Early land marks and names of old Pittsburgh

itemm^a^asssF

Early J^nd Marks

and Old 3\[ames

in "Pittsburgh

Annie Clark Miller

■1,1

:i!

PITTSBURCiH • PKNNSYIA A N 1 A

Early Jjind S^iarks

and U^ame s of

Old Pittsburgh

Annie Clark Miller

1^

An Address Delivered Before

The Pittsburgh Chapter

Daughters of the American Re\ olution

at Carnegie Institute

November 30

1923

Copyrisht 19;4. hv

PITTSBURGH CHAPTER

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

CJfoXiiTJ HILL

oi I ti-jj:; ^JJLL tm?: bRmsH under

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^EFfEMBEH UkYm.

EtiECtED £3Y THE Pf- * ""'' '-^r

auNE 10. ©«;l :. ^

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Bronze Tablet on Allegheny Colnty Court
House, Pittsburgh

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Early Laiid Marks and Names
of Old Pittsburfrh

THERl^ is a bronze tablet at tbe entrance of
the most iinjiortant public building in l'*itts-
burpli, placed by the Daughters of the American
Revolution to comnuniorate f)ne ot the tragedies of
the contest between the French and the English
for possession ot the fortress at the Forks of the
Ohio River.

Scant recognition is given bv any citizen to the
early history or the early traditions of the city in
which he lives — and most citizens of Pittsburgh would
stop to consider it a stranger asked to be directed to
Grant's Hill.

To be accurate, there is no such place todav.
Some ten years ago we spent several million dollars to
haul Grant's Hill to various dumping spots. But the
hill about a quarter ot a mile from Fort Duquesne,
where on the morning of the 14th of September, 1758,
Major James Grant's band of three hundred Scotch
Highlanders was cut to pieces by the French and
Indians, is the present locationof the AlleghenyCounty
Court House at Grant Street and Fifth Avenue.

An early historian tells us that in 1838, Grant's Hill
was a charming park and a favorite promenade in tine
weather and on Sundav atternoons. when almost the
entire population of the town wended its wav up this
beautiful eminence to display its Hue raiment, and
participate m sports and \arious games.

P .T -; e V

V LJND MJRKS .1X1) \ J M i: s v

Few American cities have more significant names
for streams, islands, streets, hills, and municipal
divisions than Pittsburc;h, but long familiarir\ has
dulled the sense of pride or interest.

INDIAN NAMES

Indian names — difficult to spell and speak — are
part of the earliest recollection of this settlement in
the wilderness.

Ohio, — a fragmentary part of a Delaware word
"Ohiopeekhanne," Hanne, a stream; Peekhanne, the
mainstream; Ohio, descriptive of the water whitened
by the froth. This same word is found in tlie name
Kittanning (Kitt-hanne), a town on the stream.

Monongahela,- — "High banks or bluffs, falling m at
many places." This condition no longer exists and
the meaning of the word is often questioned. I'he
change is due to the banks of the river havmg been
covered \\ ith slag from the steel mills, and the builduig
of the radroad tracks along its shores.

Allegheny.- — corrupted from Allegewi — the name ot
a tribe of gigantic stature who were skilled in the arts
of defensive warfare, of throwing up entrenchments
and erecting fortifications, remains of which are to bi-
found today in various localities especially along tin
Monongahela River. A notable one is at RedstoiU'
Old Fort now Brownsville.

Guyasuta, — a leader of great iiiHueiue among man\
tribes, and a friend of the white man. He was a most
distinguished personage in all the movements here,
from the lime of Washington's first visit until alter

Pane Six

I. .1 \i) MIRKS ./ x n \.fM/:s ■/

the close oftlic Revolution. He h;nl ;i prominent part
in most of the treaties made with the several trihes. He
(lied in the old Darlington Mansion close hy the hanks
of the Allej^henx' River, now known as Giiyasuta
Station, and a larj2;e mound in the midst of a meadow
of the Darlinp;ton Estate marked his prave. But
when the Renns\lvania Radroad Company took pos-
session of the fjround, all that was mortal of the old
Chief was carefully carried hy Dr. Holland to the
Carnegie Institute for safe keeping, until a proper
place he chosen tor his final restinp; place. It is the
hope of Dr. Holland that this Seneca Chieftain may
rest on the hi2;hest point in Hip;hland Park, where a
monument may he erected to the "American Indian."

The well-known Pittshurgh sculptor Giuseppe
Moretti, has in his studio a completed model ot
Giiyasuta mounted on his horse, made a few weeks
before the death of Edward M. Bigelow . Director of
Public Works. Mr. Bigelow who was that rare com-
bination ot dreamer and practical engineer, planned
for Pittsburgh her parks and her first Boulevard. It
is evident he meant to give this Indian Chieftain a
prominent place in one of his plans, but he did not
live to fulfill it.

AUiquippd, — a tamous Indian Queen who lived at
the mouth of the ^Oughiogheny, and who graciously
granted an audience to the handsome voung English
officer. Major George \\ ashington, when he came on a
friendly mission. Aliquippa Street is on the south
side of Herron Hill. The University of Pittsburgh
owns land on both sides of the street — so it may be
said to be on the campus ot the University.

Page Seven

V LAND MJRKS AND NAMES v

Shingiss, — King of the Delawares, lived near the
"Ohiopeekhanna" on the Chartier's Creek, where
\\ ashington and Christopher Gist met him in con-
ferences. He was much feared and rewards were
offered more than once for his scalp. Shingiss Street
runs from Fifth Avenue up the steep hill to Duquesne
University.

Street names of Indian derivation are to he found
in many localities — in new sections of the city as well
as old. It is said, Pennsylvania has discarded fewer
of her Indian names than most other states, and
Pittsburgh has a goodly number: — Catawba, Coman-
che. Dakota, Erie, Hiawatha, Huron, Itaska, Iowa,
Irocjuois, Juanita, Kanawha, Kearsarge, Kenesaw,
Lehigh, Mohawk, Ontario, Ossippee, Penobscot,
Pocusset, Sachem, Scioto, Shamokin, Sioux, Toma-
hawk, Wampun, Wichita, Winnebago, Wyoming,
W\andotte, Beaver, Kilbuck, Cherokee, Chippewa,
Delaware, Miami, .Vlingo, Modac, Oneida, Natchez,
Ottawa, Pawnee. Seneca, Shawnee, Susquehanna,
Tuscarora, Osceola, Pontiac, Tecumsoh.

RKCOLLECTIONS OF OLD SCOUTS

Many of the scouts who first penetrated the wilder-
ness were of Indian blood — some were loyal, some
were treacherous — not many of their names are com-
memorated. The history of the Clutrliers, lather and
son. is a storv of treacherx and tleceit. 1 hey. were
Indian traders. The French pronunciation ot the name
was "Shartia;" the early settlers called it "Shurtee."
it is one of the best commemorated names in the
Pittsburgh district, coming down from the earliest
whites trading in the- region, but it is not a worthy
pioneer name and renews no pleasant memories. 1 he
Chartiers married and lived with the Indians — and

1-. i K h t

/. ,/ A /> M ./ A' A N ./ A' I) A ./ .1/ A N

the' son I'lUT lor Puin) uas more ;m Iiuli.iii rlian .1
1' riiuhiiKin ;iiul iiioii' ;i saxiim-, than cuiIi/ahI. I lu-ii"
inHiuiui.- with rlu- Indian was \ii\- srion^, and at
tiiiK'S PiL-nr stitiUHl to ha\L- mort- control than the-
chu-ts. 1 his naiiu- is presci\c-d m ChartKM's Old town
(iiow I artinuni 1, Chartu IS I ow n. C'haitu-rs Landing,
ChartRMS Cret'k, Chartitrs lownship and Chaitiers
Strt'it, now" spelled Chahuni.

riie C'haitiers Creek empties into the Ohio l\i\er
just aho\e the taiiious Rocks that preser\'e the name
ot 1 homas M(Kit\ an Indian trader w hose ad\ entures
aiui perils would more than hi! a cha|"»ttr. MeKee
serxed as Captain in the I'rench and Indian War and
hudt a h)rt 111 1756, called Fort AIcKee. a horder
outpost on the Susquehanna.

Captain Montour, sometimes called Henr\- and as
often Andrew, a noted character m Pennsvlvania
history — was a French Canadian, supposetl to he the
Sirandson ot I'ronteiiac, the governor of Canada. He
did much to keep peace hetween the earlv settlers and
the trihes ot the Six Nations. Fhe name has heen
well commemorated in Montour Street, Montour
lownship, Montour Heights and Montour Countrx'
Cluh.

Conrad II ii.wr, a scout ami interpreter, was a man
of remarkable integrity — he came from Ciermaiu, and
tor a score ot years this tactful, dependable, honest
man was the champion of the Fnglish amonji; the In-
dians. In a chapter devoted to his skill and success
he IS called the "Ambassador E.xtraordinarv." At the
solicitation of one of the Mohawk Chiefs, he left his
home and went into the Indian countrx' to learn the

1' a K

V L J \ 1) M J R K S A X 1) X A M E S . v

language. He became a master ot tlie Iroquois and
other tribal dialects — he endured hardships and suf-
fered ijreat privations, and this spirit of endurance
endeared him to the Indians. He participated in
almost every important negotiation with the Indians,
and his fidelity to the interests of the colonies was
unswerving. This brave and loyal scout's name was
commemorated in a street name in Allegheny but it
has lately fallen into disuse, the directory recording
the street as Diamond, East. The Indians loyally
cherished his memory for many years and made pil-
grimages to his grave to show their aftectionate
remembrance.

