Northbrook & Glenview History Quiz

Question:

How in the heck did they come up with a street name like Pfingsten?   Was Daffy Duck involved in the naming process?

Answer:

No, no ducks were involved in the naming of this street.   Turns out two relatives, H. Pingston & F. Pingston owned land on the corner of Willow and wait for it...Pfingsten Road back on in the day. 

This image is from an 1886 map.   I guess someone along the way decided to name the street after these residents naming the street Pfingsten rather than their name's actual spelling of Pingston.   I guess that would have been too silly.

On a less silly note - did you know that Pfingsten translates to Pentecost in German?   Maybe the family way way way back chose their last name when German law changed and mandated people have a surname?  Let me know your thoughts on this.  I'm curious to learn more.