The Story Behind the Street Name

When I was writing Waylon County: Texas Stories, I began to pay a lot closer attention to the names of streets and towns in Texas. One street name that is found in many places is Lamar. Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin all have a Lamar, and there are Lamars in other towns as well.

These streets are named after Mirabeau B. Lamar, who was the second president of the Republic of Texas. Lamar was a poet, a general, and a great supporter of public education. In fact, he is known as the "Father of Texas Education." So, the next time you're cruising down Lamar, tip your hat in memory of Texas' second president.


"The cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy."

-Mirabeau B. Lamar