Among the names of brave men commemorated,
none is entitled to a larger share ot reverence than
Christopher Gist — frontiersman, guide, explorer, sur-
veyor and patriot. Gist was not the first white man
about the "Forks of the Ohio," for the wandering
traders were there long before him; but with Wash-
ington he was the first to give a written account of it.
He kept an accurate journal — and it is from journals
like his that most of our early history comes. Ihree
of his journals were published in London. \\ ashing-
ton siveral rimes owed his life to this brave man. The
Penns\ l\ ania Society of the Colonial Daiius in 190S
erected a tablet in the Washington Public School
buildini: on Fortieth Street between Butler and Fenn
Avenues, to perpetuate one of these experiences —
"1 he crossing of the Allegheny River near this spot
in 17v^ on the return of Washington and Gist from
their perilous mission to the C\)mmandant at Fort Le
Hoeiiff." Gist's knowh-dtre of su!\c\ing made him

Pane It n

V LJNDM .1 R K S A N D N A M E S

V

.1 usdiil uiiidt.- ro Hratitlock. and the roiigli road
rlirougli rhi' \\ ildiiness — Braddock's Road — followed
in lar<j;e part the path known to all fjiiides and Indians
as "Gist's 1 rail." His name is coninieniorated to-day
In a modest street in a very modest neighborhood.

A eontemporarv ot CJist's was Captani William
Tmit, one ot the hest known traders in the Indian
country. He accompanied Forhes on his successful
expedition, and his knowledge ol the country was in-
valuable. Ihe very first works of the hands of the
white race were erected west of the mountains, at
(list's Plantation, in 175.i, and the first "industrial

t}r-nii >fj3<i^ rjiy-riii ^jiiiia^'- --^

;t«i-M.*ir jaaJ[t!X'jja,ai»iiti»i'aj m /u'JiiUA imiaimu'i jtuiiiiiu ;

•i.\»*jUlui JituAA iMit/ jiii) A j,iAiii •jv«ij'AiW uiiiiiu «l,^.lHi^•i

•j'iitjaUsjyi'J.t 'JiWj.iiUiio iju A}J,i'-)iMiiJ .

•i'jjiii'i tin AUiiriii vi «.lyj(Au tsauMK

aaj'jiUjj -i'ir ./.u o'jj.ii'iiiHii i'x no uo :

bCCUPATION

•'f>

fNSTANT SUR1
It's CRrEK.f.NS
ANACHARISON.ASIN?
tCADSEOr OVERWHEll
rCr BY THE FRENCH llr**

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;SS:^i5I

AtklCAN REVOLUTK

fc'6VNTY. PENNSYlVANrA i

T.\BLET — The First Milit.a.ry Occup.^tion — Trent.

V L.ISn M .1 K K S .1 \ I) X.IMES

plant" wtst ot rhr niount.nns in lV-nns\ 1\ anu. was ar
the mourh ot the Redstone Creek on the Mononp;ahehi
whtii Captani I rent huilt the "Haniiaiil" or Store
House in 1754, to estahhsh trade with the Indians.
He hcpan the huildniti; ot a tort to protect this trade
ot the Ohio Compaiu and that \s!iieh was niereU" a
business enterprise hecame an e\ent ot historical
importance, when France entered upon the scene with
an armed torce, and droNe the \ irgimans hack over
the moiiiUains. A short street trom \\ \ he lo \\ ehster
Avenue hears the name ot 1 rent, and his name is
inscribed on a tablet m the yard ot the old
Blockhouse.

Simon (tir/y was a scout who w as usetul at times to
the white man, hut manaced to undo that usetulness
b\- a similar service to the Indians. He was the source
ot so much treacherv that a price was set on his head,
but he was hani to apprehend. I lis name which
miijiu have been torgotten tor anv f;ood he did in his
lite, is but an added proof that "the evil that nun tlo
bves atter tluni. the uootl is ott interred with their
bones." 1 he lotz; iioiise, still standing!; in Scheiiley
Park not tar from the music stand, is said by tradition
to ha\e been at one time the home ot Simon (iirty and
to ha\e been built b\ him. Mure is a stream still
known as Girty's Run and an eminence near (libsoma
on the Butler Short Line which is to this day know n as
Girty's Heights. It is trom this hitjh \antai:e sirouiul
that he is reported to ha\e kt-pt watch upon the
Uomus and commas aliki- ot friend ami toe.

1 U (■ I N ,

I. .1 \ I) MIRKS .1 \ I) \.I.\II:S

(iiRTv's Cabin in Schkni.kv I'ark.

Ill an oKl verse wiitteii in 175S hy Dr. \N . W- Denny
is tound a record of his hold w andenn<!;s, and an early
mention of the name S(iiiirrel Hill \\hich was his
tavorite haunt : —

SIMON (iiRr^\ Till-; srorr

"llic patli or trail till latcl\ \(>ii mmlir srt-

In rlu- i)ld woods, nor wick-, ilctp worn ami dirry
()n I'lni Creek, bearinji west to Kiisli-Kiish-Kleu

riu w ar and luintini: beat of Simon (iirty.
And often Cirty came down (lirty's Run

With his bold lion glance and panther rreail
Hand on his knife and cocked his riHe gun

For well he kiu\s a price was (m his head.
He swam the river — it low, he forded

Where woodcocks ripple is the crossing still.
Past the two craves of boys his parrv murdered

.Anil went by Negleys Run to S(|iiirrel Hill."

I h i r r e e n

V

I. .1X1) M ,! R K S ,1 \ /) \ ,1 M /■: S

WHKN THE RIVERS WERE THE HIGHWAYS
Two Islands that played an important part in tiu
piiniitive time when the rivers were the highwa\s,
stdl retain names that hrmp; to memor\- scenes of
those stirrmg days. Bninofs Island, has its nanu-
trom Eelix Hrunot. a foster hrother ot Lata\-
ette. 1 he two Ereiiehmen, Brunot and Lata\"etri.
came to America tojrether. Brunot. who was twent\ -
five years old. served as surp;eon in the Revolutionar\
army, and twrnty years later he came to Pittshur^h.
wlure he practised medicine tor many vears. Dr.
Brunot was Prisideiit of the first Board of Indian
Commissioners, aiul usid his ureat influence tor tlu
reliet ot the Indians. His son Hilary Brunot houuhr
an open square where the Union Station now stands,
and Iniilr his home there m the midst ot a heauntul
garden. 1 he Brunot \ ilia, on tin- Island, w as flu
scene ot much gavetw tor main' French centlenun
who came to America m those days ot acKentuit.-.
tound their way to this hospitahle country seat. In
1S25. Latayette made his visit here, and it was duriiiii
this visit in Pittslnirtih. that the crxstal chaiuKlu i
(atterwards presented to the Daughters ot the Amer-
ican Revolution, and hanging now in the C'arnegK
.Miiseiim) was horrowctl from [udge McCandless's
home, to ornament the hare room in the old National
Ilottl, where the distinguished guest spent the night.

I lu- Biuiiot honu- and the National Hotel were lonu
ago destroyed, hut the tine oKl mansion at Bratldocks
I'leld (now the town ot Bradilock) where a reception
and han(]ii(t wiic gi\cn to the city's guest, still
stands and is in |iertect condition. 1 his was tin

!■ 1) II r I I I II

V L .1 .\ I) M .1 R A N ./ A /) A ./ M E N '7

home of Hon. (Jeorgc Wallace, the Hist I'lesulent
Judge of the Courts of Allegheny County. It passed
from the Wallace family into the possession of (Jeorge
Bell, a distiiiLniished Pittshurgher, and the father of
Mrs. Allan Kirkpatrick, who still lives in the house
with lur great grandchildren. I'he house is in perlect

CiRcri.AR Stairway in Jidck \\'ai.i.aci:"s Holse
AT Braddock's Fikli).

condition and is suhstantiallv the same as when huilt
in 1S()4. I he woodwork is mortised and pinioned.
There is a heauritul olcl circular stairway, and a small
round cavity in the top ot the newel post marks the
place where lor years was imhedded a hrass hutton
from Lafavette's coat.

P a u e Fifteen

/..l\/> M .! k k S / \ /) \ J M /: s

A hrop./.f tahkr ^\ as placed on tlic Iidusc- in 1917. hv
the borouiih of Braddock. Ihe tablet reads "In this
house, (leneial. the MaKjuis de la tavette the dis-
tinguished Frenchman who assisted the colonies in
securing their independence, was entertained for one
niiiht. Ma\' 2X, 1S25, h\ Judjie (leorsie \\ allace. whose
hoiiu- ir rlu-ii was."

