Although the name “Marmion” dates back to a medieval English barony, this street was more likely inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s 1808 narrative poem Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field, an old standby at 19th century poetry recitals. (You know its signature line: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!”) The fictitious Lord Marmion is effectively the villain of the story. Scott’s work has provided fodder for many an L.A. street name (see Ivanhoe), and Marmion was still well-known when Marmion Way was named by city ordinance in 1897, but for what it’s worth, there was also a racehorse named Lord Marmion making news at the time. This street was previously called Railroad Avenue (one of many), owing to the train tracks that have been here forever. They’re now used by Metro’s A Line.
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