What's the story behind your street name?

A City of Regina list recording the stories behind street names reveals some quirky and fascinating history.

How about gophers as test pilots? According to the list, Gibson Court and Gibson Street are named after William Gibson, an early Saskatchewan aviator.

He started off buildingkites, with gophers ashis first test pilots. Then he built his own plane.

On Sept.24, 1910, Gibsonflew about 60 metresbefore crashing into an oak tree.That was the first recorded Canadian built plane that wasflown in Canada by a Canadian pilot.

According to city archivist Dana Turgeon, in some other citiesthe names have nothing to do with the history or the people of the place, but in Regina,city hall is adamant that street names have some sort of Regina connection.

"It helps build a sense of community," she told CBC Saskatchewan's Blue Sky.

Some of the stories behind other Regina street names:

• Forgie Bay. Named for John Forgie who came to Regina in 1909, became a baker and was 'a lawn bowler of note.'
• Francis Street. Named after Emile Francis, a hockey goalie nicknamed 'The Cat' for his agile movements in the net.
• Fulton Drive. Named after Captain Gary Fulton. He was an RCAF pilot who died on May 31,1976. The Tutor jet he was flying apparently ingested a duck causing engine failure. To avoid a residential area, he crash-landed his plane in Columbus ball park.
• Hind street. Named for Henry Youle Hind. He was an English geologist who surveyed the area nearby in 1858. According to the list, "Hind's hope was to divert the waters of the South Saskatchewan River into the Qu'Appelle Valley, making it possible for steamboats to navigate from Fort Garry to the Rockies."

Check out the history behind the street where you live.