A't'vi/lt' Island, tor (leiural John Neville, a man of
notahle career m war and peace. He was a delegate
to the coii\enrion which ratihed the Federal Consti-
rurlon and appointed h\ President Washington. In-
sinctoi of Revenue during the \Vhisk\' Insurrecnon.
During this dark period of PennsyKania's history,
his home, the scene of gracious hospitality, was

i.N

11 III I

(II M K \l N I \ II M "s lluMI -W \ I 1 K \M> ll KKV S IK I 1 IS.

I \ ; i I II

/. / \ I) M .1 R K S .1 A I) A ./ .1/ i:s

V

(Icstiox f(.l. 1 Ik- ii.iiiKs Hiimor ;iiul \(.\ ilU .irc- hotli
foiiiul on the tablet erected in 1915 h\ rlu- Piftslnii^h
CMiiiptc r ot rile Daii^liters oftlie Aniencan Revoliirion,
on rlu- wall 111 Oliver .\\eiiue, herwieii the Hist I'les-
h\ teiiaii and I niiity P.piseopal C'liiirclu-s. I Ins rahKr

Olivkr Avknl k Tablet.

bears a Roll of Honor of Officers of rhe Colonial Period
and the American Revolution, many of whose jjraves
remain in the church yard; and records the site ol the
grant of land, given bv the grandsons of William Pmn
in 1787. for a house ot religious worship.

b I. \- (. II t u c n

/. . / A /) M .1 R A N . / A' I) S .1 M E N

liii; Oi.D Roi M) C'liLKCH^ First Ki'iscutai. Chirch — 1806.

On this iirouiul w :is huilr rlu- Hist riinif\- P.piscopul
Clnirch. orfiani/cd and chartcricl in 1SI)5. It was
known as the "Old Round Church." heinp; built in
o\ al torni to coiitoini to the thitc coi lu-icd lot foinic-d
bv what is now Sixth, WOod anil Libntx' streets.

1' a g I- i', I g li t I- c II

L.I SI) M .1 l< K S .1X1) .\.i.]ii:s

,..„^ .._. ; ..n:.hivV

-i^i-

^4^^

I'hk Mketing Holse of the German Evangelical Church
ON THE Penn's Land, Bounded by Smithfield Street,

MiLTENBERGER AND STRAWBERRY AlLEYS.

Nineteen

V

L .1 X I) M ./ R K S .1 X J) X ,1 M I- S

Hi: "Oil) l.dc; Cm kch. " th k First Frh.sbvtkki an Ciu ki h
Hi III OS nil I'l NN Grant of Land in 17S7.

.1 n (■ 1 \\ «. n t y

V

I. .1 \ I) M .1 k K S ,1 S I) S.IMliS

IN MEMORY OF

HENRY HETH

OF WINCHESTER VA-

• Ca'^tain or A Virginia INDEp^NDE^T comran'^ ro::

SERVICE AT FOPT PiTT .AND ON TM? FRONTIER FRO"
OCTOBER 1777 TO JANUARY 1782. V^05E. ESTATE

COVERED 400 Acres of land between ti^is point
AND East Libert-' called Heth " Delight
"£. This TAr/..rT dedicatfd -y tmf. r> ^'

i-. . - P1TTSBUP.GH ChAPTFR n/.R-

1 he sriL-iini known as llc'tl>.\< Run whose deep ravine
IS a houndaiy ot Hijihland Park, calls to nienioix' the
service ot Captain Henry Heth, who conimanded an
independent company in the Revolutionarv \\ ar for
the protection ot Fort Pitt. His name is commemo-
rated by the Damihters in the tablet on the hridfje
cros.sinp; Heth's Run at the Butler Street entrance to
Highland Park.

THE NA.MK KORBKS.

(icneral Forbrs could haw honored, or had himself
honored, hy givinj; to this city the name Forht-shur<;h.
I he whole British nation would have applauded such
an act. But he chose to honor one of the world's
greatest men. I he name ot one ot the si.x mam east and
west thorousihtares is Pittshurch's memorial to (uneral

P a " c 1 \\ c n r \ - () n

V L .1 A /) .1/ ./ R K S J X 1) \ J M E S v

Forbts. OiU' ot oui" lai'msr public scbools bears bis
name — and rbc rabkr ar rbc old l^lock House, erected
bv rlu- Dauiibters in 1915, coninu-niorarinL:; tbe
Britisb occupation of Fort Duquesne, is a tribute to
his brilliant leadership. "Forbes Field," at the Forbes
Street entrance of Schenley Park, is ackno\\ledp;ed to
be one ot the most beautiful athletic helds in this
country.

i/^MAND OF Tt
TURED FOR'
AND IN HONOR OF THE OFFICERS WHO
IN COMMAND AT FORT ]

' . COIONEI HUGH MEHCtR l?S8-l75e , . CrNERAL IA.1

; GENERAL JOHN STANWIX ITSe-lTBO,, ' CENERAl 1

I * BRIGADIER CtNERAl ROBERT MONCKTON 1760 COIOTJEL JOHN

CAPTAIN SIMON ECUYER 1763 COIONEL STEl

,■' COIONEI HENRY BOUQUET 17e« COIONEI DANUIB

CAPTAIN WIILIAM MURRAY 170S-170e CENERAl WIHIA

,. COLONEL JOHN REED 1768 • CAPTAIN

MAJOR CHARLES EDMONDSTON 1770-1772 MAJOR JOSEPl

" COLONEL JOHN NEVILLE 177S'1776-1777 LIEUTENANT

CAPTAIN JOHV ARMSTRONG 1786

crNERAL LACHUWMgngrosfl 1777-1778

CENERAL fB3rtMpflffB»177T-1778
COLONEL J0fnrCreS6Nl778-177t»M78r ,,
COLONEL STEPHEN BAYARD 1781-1783 "^S
COLONEL DANIEL BRODHEADI77P1780178I1782]
CENERAL WILLIAM IRVINt 17811782-n83
CAPTAIN JOHN PINLIY 1783
MAJOR JOSEPH MARBURY 1783-1T84 V*'A
LIEUTENANT DAVID LUCRET 1785 /f- ' '

THIS TABLET PLACED BT

THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

OT AILECHENT COUN-f Y. PENNSYLVANIA.

NOVEMBER 25'!' 1915. ,

U I 11 I \

V LA X I) M .1 R A N .1 \ I) \ .1 M I: S

I'll rsiUKcii IN 1 ■"90.

The strcL-r names Liberty. Union, Congress, hedei-
al, Peiin and Welister are reminiscent ot tin- patriotic
spirit of the early times. At a later period battles ot
the Civil War gave us Antietam, Gett\ sbiirp;, Nat-
chez, Fair Oaks, Atlanta. Richmond and IVrersbur^.

In the old General Robinson plan ot lots in Alle-
gheny, the battles of the Mexican War furnished the
street names of Palo Alto, Monterey, Resaca, Palma.
Buena \ ista. and \'era Cruz.

CHANGES

In all these years many changes have been made in
names — and some street names have been lost entirely.
The more convenient numbering ot streets changed to
Third the street originally named tor Major Joseph
Morbury: Sixth, originally for General .Arthur .S7.
Clair: Seventh, named for Colonel lohn Ir:r!>i: Kighth.

I- n r \ - 1 li r i e

V LAND M . / A^ A' N J X D A' J M E S V

tor John Hancock; Ninth, tor Cicncral Kdw.iid J/niui,
lenth. toi- Cicneral Anthony JVayne; fwelfth, for
General James (/Ilarci: l\venty-ninth, for George
C/y»!cr. Most ot these officers of the Colonial Period
and ot the American Revolution, deserve greater
tnhiirc- than can he given hv modi sr talilets.

No change can ever lose us the heritage ot the
nanie // ashington. The story of the experiences of
rh(-- young English surveyor is the storv of the hegin-
nmgs ot this village at the "Forks of the Ohio."
Mt.* Washington (or Washington Heights) and old
W ashuigton Street hear his name, as well as a popular
park on Herron's Hill, and one of the best known of
our public schools in old LawrenceviUe. A splendid
bust ot W ashington has been placed m this school by
rhc Gaiiu-gie Institute, and this with the Colonial
Dames' tablet m memory ot W ashington and Christo-
pher Gist, recalls daily to these American children the
tact that much ot the earliest histor\ ot their countrx ,
and ot the tirst great leader ot their countr\ . is but a
record ot events which took place here on the ground
boumled by the three rivers.

SlRKKf NAMK MKMORIAI.S

A long ;ind interesting list ot street names bears
tribute to men who tought the Hrst battles m this
countr\ . and to those who assisted in the iail\ dc\el-
opment of the cit\- :

liidddock Avenue or Roatl tor rlu- Geiu-ial whose
army hewed the road tor the tirst e\|iediri()ii rhroiiiih
the wildiiness.

1* ;i K I- I \\ I n t \ - I' () u I

y

/. ./ A n M ./ A' A ,s ./ A 1) A ./ M E S

Holkelt Street tor Sir Peter Halkett, a Scotchman of
Braddock's army. Both he and his son fell at
Braddock's held.

Boquet tor the Swiss Colonel, Henry Boquet. who
with Forbes laid the new route through Pennsylva-

T w

-F

V I. .1 \ /) M J R K S J N D \ J M E S v

ma. rhe stunip ot tht- old oak tree near the corner
ot Linden and Penn Avenues still marks the trail,
and a tablet erected there by the Society of the
Colonial Dames tells the story.

