This street was originally called Magnolia Avenue. It was changed to Marengo by city ordinance in February 1897 to avoid confusion with L.A.’s other Magnolia Avenue – the one near Hoover Street. The new name was likely borrowed from Marengo Avenue in South Pasadena (which was named for an old ranch there – see its entry for more); I’m guessing someone on the City’s special street name commission – they had to rechristen over 300 streets that winter – figured that “Marengo” was close enough to “Magnolia” that residents would be minimally annoyed by the alteration.
Find it on the map:
