De Butts Terrace residents have changed the proposed new name for their street from Paradise View Way to The Overview. They say the street was named that before it became De Butts Terrace. The residents say they will also build a monument to honor the deButts family.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
Two members of Malibu’s pioneer families have come out in opposition to the proposed name change to De Butts Terrace. Brian Merrick and Dan Webb wrote letters to The Malibu Times this week saying the name change would be an insult to the history of Malibu. The street was named for the local historical deButts family. De Butts Terrace residents have asked the City Council to allow the name change because of the derogatory connotation of the name.
“I am disappointed and dismayed that the City Council would even consider a name change of De Butts Terrace to Paradise View Way,” Merrick wrote. “Certain council members’ complete disregard for the history of Malibu is puzzling.”
Webb wrote, “Instead of being embarrassed of the street you live on, learn more about who these families are and be proud of your history and your town.”
De Butts Terrace residents last week asked the City Council to allow a name change to Paradise View Way. They were unable to get enough votes for approval. But some council members said they could support a name change if the residents could come up with a proposal to honor the deButts family.
The residents will return to the council on Monday with a new proposal for the street name to be changed to The Overview. According to the city staff report, the name was chosen because the residents determined that it was previously used for the road before it became known as De Butts Terrace.
The residents will also offer to erect a monument acknowledging the deButts family that would be built, according to the staff report, in a “conspicuous location.”
The deButts family was the original family to live on the street that bears its name. Marianne and Edward deButts and their daughter, Forrest, lived there for many years without plumbing or natural gas. As an elementary school student in the ’50s, Forrest DeButts wrote a column for The Malibu Times called “Squeaky Mesa.”
Her mother took over the column in the mid-70s after Forrest deButts moved to Alaska. Marianne deButts continued the column until December 1987, dying just hours after she handed in her final entry.
Forrest deButts lives in Soldotna, Alaska with her second husband, Oscar Nelson. When contacted by The Malibu Times this week, she declined to comment about the proposed name change.