Stanwix, (which name was suggested by the
Daughters of the Revolution as a proper name to be
commemorated when duplicate street names were
being eliminated) for General John Stanwix. \\ ho
succeeded Cieneral Forbes. He constructed the new
fortification on the site of Fort Duquesne and died
soon after his work at Fort Pitt — a tragic death by
shijiwreck m the Irish Sea.

Granty for the same impulsive officer for whom
Grant's Hill is named.

St. Pierrt\ for the Commander of Fort Le HoeufF.

Dinzcidd'u\ for the Scotch Governor of \ irginia.

J itmonz'ille, for the Captain who fell at Great
Meadows.

Ligonirr, for the Commander-in-Chief of His
Majesty's armies.

Chathtim, for William Pitt, Farl of Chatham. In
the Carnegie Institute hangs the portrait of the Farl
of Chatham, a gift of the Daughters of the Revolu-
tion, in 1895, to the City of Pittsburgh.

Fayette, for America's early friend in France.

Two famous hostages whose names are still com-
UKinorared in names of streets are Captain Robert
Siobo, the engineer who designed Fort Necessity, and
ran Bram, the blundering Dutchman, whose stupid
work as interpreter caused Washington great distress.

Pane 1 \\ I- n t >■ - S i x

/, ./ \ n M I k K s .1 A I) A ./ M /: s V

Stoho ;iiul \ an Hraiu loiiu IkIcI as prisoners at Fort
DiKiiKsnc-, well- carnitl to (Juebec, where they were
held tor several years. Stoho's ohser\ation and care-
ful notes were later the source of valuahle information
to WOlfe. The place of ajiproach and landinc; is said
to have been pointed out to Wolte by him. The
proper name for South Diamond Street is Stobo but
the name is rarely used.

Snuil!)iuin Street, for Captain (or Major) Thomas
Smallman, a trader amonp; the Indians and one of the
garrison of Fort Pitt. His name is inscribed on the
D. A. R. tablet in Oliver Avenue, erected in 1915.

St. Clair Street, (the name ongmallx' applied to the
bridge as well as the street now called Federal), was
named for Major General Arthur St. Clair, who in the
historic Hannastown Convention inspired the first
public declaration against Great Britain. He drilled
the young men of this section and led them to the
front in the beginning of the Revolution. He is bur-
ied in Greensburg and the burial ground is known as
the St. Clair Cemetery. A modest street in East
Liberty now bears his name and also a neighboring
township.

Anderson Street, for Major William Anderson,
a Revolutionary officer whose name is inscribed on
the D. A. R. tablet in Oliver Avenue.

Steuben Street, for Baron von Steuben, the brave
German soldier who joined Washington at A'allev
Forge, and in whose honor the citv of Washington
unveiled a statue a few years aco.

Face T w e n t \- - S e \- e n

V

L.IXI) M .} R K S .1X1) \.IMi:s

V

Cr^iii! Street, tor .Major Isaac Crai<i, who as Quar-
termaster directed the hmUlinji; ot tlie new defense
known as Fort Fa\ette. in 1791. As Captain of
Marines, Major Craig was present at the crossing of
the Delaware, the capture of tlie Hessians at i renton,
and at the Battle of Princeton. His name is inscrihed
on the Oliver Avenue tahlet.

LsAAC Craic/s Rk.sidknck. 1785.

//c/^/J Street, tor tlie (leiui al who pur an end to rhe
famous (lun Powiitr Plot, ami whose last ofHcial act
was the trial ot the leaders consinnng to hlow up 1-ort
Pitt.

f'ickroy Street, toi' 1 homas \ ickroy rhi' tngiiieer
who hiid out the town ot PirrslMirgh in 1 7S4.

11 ood Street, tor CJeorge \\ oods the surveyor, w hose
plan of lots was made in 17Sltorthe Penn proprietors.

1' .1 z I I w I n I

V LAND MARKS .1 A I) \ ,1 M I: S v

Smiihtifld Strcrr. toi- Diniiclix Snurh. ;i cksotcd
adherent of John I'cnn iinil ;i pionctr Indian nader.
It was on^uialK' tallfd "Sinirhs Field Street."

Bittler Street, for the famous Butler family. Gen-
eral Richard, Mrs. Butler and the whole Hf^hting
tanuK' were much ni x\u- public e\e and inihlic tavor.
General liutler was an Indian trader and Indian
agent before becoming a soldier. .A local historian
gives a vivitl picture of the kind ot mother Mrs.
Butler was. "On the occasion of Mrs. Butler's bid-
ding farewell to her son, who was a Captain of the
Pittsburgh Blues, she stood facing the whole company
and said, so that all the men might hear her: ".My
son. remember you are a Butler. Keep that name
e\er in honor. Farewell! Ciod Bless you." This
name is also commemorated in the Butler County
and Butler Town, and the names of the General and
three sons are inscribed on the Oliver A\enue tablet.

Bayard Street, for Stephen Ba\ anl who was Cap-
tain of a Philadelphia Company in the Revolutionary
Army — known from its aristocratic origin as the
"silk stocking companv." After being a resident of
Pittsburgh for many years, he founded a boatbuilding
town on the Monongahela which he named Elizabeth,
for his wife. (Inscribed on Oliver Avenue tablet.)

Tannehill Street, for General Adamson lannehill,
one of the Hrst Chief Burgesses elected after the in-
corporation of the Borough of Pittsburgh. (Inscribed
on Oliver Avenue lablet.)

Ross Street, named for United States Senator
James Ross, the first enrolled member of the Pitts-

I w c n r \ - N

V L.IXI) M .1 R K S .1X1) \ ,1 M /■ S

burgh l)ar aiul lonp; toremost in its practice. I he
site of the present Court House was Senator Ross's
apple orchard. His country seat is still known as
Ross's Farm, near the C'it\- filtration plant at Aspin-
wall. The homestead is popularly called to-ila\'
Sandei's Road House.

James Ross's only daughter married George Aspm-
wall, ship owner in the Aspinwall Lines from New ^ ork
to Liverpool. After her husband's death she returneil
to Pittsburgh, built a house of a peculiarly quaint
shape in a secluded woodland (part of her father's
estate) where she lived as a recluse the remainder ot
her life. Ibis secluded woodland afterwards was
known as "Luna Park." Todav it is the center ot
the automobile industry, and every moment ot the
day. swift motorcars on the Bigelow Boulevard speed
by this once peaceful spot.

Bedford A\euuL\ for Dr. Nathaniel Bedford, surgeon
for the garrison of Forr Pitt, in whose memor\" the
Daughters ot the American Revolution ha\e placed
the tablet m 1 rinity church \ard.

K irkpatrick Street, tor .Major Abraham Kirkpanick,
who was (.'ommissioiur (leiieral ot the \\ estiin Ainiy
during the Whisky Insurrection. An early tra\eler
(not accustomed to such hills and ravines) writes,
"the Kirkpatiick tainihouse ami jiain on (.'oal hill
seem to luiiii^ imnuiliareK o\cr the town."

1 he street name Brt'ckt'nrid\i^i' is probably a coi iu|"i-
tion ot /h-'i(kr)irid<ii\ tor Hugh H. Brackenridge, a

r .1 ;; I- 1 h 1 I I

/, ./ \ h M.I A' AN ./ A /) A ./ .1/ A N

y.

IVW\'

. a i'CllV IHVV

nuuivv ciiiiivciuirb:

••Wii: tiVtiVlC B.UvD 01= U.vSCUS L4UCUV

jii'r-'fr'i-nrtmm^mMkm^

1' a i; (J I li i r t \ - (J n

^ LJXI) M ./ R K S J \ J) A" .7.1/ AN V

lawyer ot icputf and a niciiibcr ot the committee, in
1786, who presented the Hist petition pra\"ing for the
creation ot a new county (.Allegheny) with the seat of
justice H.xed at Pittsburgh. He was elected judge of
the Supreme Court of the State in 1816. Ihis name
IS also commemorated in Brackenndge Borough.

Ollara Street and lownship, tor Colonel James
O'Hara, Quartermaster General in the Revolutionary
.Army. He was one ot the largest land owners and
originator ot the hrst glass manutactory winch he and
Isaac Craig operated.

l)c-nn\ Street, tor Lhenezer Denn\, the first Mayor
ot Pittslnirgh. He was Captain ot an Allegheny
Company of State Iroopers, Adjutant to (lenerai
Harmer and .Aide to Cieneral St. Clair. (Inscribed
on ( )li\er A\eiuie tablet, i

Darragh Street, tor John Darragh, the second
Mayor of Pittsburgh, 1S17-1825.

Murray .A\-emie. tor .Magnus .M. .Murra\, the
tourrh MaNorot Pirtsbuigh.

hieglex Axeiiue has its name trom the jMoiU'ir tam-
il\' of that name, who at one rime ow lud m<>st ot what
IS now Kast Libert\ . 1 In- name w as originally
spelletl Nag(.di or N'aegli, and nuaiis "a little nail or
spikelet," and is the name ot a wiKl |-iiiik blossom on
the Swiss hillsides. Jacob Negle\- w;is an advocate
ot tuininke construction ami lu- succeeded in arousing
interest m a ccuitinuatKni ot the Pittsbui gh-( iieeiis-
Inirg lurnpike through to llarrisburg. 1 his intei-
prise did much to open up the western counties and
ser\ ed until the Coiustoga wasions i:,a\e ua\ to canal

I' ..

