Hillsboro Way

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(Redirected from Baxter's Alley)
Hillsboro Way
Hillsborough Alley highlighted in the 1872 Hopkins atlas
Neighborhood Central Business District
Fate Vacated in 1968
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Hillsborough Alley (until 1914)
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Baxter's Alley (mid-19th century)
Origin of name Henry Baxter

Hillsboro Way was a very narrow alley, just nine feet wide, that originally ran from Fifth Street (now Fifth Avenue) to Virgin Alley (now Oliver Avenue) between Market Street and Wood Street. It was opened as Hillsborough Alley by an agreement dated August 4, 1807, among Stewart Bailey, Robert Cummings, Hugh Marshel, and William Mitchel, who owned the surrounding property.[1] A similar agreement, dated October 25, 1810, was made by Robert Campbell, Robert Cummins, John Anderson, John Stranahan, and Thomas Richardson.[2]

James M. Riddle's 1815 Pittsburgh directory lists six people who lived on "Hillsboro' alley,"[3] and the list of streets in the 1819 directory includes "Hillsborough alley, from 5th St. to Virgin alley, bet'n Market and Wood, next below Wood."[4]

By 1837 it had become known as Baxter's Alley,[5][6][7] named for Henry Baxter, "a noted character of that day, a terrible fighter and the terror of the neighborhood when on one of his sprees."[8] Baxter was a blacksmith and farrier[5][6] who owned property adjoining the alley.[9]

R. E. McGowin's 1856 map shows "Baxters Ay." just west of Wood Street;[10] this alley later became the northern half of Book Way before it was vacated in 1967. However, this map seems to be slightly in error here. An 1843 newspaper advertisement says that Baxter's Alley was "opposite the Exchange Bank,"[7] which was somewhat further west.[11] An article printed in the Pittsburg Press in 1900 says that Baxter's Alley was "midway between Market and Wood streets,"[12] which again would put it further west than Book Way. And a letter written to the editor of the Press in 1888 says, "Baxter alley was private property, the space now filled by the store of Horne & Ward."[13] Horne & Ward was at 41 Fifth Avenue in 1888,[14] which again was further west: the alley that later became Book Way was between 49 and 53 Fifth Avenue at that time.[15][16]

The 1872 Hopkins atlas shows a very narrow alley in a location that matches these descriptions, as well as descriptions of Hillsborough Alley.[11] This alley was mostly closed up by 1882,[15] though the northern 80 feet, running south from Virgin Alley (today Oliver Avenue), remained a narrow passageway to access the rear of buildings on Virgin Alley and Fifth Avenue.[16][17][18]

