BLANCHARD MAN LEGALLY CHANGES LAST NAME AFTER $900 DRIVEWAY GATE ARRIVES MISSPELLED; FAMILY DECLINES TO PARTICIPATE
HOMEOWNER SAYS REORDERING CUSTOM METALWORK WOULD HAVE BEEN “FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE”
By Kyle Anderson, KTNB 27 Reporter
BLANCHARD — A Blanchard man has legally changed his last name after a custom $900 driveway gate arrived with one incorrect letter and he determined altering his identity would be cheaper than replacing the metalwork.
Evan Henderson ordered the decorative gate earlier this year with the family name HENDERSON stretched across the center in welded steel letters.
When the gate arrived, it read HENDERSEN.
Henderson said he initially contacted the manufacturer about having the mistake corrected but reconsidered after looking at the size of the gate, the freight involved and the fact that it had already been installed.
“At some point, you have to stop throwing money at a problem,” he said. “The gate is solid. The spelling is the only thing not cooperating.”
Rather than order a replacement, Henderson filed to change his surname to Hendersen, making the gate legally accurate for the person who paid for it.
His wife and children declined to join him.
According to the family, the original spelling has worked without incident for several generations and did not need to be abandoned because one welder had an uncertain afternoon.
Hendersen said he respects their decision but believes the household is overlooking the larger financial principle.
“I’m not asking everybody to change who they are,” he said. “I’m asking them to recognize that the gate cost nine hundred dollars.”
The decision has created a divided residence. The mailbox still reads HENDERSON. The gate reads HENDERSEN. Utility accounts remain under the original family name, while Hendersen has begun carrying his name-change paperwork in the truck in case anyone questions which side of the entrance belongs to him.
Delivery drivers have reportedly started stopping between the mailbox and the gate to determine whether they have entered the correct property or crossed into a separate administrative district.
Hendersen has also updated his email signature, a monogrammed cooler and the family group chat, which his wife immediately changed back.
He said the next phase will involve replacing several inexpensive labels around the house so they match the gate.
His family has suggested replacing one inexpensive letter on the gate so it matches everything else.
No agreement has been reached.
The gate is now technically correct.
The family is not.
© 2026 KTNB 27 Tri-City News. All Rights Reserved. — KTNB 27 Tri-City News is a satirical news outlet. This story is entirely satire/parody. Names, dialogue and events depicted in this story are invented for comedic purposes. Any resemblance to actual people or events is coincidental. Tuttle • Newcastle • Blanchard.
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