LIS I) M .1 R K S .1 \ I) S.IMI.S 7

hoars in 1S27. 'llie Ncf!;lc-\- I'lstarc at rlit- jiiiKtion of
the- Pitrslniitih — Greenslmiti liiininki- and rlu- branks-
ro\Mi Road was known as "Negleystown." l his
estate was hiter surveyetl and chvided into ei^ht ecjual
shares for the heirs, h\ the hind sur\(.\ or ot the
coiintw lames llihuuh A road tor eoninion use,
tlirough the main part of the property, was h\- cour-
tesy called Hihmd Road — now lliland Avenue.

judge Mellon used to tell the story of his Hrst visit
to East Lihcrtx, when he was nine years old. 1 he
most wonderful sight was Negley's Steam Flour
Mill — the only steam flour mill west of the Allegheny
Mountains. It stood near the present corner ot Penn
and Collins .Avenues. Another wonder was the lar-
gest meadow he had ever seen — an uninterrupted
surface of green grass, ahout one hundred acres —
bounded bv w hat is now Penn Avenue, Negley Avenue,
Collins .Avenue and Stanton .Avenue.

In this neighborhood the names Roup, Bcniin, and
Mc'llon recall t\^e districts known in early days as
Baum's Grove and Winehiddle's Woods — the scenes
i^i well remembered camp meetings. These names
represent the ramifications ot a vigorous and well-
developed "tamdy tree."

LariDit-r .A\enue was oiiguiallx' Larmier Lane, the
entrance from Frankstown Road to General W dham
Larmier's estate.

H'oolslayer Street and W'oolslayer School in the old
Bloomrteld district both take the name of the pioneer
\\ dham \\ oolsLi\ ir.

1' a u L- l' h i r t \ - 1 h r

V /. J X I) M ,1 R A N ./ A 1) X ./ .1/ /•: N

U iiit-biddlc' A\'cnue. h;is its ikiiul- trom L"(inr.n.l
Winebidcllc whose dwelling house w ;is on the hanks ot
the Allegheny River hetween the mouth of the 1 wo
Mile Run and the present Arsenal grounds. A com-
mon sight from the W inehiddle house was a fleet of
canoes filled with Indians going and coming trom the
town below them.

Stockton Avenue, was named tor Reverend Joseph
Stockton, an earl\ Princiiia! of the Pittshurgli Acad-
emy founded in I7S7, now the University of Pitts-
burgh. He organized the First Presbyterian Church
m Alleghemtow n. Stockton Avenue was known as
the Second Hank to distinguish it from Hank Lane
which ran along the River.

Robinson Street, often called (leneial Robinson
Street, named tor Cjeiuial William Robinson, tin-
first white child born in old Alleghen\-. He was a
lawyer, and the Hrst Mavor of the town. He was \ery
prosperous and lived in a mansion that was notetl tor
its gorgeous flower garden extending down to the
river bank. His house stood near the present site ot
Bcckert's Seed Store and the estate was known as
Buena Vista.

Lacock Street, tor Cieiural Abner Lacock, latir a
nuniber ot Congress.

I hire is an interesting list of street names calleil
tor iiufms of their da\ : Forward, Dallas, Wilkins,
Addison (the Hist judge ot Alleghem C'ount\ i. Rob-
erts, Hampton, Shaler, Lowrie. McCaiulless. .McClure,
Mellon, .Magee, Sterett, C^)llier, Bailey, and Slagle.
Four tow iiships also inar tlu' names ot judges: Patton,
Stow(.\ Ktniud\ and li.i/ei".

I' a l; c I li 1 1 t }• - !• (I II 1

V L ./ .\ I) M .1 R K S .1 \ /) N J M I- S V

Fiflli A\ciuK\ has had a xariftx' ot nanu-s; origi-
nally it was calk-d Bracidock's Field Road. In 1S()7
when the Pittshurgh and (jreenshiiiK lunipike road
was built, the part between (ilrant Street and Point
Breeze was called the Fourth Street Road. The
corporate name, however, was the "Farmers and
Mechanics lurnpike Road." Soon atter a cit\- or-
dinance gave the road west ot Soho the name Penn-
sylvania Avenue; while the city end ot the street was
changed from Fourth Street to Fifth Street. After
the enlargement of the city in 1867 the present name
Fifth Avenue was given to the entire street from
Liberty Street to Point Breeze.

The street known to-dav as Oliver Axenue was

long known as I'irgin .-llley originally "Alley ot

the \'irgin." so named by the French during the occu-
pation of Fort Ducjuesne. In Southern Europe, in
Roman Catholic countries, the street or avenue which
leads to a cemetery is generallv called "L'Allec de la
Vierge." Ihe soldiers who died at Fort Duquesne
were buried in the Indian graveyard, where there was
a mound, on the site of the present First Presbyterian
and Trinitv Episcopal churches, and the road from
the fort through the woods, to this old burial place was
called by the Frenchmen "L'Allee de la \ ierge," or the
Way of the \ irgin.

Not the least interesting of the grave-stones still
standing is this historic burial place (where the bodies
of savages, civilized French, English, Americans,
Canadians, Indian traders, soldiers, judges, crumble
into a common dust) is one bearing this inscription:

Moi-Qua-Coo-Xa-Caw or Red Pole

Principal village chief ot the Shawnee Nation.

Died at Pittsburgh, the 2Xth of January. 1797.

"Lamented b\ the United States."

age 1 ii i r r \- - F

/. . / A I) M J R A N J A' D X J M E S V

t BR

V

l..l.\l) M.IRKS ,! \ J) .\./.\/J:s

"THK KORrRKSSOF PI I' rSIRHUJH."

l*irrslnirtilu IS ;irc- firciir tra\rleis, ;incl w lu-ii on a
jouriKV have lictii known to go miles out of their way
to iilentitV the site of an old fortress or chateau. \\ ho
stops to eoiisuler tliat the I'Ortress ot Pittshurgh has
been lour times tortihed?

1. Fort Duqitesne by the French, 1754.

2. Fort Pitt hy the British, 1759 (Block House
Redoubt, 1764).

3. F'ort La Fayette (.1793) by the American Federal
Government. The site of this fortification is marked
by the tablet erected by The Women's Historical
Society of Pennsylvania, on the wall of the Western
National Bank at Penn Avenue and Ninth Street.

Page T h i r t >- - S e V L- n

/. . / A /) .1/ . / A' A N J N D N J M E S

V

4. A cordon ot redoubts and riHc pits constructed
by tin- citizens workinji; in conjunction with the
l-cdcial autlionties, against the Confederates in 1863.

E BLOCK HOU;
OF FORT PITT;

A REDOUBT" 'BUILT BY .=

COLONEL HENkY BOUi .

OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN 1784:
PURCHASED WITH THE SITE 6t FORT PIT'

GENERAL JAMES O'HARJ^

^'l^i>..;<l-.-- SEPTEMBER 4^1805, "^

NHEklTED THROUGH HER MOTHEft'l

ARY O'HARA CROGHAN

^^- ;.BY HIS GRANDDAUGHTER --'^.•'^"

., 'Elizabeth scHEi^l

And by her presented to •
THE DAUGHTERS OF Tl.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION

or ALLEGHENY COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA
JUNE 10- 1892 m

One of the most notable of the chain of redoubts
was Fort \Iechanic on the top of Coal Hill — opposite
the present business part of the city. I lie fort was
budt by the miners of the Pittsburgh Coal Company;
Until twenty years ago, the embrasures were plainly
\isible. and the rifles jiit still scarred the hillsides.

Page 1 li i r t y - K i n h t

^: L.isi) M .1 k K s ./ \ n .\./Mi:s v

I lu- huiKlinp; ot the Castle Slianiioii Iiuliiie. and the
siradiiig and paving ot streets h)ll()\\inu, olditerated
the zigzaf^ trenches.

These fortifications except Fort Pitt were thrown
up under stress ot enierjiency — tlie reth)uhts in the
\\ ai' ot Secession heinij huilt with tex'erish haste.

WHO IS AUTHORITY.?

I his city has indeed a rich inheritance hut with the
utmost indifference and with no word of remonstrance,
many changes are made and old associations oblit-
erated. We do not even do our own spelling;. The
Street Railways Company paints new street routes
on its cars and a familiar name vanishes. With one
sweep of the brush, Hiland becomes Highland, which
has ahsolutelv no signiHcance.

The Telephone Company recently dropped the
second E in the name of one of its exchanges, and in a
few years the excuse of a letter's space may cause the
mutilation of the good old English name Schenlev,
that represents so much of beauty in Pittsburgh.

City Council orders new street markers for a street
whose old fashioned name is a neighborhood treasure.
Lane is not appropriate for a city thoroughfare in its
opinion — and so over night, old residenters of Shady
Lane found themselves living on Shady Avenue.

