History
What’s in a name? When E.I. de Laveaga laid out Orinda Village in the mid-1920s, he gave the streets beautiful Spanish names. Here’s what they mean.
A
Alta Vista — View from the heights
Arbolado — Woodland
Ardilla — Squirrel
Arroyo — Brook
Avenida de Orinda — Orinda Avenue
B
Bien Venida — Welcome
Bonita — Beautiful
Buena Vista — Good View
C
Camino de Encinas — Road of Live Oaks
Camino del Diablo — Devil’s Highway
Camino El Ribero — Road of the Dam
Camino Lenada — Shady Road
Camino Pablo — Paul’s Road
Cañon — Ravine
Cielo — Sky
Cresta Blanca — White Peak
D
Del Valle — Of the Valley
Descanso — Rest
Dias Dorado — Golden Days
Dos Osos — Two Bears
Dos Posos — Two Wells
E
El Caminito — The Little Road
El Campanero — The Bell Ringer
El Dorado — The Gilded
El Gavilan — The Hawk
El Patio — The Courtyard
El Pulgar — The Thumb
El Rincón — The Corner
El Sereno — Place of Calm
El Sueño — The Dream
El Toyonal — The Toyon, or Christmas Berry
L
La Bolsita — The Little Pocket
La Campana — The Bell
La Madronal — The Madrone Tree
La Cintilla — The Ribbon
La Cuesta — The Slope
La Encinial — The Live Oak Grove
La Espiral — The Spiral
La Madronal — The Madrone Tree
La Noria — The Well Draw
La Plaza — The Square
La Puenta — The Bridge
La Punta — The Point
La Senda — The Path
La Vuelta — The Turn
Las Aquilas — The Eagles
Las Aromas — Sweet Smells
Las Cascadas — The Waterfalls
Las Florres — The Flowers
Las Mesas — The High Flat Lands
Las Palomas — The Doves
Las Piedras — The Rocks
Las Vegas — The Fields
Las Venados — The Deer
Linda Vista — Beautiful View
Lomas Cantadas — Singing Hills
Los Arboles — The Trees
Los Conejos — The Rabbits
Los Dedos — The Fingers
Los Parajos — The Birds
M
Madera — Wood
Manzanita — Little Apple
Mariposa — Butterfly
Mira Flores — View of the Flowers
Mira Loma — View of the Hill
Miramonte — Looks at Mountain
Monte Vista — View of the Mountain
V
Vallecito — Little Valley
Via Farallon — Cliff Road
Via Floreada — The Flowered Way
Via Hermosa — Beautiful Road
Vida Descansada — Life of Rest
Have a street name we missed, or a correction to make? Email info@orindahistory.org and we’ll update the list.
