High-traffic alley in Front Royal will now carry a name – Maddox Lane

Maddox Funeral Home at the intersection of West Main Street and what will now be known as Maddox Lane. Photos/Roger Bianchini

The diagonal alley between West First and West Main Streets in Front Royal will now carry the name Maddox Lane.  The Town Council approved the naming as part of its Consent Agenda on January 9^th, one week after receiving the request from Sammy Campbell of Maddox Funeral Home.

Campbell appeared for ownership at the January 3^rd work session to forward the request.  He pointed to Maddox’s presence in the community for over a century during which time its staff has helped a large segment of the population deal with loss and grief.

Anyone who drives in Front Royal is familiar with this southbound swerve right at First Street to reach the intersection of West Main Street and Luray Avenue.

Many a Maddox funeral procession over that century has begun lining up next to that alley adjacent to the funeral home.

In starting a wave of Council support, Bébhinn Egger noted that the alley which runs one-way southwest into Luray Avenue at West Main is “really more” than an alley in that it has long served a higher volume of traffic than most alleys do.

“I think it’s a GREAT idea,” Egger concluded.  Her colleagues agreed.

“I’m in favor,” Gene Tewalt said.

“I’m in agreement,” Bill Sealock added, wrapping up the wave of support for the request.

“That was an easy one,” Hollis Tharpe observed of the first agenda item to cross his path as Mayor on January 3^rd.