The pathos of these changes is told in a charming
way by one of our Younger Poets — ^Hervey Allen, a
grandson of the late Colonel Edward Jay Allen, a
noted Pittsburgher.

Page T li i r t >• - X i n e

V /. . / A n M .1 R A N . / A' /) A' . / M E S

WHIN SHADY ANiixn-: was shady laxe

'When Shady Avenue was Shady Lane,

Before the ciry fathers changed the name.
And cows stood switching flies beneath the trees,

And old-time gardens hummed with dusty bees,
And white ducks paddled in the summer rain;

Tlien everybody drove to cluircli.
And Sliady Avenue was Shady Lane.

We liveil on Arabella Street, that too
Is changed — Kentucky Avenue —

And where the rolluare stoi)d beside the spring.
The phlox and hollyhocks

Once flourished by the box
Where the gatekeeper sat with key and ring.

A wiser looking man there never was.
In contemplative mood he smoked and spat,

There by the gate he sat.
In an old dt)g-eared hat

And listened to the vellow iackets buzz.

All tiiis is gone —

Gone glimmering down the ways
Of old, loved things of our lost yesterdays,

After the little tollgafe by the spring.
And the gatekeeper odd

Rests in the quiet sod,
Safe in the arms of God

Where thrushes sing.
Even the spring has gone, tor long ago

They walled that in.
And its dark waters flow

A sunless way along;
And no one stops to wonder where they go,

For no one hears tiieir song.

Only a few old hearts

Of tiuse much changed parts,
W hose time will soon run out on all the clocks,

Catching the scent of clover,
Live all the old days over

When Shady Avenue was Shatly I-ane."

Page Forty

I. I \ I) MIRKS .1X1) SIM lis 7

CRKAI Kk IM'ITSBURCJH

( irc;ir(.i' Pirrsl>iii<ili is rlic comjiosirf ot souk- ru i-nry-
tive or rliiir\' tonmi' xillagts. horoutihs, and imini-
cipal divisions, whose- scparati- uUnnrics oi"m;inally
had sonu- historic or trachrional inrt.'rt.'sr. lint the
desire tor higness pride m mere hnlk, ohhrerates the
charm ot antupntx, prule ol distinction, and even
possdiihties ot practical \ ahie.

I he CitN' ot London is an example ot a city made up
of manv ongmalh separate municipalities; hut true
to liritish nature, not a name is ohiiterated, not a
tradition lost.

London, "I he City," so-called hotli tormall\ and
popularK, is a small area, six hundred and seventy-
three acres from the heart of the metropolis, consti-
tutini; oiu- ot the smallest ot t\\ ent\-nine municipal
divisions which make up the administrative County
of London. I hi- tw ent\-eifi;ht remaining; divisions
are the metropolitan horou<»;hs; the County ot London
thus defined has an area of 74,S.i9 acres. I he origin
of manv tamiliar London names is almost trivial; hut
not one is changed, not one torgotten : — Clwapside,
was in earlier times "the chepe" — Old English tor
bargain, ;in open m;irket. donilii/l wds a corn market;
Smithtii'ld was tor \ears the "smooth Held," where
was held the cattle ;iiul h;iy market; Mayfair, trom a
fair held in M;i\ ;is e;irlv as the reign of Charles II.
CoieHt Garden, took its name trom an old convent
garden; Piccadilly, was named from "pickadil", a stifF
collar in vogue in the beginning of the 17th Century;
Fall Mall, called tor a game resembling cro(]uet.

t V - () n e

L.l.Xl) M .1 R K S .1X1) .\\IMJ:s

plavcd tlurinu the time of Charles I. Spring Garden
St. James's Park — where in the rime of James I, there
was a fountain or sprnig which sprmkled those who
trod iinwariK' on a concealed valve which released
the water.

A London address is read with interest by a Pitts-
burgher; the names are replete with interest in sug-
gestion:

Curzon Street, Mayfair. London, England;

^'ork Terrace, Regents Park, London, England;

Grosvenor Square, Westminster, London. Y.uii-
land; and a little thought convinces one of the trenun-
doiis help this kind of address must be from ;i utili-
t;iri;in point of \ie\\. The retention of these names of
old municipal divisions must serve :i great purpose m
the mail and express deliveries and tr;iflic ilirections.
Without such distincti\e divisions, London tci the
stranger would he a \erir;ihle m;ize.

TALES OF OLD-II.MK TOWNS

A|ipl\ this an;ilog\' to our own city. Let us
enunu i;ite some of our boroughs ;iiul almost forgotten
vilhiges that ;ire now an inregr;il p;nr of Cireater
Pittsburgh ;ind determiiU' wh;ir old traditions and
commuinrx iiuerests we ;ire discarding it w c connnue
to insist on the title "(ire;iter Pittsburgh," ;ind use
only the terms of North Side, South Side, East and
W isr ImuIs.

Beginning in "the city" ;ir rlu' triangle formed b\"
the two rivers ;md following the AUeghiny Rixer.
there ;iic liii\(irdsto:cn and l.(r:rreuce:'Hlt\ I he Ha\-

1* a u I' 1' <> r r y - I w o

I. .1 \ n \l .1 K A ,S ./ A I) A ./ M i: S V

anlsrown st-otion cxrciuls aloii^ tin- nvii- troin about
Fifteenth to 1 hirty-secoiul Street. Ir has its nanu-
from (icor^e A. Bayard, who laid out the- stret-ts ot
the vilhijje. fhe Lawrenceville boundaries are tiom
what IS still known as the "Forks of the Road," Fenn
ANeiiue and the Alle<i;hen\' River, to I'lttieth Street.
It was located in |SKib\' William D. Foster, who was

Till-: HiRiHri.ACK of Stki'hfn (>. Fostkr

IN Ol.n l.AW RKNCKVII.LK.

in charpe of the Arsenal. With the huildin<: of the
Arsenal, the town had its beguining. Foster, who w as
the father of Stej-jhen Foster, the celebrated sonu;
writer, hatl intended to call the infant village "Foster-
vdle" hut he chose rather to memorialize the p;allant
na\al hero, L'aptain James Lawrence of the fricate
"Chesapeake," whose d\in<j; words, "Don't gi\e up
the ship," are part of the seal of the corporation of
the borough.

- ■]■ li

V L .1 X I) M ./ R A N ./ A' /; A' .7 M E S V

An olii r;ihlt.-r innv m the care ot the Historical
Society, to be replaced near its tornier site, — was
taken from the walls of the recently abandoned Ar-
senal buildmji in Lawrenceville, where it has reposed
since IS 14, the year of the erection of the building.

I he tablet is six feet long, and weighs about six hun-
dred |iounds. In the center are two crossed cannon
below a stack ot cannon balls. The date is April. 1S14.

rhe initials A. R. W for Captain \brani R. \\ ciolley —
first connnandant. Seventeen five-pointed stars rep-
resent the number of states in rhe Union at rhe time.

Bloomtu'ld is the adjoining borough, bounded by
Penn Avenue and Junction Hollow, and extending
from the high bridge across the railroad to rhe West
Penn Hospital. If doubtless had its name from the
tields of blooming wild Howers; this was never incor-
porated a borough but is a distinctly well-known
settlement.

Hexond Rloomhelil is East Librrty -its approxi-
mate boundaries Stanton .Avenue and eastward to
the junction of Penn and Fifth .Avenues. This was
ongmalK a small hamlet which grew up at the junc-
tioii of several roads. In the forties a local writer
described it as a "post town pleasantly situated in a
inaiinful levi-l plain h\v miles east of Pittsburgh on
the Philadelphia Pike, with a moral and industrial
liopulation of about a thousand souls." 1 he Penn-
s\l\ania Railroail C'ompaiu named their suburban
station for the \illage. 1 he word Liberty is supposed
to ha\c originated from the free grants of lands, as
recompense bv rlu- (lONeinimnt for milirai\' service.

I' a K i" I" <• r r V - V d ii r

A ./ A I) M .IRK S ./ A /; A .1 M E S

1 lu- txprc-ssion is hrsr tomul m ;i if|")()ir ot \\ ashinu-
ton's made to (jONtiiior Dinwuldic- iii whicli lu- .s|")tak.s
of thf "Norrlu-rn l.iheirifs," iiuanin^; tlu- clisriitrs
later calltd BavardstovN n and Law rencevillc.

Iaiu.kt on !,()(; Hoi SK at Coknkr ok Pknn and Nfcji.hv
A\iNLis. I'm OiDisi Hoi -I IN F,\>r I.iiuRn.

Page I" () I t \ - K i \ c

I. .1 \ I) M ./ R K S J X D X J M E S

V

Point Breeze, at the junction of Penn and Fifth
Avenues, has its name from an old tavern located at
the crossroads — then known as the Greenshurg Pike
and the Fourth Street Road. The tavern was noted
for its delicious suppers, the specialty hemg frogs.
There was a tenpin alley that was popular with the
men while the women sat on the broad porches with
their fancy work or sang songs in the big parlors.
Mr. William G. Johnston writes of his father and
himself becoming bewildered and lost m the forest
between what is now Hiland Avenue and Point Breeze.

