Names of suburban housing developments in Oklahoma are ridiculously deceiving. A few years ago we had an office contest to contrive appropriate names for new subdivisions. Here are a few examples to get the ball rolling…

Jack Pump Acres
Mud Pond Vista
Godforsaken Acres from Hell
Cracked Dirt Estate

...have fun.

Where Boring People live
Every Other House looks the same ville
Nothing to do out here after 6pm
Ghetto in 30 years
Underwhelming Acres
Unimaginative Estates

Every Other House looks the same ville


This.

If anybody ever gets a chance, there's a subdivision in Edmond on Coltrane halfway between 2nd and Danforth on the east side of the road.

It's name... "Morning Woods".

The funniest part is that the subdivision used to have a different name. THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED IT TO THAT!

Isn't there one up on the northside called Morning Wood? I'm serious, thought I've seen it mentioned here in the past.

One of my friends from England always makes fun of our completely manufactured names for places, including cities: Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Thousand Oaks, etc.

Subdivisions are worse, always trying to borrow from something that is perceived as prestigious often combined with a geographic feature which usually isn't even found in the development: X Hill(s), X Brook, X Springs, X Heights, X Park, X Creek, X View, X Heights, etc.

I grew up in Cherokee Hills and could never find one hill, let alone multiples. And there certainly weren't any Cherokees.


In the sit-com Arrested Development their subdivision was called Sudden Valley and was located in California.

...

Subdivisions are worse, always trying to borrow from something that is perceived as prestigious often combined with a geographic feature which usually isn't even found in the development: X Hill(s), X Brook, X Springs, X Heights, X Park, X Creek, X View, X Heights, etc.

.

Or what about "Hidden Creek" for the development at 10th and Sooner that floods every time a few drops of rain hit....

Isn't there one up on the northside called Morning Wood? I'm serious, thought I've seen it mentioned here in the past.

Yes. Morning Woods is located off of Coltrane between 2nd and Danforth.

Subdivision developers try to envoke the idea of traditional neighborhood development by coming up with these names. Of course, no subdivision can do that which is why the original first generation owners grow tired of the place after 5 to 10 years and try their luck at the next new subdivision 5 miles further out.

When are you going to learn estates
Another Town Center (which isn't in the center of town)
1/5 Acre Estates
City View Estates (usually 20 miles in the country)
I Like to Drive Island
No Corner Store Corners
Five Miles for Nowhere Hills

I Like to Drive Island
No Corner Store Corners


Excellent!

Invasive Cedar Prairie
Coyotes Swale
Rangeland Estates

Some of the names remind me of a Benny Hill skit....
I just love my farm...Passing Wind.....

I Like to Drive Island
No Corner Store Corners


Excellent!

Invasive Cedar Prairie
Coyotes Swale
Rangeland Estates

Come on - you didn't like 1/5 Acre Estates? When I think of estates I always measure them in fractions of an acre.

Secret Springs . . .
(Buy Flood Insurance regardless of The History Maps)

Quaker Acres
(Out there around Jones and Prague)

Burning Fallen Cedars
(GoogleMap it)

Mourning Willows

Horned Toad's Retreat

Aubreyville Park

Southeast Midwest City Dells II

The Point Two-O
(a casual response to urban sprawl, thanks, jtf =)

Shadow Valley
(if you lived here you'd be home by now....)

8UCQShAm5vo

One of my friends from England always makes fun of our completely manufactured names for places, including cities: Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Thousand Oaks, etc.

Subdivisions are worse, always trying to borrow from something that is perceived as prestigious often combined with a geographic feature which usually isn't even found in the development: X Hill(s), X Brook, X Springs, X Heights, X Park, X Creek, X View, X Heights, etc.

I grew up in Cherokee Hills and could never find one hill, let alone multiples. And there certainly weren't any Cherokees.


In the sit-com Arrested Development their subdivision was called Sudden Valley and was located in California.

The English don't have much room to talk. I visited my cousin a few times in England when she and her husband were living in Maidenhead.

If anybody ever gets a chance, there's a subdivision in Edmond on Coltrane halfway between 2nd and Danforth on the east side of the road.

It's name... "Morning Woods".

The funniest part is that the subdivision used to have a different name. THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED IT TO THAT!

My wife's uncle lives there. All he does is shake his head when someone brings it up.

My wife's uncle lives there. All he does is shake his head when someone brings it up.

Sounds like a good name for a retirement village with smoking hot nurses.

Shakey Acres (in honor of the recent seismic activity)
Muddy Fountain Estates (seen a few of these in artificial lakes around town)
Cookie Cutter Corner
Sprawl View
SUV Heights
Dead Tree
Isolation Heights

Why is there so much dislike for those of us that don't WANT to live downtown?

