Named for Edward Braddock (1695-1755), English Army general and commander-in-chief of the 13 American colonies. (A pre-revolutionary George Washington fought under him.) Braddock was killed shortly before he could sack Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. Did someone say “Duquesne”? That’s right – it’s no coincidence that Braddock Drive crosses Duquesne Avenue: both streets were named in 1912 on a pre-Culver City subdivision called Washington Park, filled with byways honoring early American historical figures. One may assume that whoever christened these streets was inspired by nearby Washington Boulevard. Local historians credit early resident Camillo Cereghino (1878-1969) as the christener in question. He was a native of Genoa, Italy who came to California in 1896 and was head of the Washington Blvd. Improvement Co., which bought 150 acres here earlier in 1912. As Washington Park itself was promoted by a syndicate of capitalists called Southern California Home Builders, I can’t say whether Cereghino was feeling patriotic about his adopted country or if the street names were pure marketing.
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