San Angelo’s Unusual Street Names Part III

We wrap up our series on San Angelo street names with one that everyone should be very familiar with. Yes, it's Knickerbocker Road.

When I first moved to San Angelo around 6 years ago, I saw the street sign and all I could think of was New York City. I wondered why a city in Texas,  would choose such a name for one of it's main thoroughfares.

Thanks to Brittany Wollman, at A.S.U.'s Porter Henderson Library, we now have a better understanding of how it all came to be.

It started with a small ranching community situated around 18 miles southwest of San Angelo. It was settled by some folks from New York in the late 1800s, who came here to raise sheep. They decided to name this little piece of heaven, after the New York Knickerbockers, (not the basketball team, by the way). The road that connected this small berg to San Angelo, quickly became known as, (you guessed it), Knickerbocker Road.

Today, some 250 folks now call the community of Knickerbocker, home. They have their own Post Office, with the zip code 76939. You'll also find 2 churches and a community building. If you are looking for a reason to take the short drive to visit these nice folks, here's a good one.

According to, Postal Service Employee, Patty Montalvo, their  37th Annual Knicky Picky Celebration, is scheduled for Saturday, May 14th. Highlights include plenty of good eating at the Bar-B-Que and some great music provided by Case Hardin.

You can make the trip on Knickerbocker Road as you leave San Angelo, however these days it changes to Ranch Road 584, but it will still get you there. Have Fun!