In March 1916, after the City of Los Angeles had annexed “The Palms“, the latter’s streets were given new names by civil engineers to avoid postal conflicts with existing L.A. streets. Thus Palms’s 1st Street became Overland Avenue, 2nd became Keystone, 3rd became Mentone, 4th became Motor, 5th became Vinton, 6th became Jasmine, and 7th became Clarington. There doesn’t seem to have been any rhyme or reason behind these particular choices: it’s a known fact that civil engineers kept “idea files” of words cribbed from publications, maps, etc., to be consulted whenever a street needed a new and unique name. That was probably the case here. “Overland” could thus owe its name to Overland Park, KS, the Willys-Overland Motor Co., or the Union Pacific Railroad’s Overland Route – just three of many possible sources.
Find it on the map:
