

Reed Street is named after James F. Reed of the famous Donner Party. Several nearby streets are named after his family and associates:

• Margaret Street is named after James Frazier Reed's wife, Margret Backenstoe Reed.
• Virginia Street is named after Margret Reed's daughter, Virginia Elizabeth Backenstoe.
• Martha Street is named after James and Margret Reed's daughter, Martha Jane ("Patty") Reed Lewis.
• Keyes Street is named after Margret Reed's maiden name, Keyes.
• Bestor Street is named after Norman Bestor, James Frazier Reed's surveyor, who helped divide the land.

Rhodes Court

This court is named after Judge A. L. Rhodes, whose house was at the corner of Rhodes Court and The Alameda.

Schiele Avenue

This street is named after Charles M. Schiele, who owned the Pacific Hotel and was on the city council. He developed Schiele Avenue and Magnolia Avenue.

Senter Road

This road is named after German Senter.

Singletary Avenue

This street is named after Emory C. Singletary, who had a large mansion on The Alameda. He was an early San Jose pioneer who founded the First National Bank of San Jose in 1874.

Stockton Avenue

This street is named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton, who developed the Garden Alameda neighborhood that the street borders.

Sunol Street

This street is named after Antonio Marie Suñol, a Spanish settler who partnered with Henry Morris Naglee to convert Mexican land grants in 1857.

Taylor Street

This street is named after Alfred Taylor Howard, a Methodist Bishop.

Tully Road

This road is named after John Tully, who owned thousands of acres in Evergreen Valley.

University Street

This street is named because it was the main entrance to the University of the Pacific before it moved to Stockton. The building then became Bellarmine College Prep High School. San Jose State University also keeps its president's home on this street.

Vendome Avenue

This avenue is named after Josiah Belden's mansion, which later became the Vendome Hotel.

Vermont Street

This street was originally named Morris after a Methodist Bishop, but its name was changed to Vermont to avoid confusion with nearby Morse Street.

Vestal Street

This street is named after virgin nuns.

Villa Avenue

This avenue is named to remember Brigadier General John J. Pershing's Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916. Pershing Avenue is just two streets away.

Virginia Avenue

This street was previously named Home Street.

Washington Street

This street is named after George Washington, who was the first President of the United States.

White Road

This road is named after Charles White, who was a magistrate (a type of judge) of the Pueblo of San Jose when control was transferred from Mexico to the Republic of California.

Wilson Avenue

This street is named after Woodrow Wilson, who was a President of the United States. It was located near the "Open Air Arena" on The Alameda.

Winchester Boulevard

This boulevard is indirectly named after Sarah Winchester, because she built her famous home, the Winchester Mystery House, along this road.

Woz Way

This street is named after Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple Inc.. He donated money to the San Jose Children's Museum and refused to have anything named after him, but the city honored him by renaming the street in front of the museum after him.

Zanker Road

This road is named after William Zanker, who owned a large part of the Alviso District.

Streets Named After Places or Things

Some streets are named after natural features, landmarks, or even types of plants.

Arroyo de Oro

This name is Spanish for "Gold Creek."

Blossom Hill Road

The original part of this road runs along the base of Blossom Hill. The hill itself was named for the beautiful blossoms from the many fruit orchards that used to cover the area. The road was later extended.

Camden Avenue

This name is a shorter version of "Campbell to New Almaden Mine." In 1886, a railroad spur (a short track) was built to serve the quicksilver mines at New Almaden. Camden Avenue now follows where this old railroad line used to be. It was previously called Railroad Avenue.

Canoas Garden Avenue

This street is named after Canoas Creek. "Canoas" is a Portuguese word for "canoe."

Chaboya Road

This road is named after Antonio Chabolla in 1833.

Cinnabar Street

This street is named after the mineral cinnabar. This mineral was mined nearby in the New Almaden area. Mercury (also called quicksilver) was taken from cinnabar and used to help find gold during the California Gold Rush.

Dry Creek Road

This road is named after a flood in 1866 that changed the path of the Los Gatos Creek. This section became a dry creek bed, which was later turned into a road.

Fiesta Lane

This lane is named after the Fiesta Lane Bowling Alley that used to be at this location.

Locust Street

This street is named after the honey locust tree. Many streets in this area are named after different types of trees.

Magnolia Avenue

This street is named after the Magnolia Trees that were planted along the street when the first lots were sold.

Mariposa Avenue

"Mariposa" is Spanish for "Butterfly." This street is named after Mariposa Grove, a famous grove of giant sequoia trees near Yosemite. (Yosemite Avenue is a parallel street nearby!)

Melrose Avenue

This name comes from Latin words meaning "honey rose," suggesting something sweet and beautiful.

Meridian Avenue

This street is named "Meridian" because a section of it lines up with the Mount Diablo Meridian, which is an important survey line used for mapping land.

Mission Street

This street is named after the famous California Missions.

Moorpark Avenue

This street is named after the Moorpark apricot, a type of apricot imported from England in 1854. Apricots were once a very important crop in Santa Clara County.

Moore Street

This street was named after Judge John Moore. It was renamed Idaho Street in 1933 to avoid confusion with Morse Street.

Parkmoor Avenue

This name is a play on words from Moorpark Avenue, a nearby street named after the apricot variety.

Race Street (and Race Park)

These are named after Agricultural Park and the racetrack that was inside it. The county park was later sold and developed into the Shasta Hanchett Park neighborhood.

Saint James Street

This street is named after Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Many early downtown San Jose streets were named after the 21 California missions. "James" is the English translation of "Diego."

Saint John Street

This street is named after Mission San Juan Bautista. "John" is the English translation of "Juan."

San Antonio Street

This street is named after Mission San Antonio de Padua.

San Carlos Street

This street is named after Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, also known as Mission Carmel.

San Fernando Street

This street is named after Mission San Fernando Rey de España.

San Salvador Street

This name is Spanish for "Holy Savior."

Santa Ana Avenue

This street is named after Saint Anne.

Santa Clara Street

This street is named after Mission Santa Clara.

Sequoia Avenue

This street is named after Sequoia National Park.

Sierra Avenue

This street is named after the Sierra Nevada mountain range, where Yosemite National Park is located.

Trinidad Street

This name is Spanish for "Trinity."

Yosemite Avenue

This street is named after Yosemite National Park.