Ilomezcood, which adjoins Point Breeze, was the
name of the stately country place of the Honorable
William Wilkins — United States Judge for many

JJ.S.ARMYJ796

;SO OF-

^ WIL
OHN WILKINS SR. 1779-166B
.. .ATOR -MINISTER TO RUSSIA - MEMBER
,v>ftESS-'SECREtARY OF WAR- PRESIDENT OF THE

UDiciAL District - judge of the united states

. ^--ftr^^ WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA-MEMBER »OF

rt^SYLVANIA SENATE. ■:

■*M1S TABirr JS PIACtD BY

toAOCHTERS.OFfTHE AMERICAN REVOl

i. -1916 V .■ : .-;:

74U ■'UrtiMiiM ^M^\

'^ . I

Page I'" o r r >• - S i X

V L ,1 A /) .]/ J R K S .1 \ I) X A M E S

years, Cjeneral ot Militia. Congressman and Unired
States Senator, Minister to Russia and Secretary (»t
War. riie old mansion witli its massive stone pillars
stood in the midst of a magnificent grove of trees, and
has onlv been dismantled within the year. A toll-
gate stood ver\' near his property on the present site
of the Fire-Engine House at Penn and Lang Avenues.

Bnishlon, named tor an old resident, jared .\1.
l^iush, one ot the earl\' ma\()is ot Pitrshmgh.

Hilkiiisburi;,, which ma\' m nine become parr ot the
greater citv. has its name trom the distinguished
Pittshurgher, the Hon. William W'ilkins. The D.
A. R. tablet erected in the Wilkinshurg High School
building in 1916, commemorates the names of three
of this noted familv. Captain John, Sr., General
John, Jr., aiul Judge W'ilbam \\ ilkins.

From the city eastward along the Monongahela is
iSoZ/o, extending from about Dinwiddie Street to Craft
Avenue; It was named by an Fnglishman whose
earlv home was in the Soho district of Birmingham.
It was never incorporated as a borough — the name
serves to recall the days ot the old horse cars on an
icv morning when the "Soho Dip" (which was more
of a ra\iiu- in those days) was the scene ot gravity
traction, and an almost daily sight w as a derailed car.

Continuing along the river beyond Soho are Ilait'l-
wood and Glenwood, named trom the kind ot growth
and the character of the ground torm.ition.

On Fitrh A\enue, adjoining Soho, is Oakland. In
]S4^ this was a large tract ot land known as the

/. ,/ A I) M IKK S .1 \ I) \ .1 M K S

i^luulw uk. hiiin. wliuh ;icl loincil thr ScIuiiKn taiin
ahoiir wluif tin- incscnr stret-t niil\v;i\ power liouse
now sr;iiuis, hitween Atvvood ;iiul Oakhiiul .\\tiuKS.
1 Ih' CliatlwKk mansion lioiist- was on rlu- lull wheie
rlu- AracKnu ot rlu- Sisrcrs ot Mc-rcN' now is.

Sonu- nn or rwcKc countr\' s(.-ars were Inulr on the
jiroiHirx , and rlu- nei^hhorhood iHcanu- known as
rlu' " ilurtl C'luircli Colon\" luraiisi- niosr ot rhe
owners were nieinhers ol the I hird Presbyterian
Church. William Kichhauiii, (son ot William Peter
Eichhaum c.dUcl In an earl\ writer an "inf:;enious
(lerman, and tormer (^lass cutter to Louis X\ I, King
of Franct"), was hroufiht to Pittshur<2;h in 1796 to
erect and take charge ot the tirst glass plant west ot
the Mountains. He purchased propertx tor a home,
near the I hird Church Coloin . huilt a colonial house
ot hrick trom a deserted harn and coated the hricks
with Roman cement. I he house m recent years was
known as the .Moorhead mansion, and still later the
Kmdeigaifen College, on Fitth Avenue. hichhaum
means "oak tree," ami the trees on his land being oak
trees, .Mr. Kichbaum called his place "Oakland."
Some years later Charles 1^. I a\lor bought tiie Chad-
wick l*arms, laid out a plan ot lots, and bestowed upon
his plan the name "Oakland," I he entire district
soon became known as Oakland.

M iiu-rsvil/i\ an old and well detined settlement or
locality bordering on tiie ()akla!ul district, bv \irtue
ot Its reaching llerron llill. is between Soho and
Bloomtield. It was a \illage ot farmers and those
employed about the coal mines, a veritable "string-
town" on tin- Pike, the pike being the old Seventh

I../\J) M .1 R K S ,/ X /) \ J M /■: S

Srrcft R();ul now (."ciuir Amiuk-. The \ill;im- con-
sisted of ;i lowfi" ;iiul iippii' town. I hr upper Town
was along; the township road which hranched off the
Pike in front ot Jacoh Kwarr s mansion now the
Montetiore Hospital, the oid\ house on that side ot
the road. An old toll-tjate w as at Kirkpatrick Street.

Jacob Kuart's Ri:su)i:nci:. Mimrsvh.i.i;.

I/rrr(j)i\f llill mmX Aveiiui- take tlnir nanus troin the
original owner anil pioneer faniilw Here can still 1h-
found the rums ot oiu' ot the toitihcations thrown up
as a detense tor the cit\ tlurmsi tin- Civil War. 1 he
hill IS the highest point m the cit\ limits (twrlvc
hundred and si.xtv feet aho\e sea K\il and U\c hundred
and eiiiht\-three feet aho\«- ri\ei K\il.i It is a most

I' :i v- L- K i f t \-

I..l.\l) M .1 R K S .1 \ J) .\./M/:s

iinpoi r;iiir tiictor in tin- L'ir\- Water Dtp.ii riiuiir ;
water is |iiiiiipLcl from the Hilaiid Basin to the Her-
ron's Hill Reservoir to secure the force necessary to
suppK the many hill (listncfs and the towering office
lunltliniis ot the city.

Srlirn/fy Farms is a recent development ot the well-
known farm property ot the Schenley Kstate. A
modern and ideal plan was used to develop pastiin-
land and a hare hillside, into a series ot terraces and
winding drives tor the choice residence district, now
in the heart ot the city. Ihe name is well commem-
orated in Schenley Park, Schenle\- Theatre, Schenle\-
Hotel and Schenle\- Farms.

1 he name Scht'iilc-y should torever he a blessed
heritage to all patriots, tor it is due to Mrs. Mary E.
Sclunle\'s gitt to the Daughters of the American
Revolution ot Allegheny Countv, that there is pre-
served the only sur\i\ing portion of Fort Pitt, the old
"Block House."

Hl.OCK HolSK.

1' ;i u (.■ 1- i t r \ - ( J II c

i..i\D MJRKs .1X1) y.iMi:s V

5<'//<'//V/i/ connects OaklaiuL tlu- Sclunlty barms and
Shadx side. Belletield was never a separate niiinuip-
alit\ . It was originally a tarni extenduig from the
present site of the Carnej^ie Institute to what is now-
Center Avenue, and eastward to what is now Neville
Street. This tarni was bought by Neville 1^. Craig
and named Bt-Ueheld in honor ot his wife Isabelle
Wilson. That part of the tariii which lies south ot
Fifth Avenue was bought h\ William Difhndge, a
glass manufacturer, and laid out in lots as East
Piftsbitrjih. Mr. Henry Llox d afterwards bought
the Dithridge house (opposite the l-?elleheld Church)
and most of the land. He laid out Neville Street.
Craig, and Dithridge Streets, as well as Bayard and
W'allingford Streets, all of which perpetuate names
of the Craig famil\- connection. From a residence
section it has grown to be almost exclusively an
educational center.

■ ii! S ^ i !

iH< \ H\ iMMN': 111- I'mx IK-;! I'S' 111- !'iir>;i;i ucii.

;: I !■ i t' t \ - r w

I. .1 \ n M J R A .s ./ A /) X! .1/ /, .s

Sliddysiclt', rhr hiriit- t;iiiii UouiuUcI In' \i-\illc-
Sric't't, Fifrli Avenue, the Pennsylvania Railroad, and
a line somewhere near Aiken Avenue was inherited
from her tarher h\' Rai'hel C'asrlenian Aiken, who
niarneil hei' cousin, 1 honias Aiken. The old home-
stead was near Aiken Avenue and the\- nanu-d it
Shail\side. When the Peniis\l vania Raihoad was
huilt through the jiroperty, the Railroad L'ompany
called the station "Shadyside Station." Ahout the
same time the hirm was laid out in streets, and .Aiken
Lane (now .Aiken .Avenue) was the Hrst thorouf^hfare
to the station. For a long time, church service and
prayer meetings were held in the hig frame station
huilding — hut when .Mr. and Mrs. Aiken presented
the site tor a church huilding, a Presbyterian Church
was founded and jiroperK- called the Shadyside
Presbyterian Church.

Squ'irrrl 11 ill w as a primeval forest, just far enough
from town for a good hunting ground, (jrav squir-
rels so infested the woods that they were a pest to the
first settlers. They scratched up their corn, made
nests ill the eaves ot their houses, and kept them
awake at night with their noise

THE SOUTH SIDE

Continuing with the old names, on the South Side
was the village ot Tern pcrancrvillc, known toda\' as
the West End; it was founded by L B. Warden on the
site ot two old mills. He stipulated b\' deed that
there should be no sale of licjuor on the premises — a
violation ot this clause was forfeiture of the title-but
little effort was made to enforce this restriction.

