London Secret: Nebraska St

Nothing in the world of travel planning pays more than to study maps. While living in London a decade ago, I noticed an enlarged street plan posted in a Tube stop highlighting an area south of the river. A wee lane caught my eye: “Nebraska St.” Whoa. Considering so much of the US has borrowed English nomenclature for its people and places, seeing this Native American export on a London street deserved closer look. So on my last night in London, for fun, I told two American friends living there (one even from Nebraska) to meet me nearby. Nebraska Street being the promised “hit or miss” surprise.

Nebraska Street turned out to be a sad little block, dead-ending on a fenced-off construction site. But naturally there was a fun pub on the corner, where neighboring tables chatted across the room and pet dogs played by your feet. The bartender told me Nebraskans come for a drink every now and then. But why “Nebraska”?

“Oh it was changed to Nebraska not too long ago,” he told me. “I think the previous name was for a guy who turned out to be a child molester.”



About Robert Reid

Robert Reid is a travel writer (Lonely Planet, New York Times, ESPN), travel expert (Today Show, CNN's Headline News), travel videographer (76-Second Travel Show) and travel artist (don't ask).
Tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to London Secret: Nebraska St

  1. Michael A Cavanaugh says:

    I just noticed Nebraska St in A-Z, & looked up this site; interesting explanation however the street sign you show looks rather weathered. So one wonders about “not too long ago.”

  2. Les says:

    My grandmother used to live in a flat opposite the pub. I was last there in about 1968 and it was called Nebraska Street back then – and had been for as long as I can remember it

Leave a Reply