Onyx Way
| Onyx Way | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood | Knoxville |
| Origin of name | Onyx Avenue in Mount Oliver Borough |
| Apple Alley (until 1926) | |
| Origin of name | The apple fruit or tree |
| Albatross Way (1926–1927) | |
| Origin of name | The albatross, a large seabird |
This alley was laid out as Apple Alley in two plans of lots by the Knoxville Land Improvement Company from 1896 and 1907. The other alleys in these plans were also named for fruits (or fruit trees): Peach, Plum, and Pear Alleys (today Kernel, Duart, and Partridge Ways).[1][2]
One of the last acts of the Town Council of the Borough of Knoxville, on December 21, 1926, was to rename many of the borough's streets in anticipation of its annexation by Pittsburgh. Apple Alley was going to conflict with Apple Street in the East End, so it was renamed Albatross Way.[3] The new name was part of a series of alleys named for birds: others were changed to Dove Way, Grouse Way (today Romeyn Way), Hawk Way, Ibis Way, Partridge Way, Penguin Way (today Duart Way), Starling Way (today Marland Way), and Swallow Way. This theme had been established earlier: Knoxville had already had a Lark Way and a Wren Way (renamed Lotts Way and Wattle Way).[3]
Pittsburgh annexed Knoxville on January 3, 1927,[4] and in March of that year a Pittsburgh city ordinance changed Albatross Way to Onyx Way.[5][6] Apparently it was deemed desirable for the name of the alley to match that of Onyx Avenue in Mount Oliver Borough, of which the alley is essentially a continuation. Onyx Avenue is older than the alley, having been laid out by S. J. Macfarren in 1891.[7]
References
- ↑ "Knoxville Land Improvement Co.'s plan of part of the Swift Farm situate in Lower St. Clair Twp. Allegheny Co. Pa." Laid out June 1896; recorded June 29, 1896, Plan Book 16, p. 11. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3781217. [view source] swift-farm-plan-1
- ↑ "Plan of part of the Swift Farm situated in Knoxville Borough, Allegheny Co. Pa. laid out by Knoxville Land Improvement Co." Laid out Apr. 25, 1899 and Mar. 1907; recorded June 15, 1907, Plan Book 23, p. 168. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3782559. [view source] swift-farm-plan-2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "An ordinance changing the names of certain streets, avenues and alleys in the Borough of Knoxville." Knoxville borough ordinance, 1926, no. 530. Enacted Dec. 21, 1926; approved Dec. 21, 1926. In ordinance book of Knoxville Borough, 1922–1926, p. 199 (https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_46104c53-ba6f-4cf6-87dc-ee96c06cf9c8/). [view source] ordinance-1926-530
- ↑ Mark A. Connelly. "Knoxville Borough–Pittsburgh City 1927 Merger." Local Geohistory Project. https://www.localgeohistory.pro/en/pa/event/knoxville-borough-pittsburgh-city-1927-merger/. [view source] lgeo-knoxville-annexation
- ↑ "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets, lanes, alleys and ways in the Thirtieth Ward (formerly Knoxville Borough)." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1927, no. 206. Passed Mar. 21, 1927; approved Mar. 26, 1927. Ordinance Book 38, p. 409. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the Year 1927, appendix, pp. 186–187, Smith Bros. Co. Inc., Pittsburgh (Google Books cZfgUddPQR0C; HathiTrust uiug.30112109819802; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1927). [view source] ordinance-1927-206
- ↑ Al Donalson. "Signing in: Names of city streets reflect colorful history." Pittsburgh Press, Mar. 19, 1985, p. A7. Newspapers.com 146595524. [view source] donalson
- ↑ "S. J. Macfarren's plan of Giffin Place situate in Lower St. Clair Twp. Allegheny Co. Pa." Laid out Nov. 1891; recorded Apr. 14, 1892, Plan Book 12, p. 113. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3780720. [view source] giffin-place-plan