Page F i t" t y - 1 h r e

/. . / A /; .1/ J R A N J \ D X J M E S

V

Diiqucsnc Ht'ights of course liad its name, as did
Fort DiKiuesne and Diujuesne W ay. from the French
governor ot Canada.

The old and almost forgotten name, Coal IlilL was
in common use until about the end of the Civil War
period. Dwellers on the Mount will smile at the
allusion to the hill as a mountain and broaden the
smile when a volcano theory is spoken of; but there is
an historical account which has the first mention of
coal mining in Pittsburgh. An old journal tells of
climbing the mountain in 1766 to see a fire that was
raging on the hillside where coal had been taken out
for use at the Fort. The red hot condition ot the

l?IR\IIN(;H.\M AND ()R\isin Farm, 18311.

Page Fifty- F o u r

I. .1 \ I) M ./ R K S ,/ X J) .V .■/ M E S v

larrh aiul rlu- dense- sinokf and tuiius so resembled a
Nolcano that it was tiaix-d the nioiintaiii niif>;ht reallv
heconic a nun ace.

Birmnvj^luDH was orignially part ot the estate ot John
Ornishy, granted him tor his loyal service under Gen-
eral Forbes; the borough was laid out by Dr. Nathan-
iel Bedtord, the surgeon of the garrison of Fort Pitt.
He was a native ot the iron metropolis of England,
and it was prophesied in those days that "Pittsburgh
will one day become the Birmingham of America."
I his tow n became the starting point for the immense
shipments of coal and has since grow^n to be the center
ot the glass industry The expert glass blow^ers of Bir-
mingham have been the pioneers in glass work in
Marion, Ellwood, Muncie, Gas City and Kokomo, all
in the State of Indiana; Jeanette and Washington
in Pennsylvania, and Birmingham in Alabama.

Moil 11/ Olii'c'r was named tor Oliver Ormsby, only
son of John Ormsby, an officer in the French and
Indian War, in (icneral Forbes' command. Mt.
Oliver is a well defined locality, thickly populated.

St. Clair Borough has a similar record and is named
ot course, after Major-General Arthur St. Clair, who
contributed greatly to the welfare and prosperity
of Western Pennsylvania and was the Hrst to see and
advocate the importance of making Pittsburgh the
county seat.

THE NORTH SIDE

On the North Side, three hills tower above the
Allegheny River — Troy Hill, which was originally
Mt. Frov; and Nunnery HilL which takes its name

Page Fifty -five

V /. - / A I) M .IKK N ./ .V /) .V ./ M E S v

from an oKl CatholR- insnturion. In the forties
Nunnery Hill was a solid mass ot green, and pleasure
seekers who drove to Perrysville inhaled the perfume
of flowers long before they surmounted the crest of
the hdl; Monument IIill, which is so calletl hecause of
the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on its crest,
erected at the close of the Ci\il \\ ar. was tormerh'
known as Smiijiary Hill. Mrs. George Gormle\'. in
one ol her intimate sketches, tells ol the burning of
the old Seminary, the "Preacher Factory," as an awe-
some sight.

Old J//t'<^ht'nyto:ni lay between these hills; in 1788
the Legislature ordered a survey ot three thousand
acres ot land opposite Pittsburgh. It was incorpo-
rated in 1839, and part of it was divided into lots.
The remainder became Reserve fownsbip. Ihere
were a hundred lots, sixt\' by two hundred and tort\'
feet, and each iiilot was to carry with it the title in
the purchaser of an outlot of equal size. The hundred
inlots tormed a S(]iiare on the n\er. bounded by Stock-
ton, Montgomerv, Union, and Sherman Avenues —
the hundred outlots lay on the three sides of the plot
of inlots. For main' \ ears the sale ot the outlots was
a matter of much contro\ei sy. The original inten-
tion was that they should be used as pasture lots tor
cows ot the residents ot the inlots. Attei" manv
long drawn out controversies in the courts, the lot
owners consented to dedicate them to the town for
use as public pai ks; iii this w a\' origmaticl the parks ot
.\lIeghen\tow n.

Part of the seal of the town when incorpoiat(.-d was
a lou cabin, which was the home ot James Robinson,

1' a K c F i r t y - S i X

V LAND MARKS AND NAMES v

who built and operated the first ferry across the
Allegheny River. This cabin was near the river bank
at the foot of Franklin Road, now Federal Street.
His son William (General \\'illiam Robinson) was
called the founder of the town. Mrs. Gormley in
her sketch "Old Penn Street," describes Mrs.
Mary \\ dkins with lavender bows on her cap, going
to a ball at General Robinson's, across in Allegheny-
town, to which she went in a "white satin gown so
skimp that she could not easily sit down, and so stood
in a skifF as it was rowed from shore to shore, lighted
by a candle, held aloft by her beau."

1 he low er part ot Alleghenytown was formerly
known as Manchester, and Margaret Deland has im-
mortalized the inhabitants of the century past in
"Old Chester Tales" and " Ihe Iron Woman." It is
said that the old English name, Manchester, was
chosen for the town, to offset Birmingham on the
Pittsburgh side.

Pittsburgh has the reputation, possibl\ from its
peculiar geographic situation, ot bemu: a ilifHcult
place for strangers. Our iiolicenuu ami street rail-
way' conductors are hazv m then' knowledge ot streets
and neighborhoods not in their working province;
difficulties will of course multiplx' as the confines ot
the cit\" continue to be enlarged.

1' a n e !•■ i f t y - li i R li t

V L A N 1) M .1 R K S . I A I) A . / .1/ /•: N v

LOCAL APPLICATION OF LONDON
CUSTOMS

Why should not the custom of London he apphed
to Greater Pittshuigh?

Manv who lia\e hved their entire hves in the city
could not direct a stranger to Chateau Street, to
Alhquippa Street, to Inverness Street, and to hun-
dreds of other streets scattered over this great iiuini-
cipality

But if addresses were given and used as follows :

Chateau Street — Manchester, Pittsburgh .

Alliquippa Street — Minersville. Pittsburgh.

Inverness Street — Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.

Ohio Street — Troy Hill, Allegheny, Pittsburgh.

Steuben Street — Teniperanceville, Pittsburgh.

Butler Street — Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh,
and so on, in connection with each one ot these old
sub-divisions, then it would be a simple matter. The
foreign speaking woman seeking employment, or the
stranger seekmg a location, could readdy he directed
to the proper street if the card or direction read:

2200 Penn Avenue, Bayardstown, Pittsburgh.

4200 Penn Avenue, Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh.

5200 Penn Avenue, Bloomfield, Pittsburgh.

6200 Penn Avenue. East Liberty, Pittsburgh.

6500 Penn Avenue, Point Breeze, Pittsburgh.

7200 Penn Avenue, Homewood, Pittsburgh.

8200 Penn A\ciuu'. Brushton, Pittsburgh.

r .1 u c 1' i t" t \ - N i II I

V LAND MARKS AND NAMES v

and similarly, locations could readily he known, ex-
tending from Hazelwood on the] Alonongahela side,
Lawrenceville on the Allegheny side, down to Tem-
peranceville and the new additional boroughs across
the river from Manchester, to Troy Hill and Spring
Clarden Borough.

Locations on Penn Avenue alone, extending from
the MoncMigahela River to Wilklnshurg, cover about
SIX miles, and it is the- rare policeman or car official,
and still more rare the average citizen, who knows the
general location of given numbers in different parts
of the city and its environs.

Street cars could rival the old time scouts, and each
brilliant coat of paint on them could blazen forth its
particular trail, as Bayardstown, Lawrenceville,
Bloomfield, East Liberty, etc., or Oakland, Bellefield,
East Ivibcrty. Point Breeze, Homewood, etc.

Necessary details could be worked out by the city
ikpartment, the street railways, and the Post Office
officials. That there is a post office officially called
Rclmar in the very heart of the Momewood district,
shows the need for such sub-divisions with distinctive
names, but there is no need for new and strange names
111 this cir\ made up ot sub-divisions bearing old and
well recognized names ot distinction.

I' a u f S i X t y

\'

L .1 N D M A R K S .7 A' I) N J M E S

V

The viUasjc hcniiulancs should he mographKally
Hxcil liy agrctnunt or ordmaiKc, and the) postal
aiirlionties and eity conned unite ni reeo^nr/.inp; them
and estahhshm*!; them hy custom or orchnance as a
letiitimatc method ot address. The tore^om^ sugjjes-
tions earned out \\ith respect to the old suh-divisions
of what constitutes the present city, could he made
to apply to every addition ot other horouphs, town-
ships, or continuous territory which is heinu; and will
continue to he incorporated into the citv linuts. i he
preservation ot the old nanus is liistoncalK' valuahle;
it would also he valuahle m identih'ine; residences
and addresses; and, tinally, it would cultivate
a pride m location that could not tail to have its
effect both on our citizens and upon strangers.

Site of Union Station, 1850
C.WAi. A\n Foo |- Briik;i- at I.ihfr i'-\' and \\'ashi\(. ton Si rkkt'

Page Sixty -On

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