[Masthead Image: What's In A Name?]
Although I usually am taking pictures of wildlife or scenic landscapes for inclusion here, I never quite know where a meaningful photo op will pop up, so I keep my camera handy as often as I can remember. This particular case was a little unusual.
Does anyone remember, before emergency 911 service, when there were no street signs on rural roads? Today I was taking my usual weekend drive when I realized that the road I was on, Larpenteur Memorial Road, is a route that I've traveled hundreds of times, maybe thousands without paying any attention to the name on the street sign. It's not really an issue - I don't normally need street signs, global positioning systems, or maps to get where I'm going.
Does anyone remember, before emergency 911 service, when there were no street signs on rural roads? Today I was taking my usual weekend drive when I realized that the road I was on, Larpenteur Memorial Road, is a route that I've traveled hundreds of times, maybe thousands without paying any attention to the name on the street sign. It's not really an issue - I don't normally need street signs, global positioning systems, or maps to get where I'm going.
For some reason today was different, and I looked up at this sign while I waited at an intersection for an oncoming dump truck to pass. What struck me about it was that I didn't have any idea who Larpenteur was. Resolving to learn about Larpenteur, I quickly snapped a shot of the sign to keep on my camera as a note to follow up.
Later, a quick bit of research online reveals that Larpenteur Memorial Road was named for Charles Larpenteur, a French fur trader. Larpenteur was also something of a writer, as he kept a narrative of his experiences trading furs on the upper Missouri river (PDF here). The road named in his honor winds through the Loess Hills and forms part of the Loess Hills Scenic Byways system of tourist routes.
I may buy the book. I'll definitely travel Larpenteur Memorial Road again.
