What does "level" mean in a road name?

[Alex Franke]

Here in NC we have "Smith Level Rd.", "Green Level Rd.", plus Oak, Chalk, and other "Level Roads". Up in Virginia I always drive by "Squirrel Level Road" (it's the half-way point between DC and Chapel Hill), and Union and Sandy Level Roads are up there as well. I wouldn't call these roads level (meaning without hills), so I wonder why "Level" keep creeping into road names. Anyone know the answer?

[sparkeyjames]

Probably the name of the guy that paints the signs.

[LCHIEN]

Answering a riddle with a riddle:

Googling around there are several towns with the name Level in it, like
Green Level, NC, Pine Level, NC, Sea level, NC, Frog Level, NC, Oak Level, NC
So, clearly, in the name of the road like Green Level Road, its the main street through the town of Green Level, or it connects the town of Green Level to another town...

So the new riddle, is, what does the "Level" mean in those townships?

possible clues - only was able to find "town of" xxx Level in two other places other than NC. Seems to be a peculiarity of North Carolina towns?.
Red Level, AL
High Level, Alberta

Sea Level NC is on the coast, it may actually refer to the elevation of this city.
Like Sea Level, High Level, Alberta probably refers to the geography.
Maybe the word level refers to a flat, open commons area or square in the city?

[leehljp]

Does it mean that you don't have to have one leg longer than the other to walk on it? Quite common in hill states back east where there is more hollers (hollows) than "level" places.

Writing that funny made me think that it's origins might have something to do with the gradient of the road. Back in horse and buggy days and in early gas engine and clutched/manual transmission days, the word "level" in the road signified something similar to "truck route" or "by pass" today - meaning easy passage for freight carrying vehicles?

Probably wrong on that bit of logic, but it does make sense.

Another "memory" from childhood - "flooded levels" was used to denote flat tracts of land that flooded often. I found that in my dictionary and it jogged that memory. The Mississippi Delta used to flood regularly until the levy was built in the early 1930's. Some old timers would on rare occasionally refer to the lower areas as "levels" when discussing the floods.

[Tom Slick]

they are the opposite of "grade" roads?

anyroad level is at the end of anyroad grade...lol

I haven't seen any roads with "level" in the name here on the west coast.

[smc331]

More important - who on earth named a town "Lizard Lick, North Carolina" - - and why?

[RodKirby]

It's amazing; some of the incredibly informing posts that appear on BT3Central

[cabinetman]

Since we're all just spoutin' off here, from the many definitions derived from the spoken language," level" may be representative of conformity to being equal to others (cities) (roads). Or, being equally advanced in development, or in uniformity. It could have been a term to evoke the feeling of being calm or steady, or being parallel to the horizon.

Or maybe there was some guy named Itbe Level, who was an important dude in the area.
.

[Alex Franke]

More important - who on earth named a town "Lizard Lick, North Carolina" - - and why?

LOL

Well, here's a thought: On dictionary.com, definition #11 is "an extent of land approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities." Levels are also used in surveying. So if back in the day, some guy surveyed a plot of land for a guy named Smith, and that plot of land was "approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities", then maybe he referred to it as "Smith Level". And if later Smith Level became well known and a road went by it, maybe the named it Smith Level Road.

On the other hand, maybe Smith Level became better known for its squirrels, and was so referred to as Squirrel Level. Then Squirrel Level Road came along later.

Heck, maybe it was the same surveyor...

[LCHIEN]

LOL

Well, here's a thought: On dictionary.com, definition #11 is "an extent of land approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities." Levels are also used in surveying. So if back in the day, some guy surveyed a plot of land for a guy named Smith, and that plot of land was "approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities", then maybe he referred to it as "Smith Level". And if later Smith Level became well knows and a read went by it, maybe the named it Smith Level Road.

On the other hand, maybe Smith Level became better known for its squirrels, and was so referred to as Squirrel Level. Then Squirrel Level Road came along later.

Heck, maybe it was the same surveyor...

Seriously, I did look "Level" up in the dictionary up but missed the definition you gave. But I do think you're correct on that.
The towns were named after the level, or block upon which they were built.
Possibly in old NC square blocks of land were parceled out as levels and set aside, some became towns.
The roads then took the name of the towns.

[Alex Franke]

I sent an email to the local historical society, but it bounced back as undeliverable. I suppose I shall have to visit them in person this week. I might also try to email a couple of local history or geography professors here at UNC where I work... I'll make it my goal for the week. (I'm suuure my boss will understand!) We'll see how it pans out.

[gwyneth]

The question should probably not narrowly focus on road names, because there's a good chance the road is named for a destination or place it goes through.

Could "level" be kind of the opposite of "hollow", as in a small mountain settlement?

Even if there doesn't appear to be a settlement there now, it could have existed at one time.

[TheRic]

I'm from the relatively flat land of Ohio so I really don't know. Many road names do come more from what was on the road town, township, people, objects, etc. As someone said earlier the town (or object) may no longer be there.

I think Hanks joke, and Gwyneth are on the right track. The term probably meant the town was built on level land, something rare in the hills and mountains. By adding the term Level you were letting people know there is flat land there. Something probably more desirable back then, then now.

[gwyneth]

By adding the term Level you were letting people know there is flat land there. Something probably more desirable back then, then now.

Place names are usually very old--linguistics scholars do a lot of research on them. In this case, those 'level' names may date from the 18th century.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of geographic name terms that used to be common but now are 'quaint'.

According to the USGN (U.S. Board of Geographic Names) there are more than 70 terms that are or have been applied to lakes in the U.S. That fact was used as an example to show that there is almost no consistency about applying some terms, or defining them--clearly written by a totally frustrated logical-minded scientist, trying to explain that 'lake' was chosen for survey maps as the most commonly understood term, rather than scientific definition.

However, my personal favorite of U.S. geographic names is Fordtranny, Texas.

[MilDoc]

Personally, I like Gun Barrel City, Ding Dong, and Uncertain, all in Texas of course. But, it's hard to compare them to:

Blueballs, PA (somewhere near Intercourse and Climax, PA)
Assawoman, VA
Toad Suck, AK, and
Monkey's Elbow, KY

been in each and every one, once ....