Deidre Mask opens the Introduction by noting that street name changes are a surprisingly hot topic: In some years, over 40% of the local laws passed by New York City Council dealt with street names. Most changes are simply honorary, so that West 84th Street is also known as Edgar Allen Poe Street, but these honorary names carry serious significance, and can lead to critical and contentious debate. In 2007, Brooklyn residents protested the City’s rejection of a proposal to rename a street for Black activist Sonny Carson. The protestors objected to Mayor Bloomberg’s dismissal of Carson as a racist, pointing to streets honoring other flawed men like Thomas Jefferson. Mask uses the anecdote as an example of the emotional aspect of street-naming.

Mask’s research into the significance of street addresses began in West Virginia, where streets in many rural communities lack formal names. Although people within these communities can navigate by familiar landmarks and knowledge of local history, outsiders—including emergency workers—often struggle to find their way. Although many residents are in favor of formal street naming, others are resistant to government intervention: Addressing coordinators working in West Virginia were occasionally met by armed and hostile residents.