MacArthur at about 128th (between 122nd and Memorial) there is St. John's Wood - I've seen the Morning Woods too, both of which I just smh and refrain from asking why.

At least St. John's Wood is a real city in England.

Why is there so much dislike for those of us that don't WANT to live downtown?

That name is kind of long for a subdivision - but what the heck - 2 points.

Ths issue really isn't that there is a dislike of people who choose suburbia, it is that when the urbanites complain about suburban style projects being constructed in urban areas we get an ear full about how ungrateful we are. So to get "even", we laugh at subdivisions using names to create a sense of place that doesn't really exist - sometimes even using traditional urban names to do so. You have to appreciate the irony.

We once lived in a subdivision called Charleston Corners and the marketing material envoked the imagery of Charleston, SC with kids riding their bike to the store/school, people walking to the stores, and couple talking an evening stroll. Only problem was there was no nearby school or store to ride/walk to and no place worth strolling to. Just drive to work, drive home, and sit in the house until it was time to do Saturday yardwork.

This reminds me that I wish the Vineyard neighborhood in Norman would change all of its street names to "Clam Chowda Ct.," and "Whatayou, Retahdid? Way," etc--if they're really serious about invoking that bucolic New England imagery.

This reminds me that I wish the Vineyard neighborhood in Norman would change all of its street names to "Clam Chowda Ct.," and "Whatayou, Retahdid? Way," etc--if they're really serious about invoking that bucolic New England imagery.
Do they have a "Quinzee Street by da pahk?"

Du'Maz V'Lage by le creek . . .

Do they have a "Quinzee Street by da pahk?"

No, but they certainly have Da Pahk covered.
http://www.thevineyardnorman.com/main.html

In Yukon, there really is a SMOKING OAKS..........like its burnt down...

Hell's Half Acres (m.o.l.)
Sprawling Estates
Creeking Springs
Diaphanous Downs
Condomonium Gardens
Burburling Swamps
Landslyde Village
FlavorTowne (Home of Guy Fieri)
Tobacco Rhodes
The Coops at FreeRange
The Cramptons

Just put up a development downtown and call it "Urbanist Snobs" or "Hipster Park" and let them all move there.

Some of us, as much as we love downtown and appreciate the new urban areas under development, have valid reasons for living in the 'burbs, including in our aptly-named subdivisions. It doesn't make us boring people, it simply means we were looking for a specific lifestyle (newer home, lower price per square foot) than what is available in older, more historic districts.

Alas, as we choose not to conform to their confirmist views of urbanism, we shall always be the enemy outcasts.

Funny how urban is always associated with poor people who live in expensive housing.

When I lived in California everyone there thought Oklahoma was flat but populated by hillbillies. I always asked which was - flat or hills.

Cookie Cutter Corner
Sprawl View
SUV Heights

Excellent!

Dallas Knock-Off Way
Kinkade Cottage Dreamworld
Excess Possessions Not Vehicles In Three Garages... Gardens

Just put up a development downtown and call it "Urbanist Snobs" or "Hipster Park" and let them all move there.

Some of us, as much as we love downtown and appreciate the new urban areas under development, have valid reasons for living in the 'burbs, including in our aptly-named subdivisions. It doesn't make us boring people, it simply means we were looking for a specific lifestyle (newer home, lower price per square foot) than what is available in older, more historic districts.

Alas, as we choose not to conform to their confirmist views of urbanism, we shall always be the enemy outcasts.You go girl!

Just put up a development downtown and call it "Urbanist Snobs" or "Hipster Park" and let them all move there.

Some of us, as much as we love downtown and appreciate the new urban areas under development, have valid reasons for living in the 'burbs, including in our aptly-named subdivisions. It doesn't make us boring people, it simply means we were looking for a specific lifestyle (newer home, lower price per square foot) than what is available in older, more historic districts.

Alas, as we choose not to conform to their confirmist views of urbanism, we shall always be the enemy outcasts.

(or, perhaps . . . residents of . . ."
The Village of The Darned!

Just put up a development downtown and call it "Urbanist Snobs" or "Hipster Park" and let them all move there. ...

Nah, its urban so up, up, up they go ... Hipster Heights. Urbanists don't need no stinking parks (which may be why Occupy OKC had free reign so long. No one else used the park)

Excess Possessions Not Vehicles In Three Garages... Gardens

Hahaha this one of my biggest pet peeves... There are some subdivisions that are built around air strips and that each have their own airplane hangar and I bet most of them fill the hangar with a bunch of junk that they won't even have in their house then park their plane on the street.

The excesses of the American culture can be hard to fathom at times. Several of my neighbors have more cars than drivers; two of them have EIGHT and only three drivers.

I'm not kidding, but there is actually a subdivision in Moore called "Southwinds." If that's not an ominous reminder of F-5 destruction I don't know what is.

OOH. I love Hipster Heights. That would beat the hell out of SOSA, plus it's ironically, sneeringly self-referential!

Hahaha this one of my biggest pet peeves... There are some subdivisions that are built around air strips and that each have their own airplane hangar and I bet most of them fill the hangar with a bunch of junk that they won't even have in their house then park their plane on the street.

The excesses of the American culture can be hard to fathom at times. Several of my neighbors have more cars than drivers; two of them have EIGHT and only three drivers.

It would not surprise me if they have a two/three car garage to fill with junk so the have room in the hanger, the pilots I have met are pretty obsessive about their own plane.

The excesses of the American culture can be hard to fathom at times. Several of my neighbors have more cars than drivers; two of them have EIGHT and only three drivers.That would be me. We have three cars and a Harley. Two drivers. I like cars. If I had a 4th garage I'd get a project car to work on.

Hooterville.
(On account of the railroad tracks).

(Petticoat Junction is that Sports Bar halfway between Belle Isle and The Urban Core with easy access to The Interurban)

Just put up a development downtown and call it "Urbanist Snobs" or "Hipster Park" and let them all move there.

Some of us, as much as we love downtown and appreciate the new urban areas under development, have valid reasons for living in the 'burbs, including in our aptly-named subdivisions. It doesn't make us boring people, it simply means we were looking for a specific lifestyle (newer home, lower price per square foot) than what is available in older, more historic districts.

Alas, as we choose not to conform to their confirmist views of urbanism, we shall always be the enemy outcasts.

I've said many times that I don't fault people for where they live... And I've certainly spent a lot of time in the suburbs and every community needs them.

The criticism and commentary is aimed at (or should be) at the municipalities that allow completely un-checked sprawl and the developers that build to lousy standards.


This issue has come up several times here yet I've never seen anyone criticize someone's living choice.

I'm not kidding, but there is actually a subdivision in Moore called "Southwinds." If that's not an ominous reminder of F-5 destruction I don't know what is.

I did some framing and cornice work in an addition southeast of Crossroads Mall.
I seem to recall that The Developers decided to name it Windfield . . .
No more accurate description of the area could even be invented.
(20 mph wind, all day every day . . . and it was a field.)

In Southern California, all of the generic subdivisions have Spanish names that are some combination of the the words del, mar, rey, rancho, mission, playa, santa, vista, rancho, mesa, verde, margarita and bonita.

arrange these words in any order and you'll come up with the name of the housing development in Orange County, Calif.

mission vista del playa, rancho del rey, mesa bonita verde, mesa santa margarita del mar, etc.

Same idea here, but all the words are in English instead. Pines, Woods, estates Hills, hollows, shady, windy, meadows, brook, creek, whispering, etc. I think developers actually pay consultants to come up with these names and all they do is toss the same 10 words into a hat.

Shady Pine Creek Estates, Windy Woods Meadows, Whispering Brook Hills....

http://lewenberg.com/sng/

Let's not forget why developers create subdivision names in the first place. They do it to create a sense of place that the development itself is incapable of creating by simply existing. For example - Deep Deuce, Capitol Hill, and Midtown are parts of Oklahoma City while a subdivision called Knights Crossing is not. Even relativly new entities like Core to Shore and Film Row are able to be identified as real places eventhough little has actually even been built there.

Nah, its urban so up, up, up they go ... Hipster Heights. Urbanists don't need no stinking parks (which may be why Occupy OKC had free reign so long. No one else used the park)

I could go for MBG Tower. If we could duplicate something like Rittenhouse Square I would be as happy as a puppy with two peters - it's just to bad people with more influence decided a convention center would be better.

I could go for MBG Tower...

You might still have a shot at being a shotgun puppy. There is that nice chunk of land which Stage Center presently occupies. No my idea of a great idea, but I could see it happening.

Lu9Ycq64Gy4


Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown

Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone

Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone

Subdivisions -
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions -
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth

Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night

Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight

Somewhere out of a memory
Of lighted streets on quiet nights...

Subdivisions -
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions -
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth

Leafless Achres
Conumbdria
Whining Willows
Leakey Ravine Heights
The Pitts at Tumbleville

Thanks for the video Maynard. I like it.

A friend of mine used to call his estate Oleo Acres...the cheaper spread.

If anybody ever gets a chance, there's a subdivision in Edmond on Coltrane halfway between 2nd and Danforth on the east side of the road.

It's name... "Morning Woods".

The funniest part is that the subdivision used to have a different name. THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED IT TO THAT!
Haha, nice!

This is a good gander:
http://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?navid=1085&picturesize=medium

Acropolis, Edinburgh, Muirfield, Valencia.. the north side is really quite the world tour of tract housing