The alley faded into complete obscurity until a brief moment in 1968, when it was officially vacated by the City of Pittsburgh (along with King's Way and the westernmost part of Oliver Avenue)[19] for the development of Oliver Plaza, today PNC Plaza.[20][21] The vacating ordinance called the alley Hillsboro Way;[19] it had apparently become a way in 1914, when a city ordinance changed all alleys in Pittsburgh to ways.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Stewart Bailey, Robert Cummings, Hugh Marshel, and William Mitchel. Articles of agreement for the opening of Hillsborough Alley. Aug. 4, 1807. In the papers of the Campbell family, 1807–1873, MSS #4, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Detre Library and Archives, Heinz History Center (see Historic Pittsburgh US-QQS-MSS4). [view source] hillsborough-alley-agreement-1807
  2. ↑ Robert Campbell, Robert Cummins, John Anderson, John Stranahan, and Thomas Richardson. Articles of agreement for the opening of Hillsborough Alley. Oct. 25, 1810. In the papers of the Campbell family, 1807–1873, MSS #4, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Detre Library and Archives, Heinz History Center (see Historic Pittsburgh US-QQS-MSS4). [view source] hillsborough-alley-agreement-1810
  3. ↑ James M. Riddle. The Pittsburgh Directory for 1815: Containing the names, professions and residence of the heads of families and persons in business, in the borough of Pittsburgh, with an appendix containing a variety of useful information. James M. Riddle, Pittsburgh, 1815, pp. 9, 30, 31, 34, 42, 78. Internet Archive pittsburghdirect00ridd. Republished by the Colonial Trust Co., Pittsburgh, 1905 (Google Books 9ihRAAAAYAAJ; Historic Pittsburgh 00ach3238m); and by Duquesne Smelting Corporation, Pittsburgh, 1940 (Internet Archive pittsburghdirect00repu). [view source] riddle
  4. ↑ James M. Riddle and M. M. Murray. The Pittsburgh Directory for 1819: Containing the names, professons [sic], and residence of all the heads of families, and persons in business, in the city of Pittsburgh, and its suburbs; and a variety of other useful information. Butler & Lambdin, Pittsburgh, 1819, p. 28. Internet Archive pittsburghdirect00murr. [view source] riddle-murray
  5. ↑ Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 Isaac Harris. Harris' Pittsburgh Business Directory, for the Year 1837: Including the names of all the merchants, manufacturers, mechanics, professional [sic], & men of business of Pittsburgh and its vicinity. Isaac Harris, Pittsburgh, 1837, p. 35. DonsList.net PGH1837_BDM; Historic Pittsburgh 00afv6656m, 31735056287505. [view source] harris
  6. ↑ Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 Isaac Harris. Harris' General Business Directory, of the Cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny: And also of the most flourishing and important towns and cities of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Western New York, Virginia, &c., containing a correct outline of their general business, together with a statement of the canal and steamboat business, and commerce on the waters of the West; a statistical view of the moral, religious, and literary societies, and a variety of important general and statistical information, with an index, at the end of the volume. A. A. Anderson, Pittsburgh, 1841, p. 15. Internet Archive harrisgeneralbus_01harr. [view source] harris-1841
  7. ↑ Jump up to: 7.0 7.1 "Music for dancing." Pittsburgh Morning Post, Dec. 9, 1843, [p. 2]. Newspapers.com 87585567. [view source] music-for-dancing
  8. ↑ G. W. "Another old-timer: His recollections of Pittsburgh a half-century ago." Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, Sept. 5, 1881, [p. 2]. Newspapers.com 85545667. [view source] another-old-timer
  9. ↑ "Sheriff's sales." Daily Pittsburgh Gazette, Jan. 5, 1837, [p. 2]. Newspapers.com 96008141. [view source] sheriffs-sales-1837-01-05
  10. ↑ R. E. McGowin. Pittsburgh: Engraved from R. E. McGowin's map for Geo. H. Thurston. Wm. Schuchman & Bro., Pittsburgh, 1856. Historic Pittsburgh DARMAP0091. [view source] mcgowin-1856
  11. ↑ Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 19. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1872. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1872-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; 1872 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] hopkins-1872
  12. ↑ M. V. B. D. "Foster Serenaders of fifty years ago: The local amateur musical organization helped to make Foster's melodies famous." Pittsburg Press, July 22, 1900, p. 5. Newspapers.com 141318990. [view source] foster-serenaders
  13. ↑ L. D. "Correcting local history." Pittsburg Press, Apr. 16, 1888, [p. 7]. Newspapers.com 141343514. [view source] correcting-local-history
  14. ↑ J. F. Diffenbacher. J. F. Diffenbacher's Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Cities, for 1888: Embracing a general directory of residences of citizens, full classified business directory, register of public institutions, benevolent societies and city government; directory of the streets, secret societies, schools and churches, thirty-third annual issue. J. F. Diffenbacher, Pittsburgh, 1888, pp. 488, 1173. Historic Pittsburgh 31735056290848. [view source] diffenbacher-1888
  15. ↑ Jump up to: 15.0 15.1 Atlas of the Cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny, plate 1. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1882. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1882-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; 1882 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] hopkins-1882
  16. ↑ Jump up to: 16.0 16.1 Atlas of the City of Pittsburgh, vol. 1, plate 4. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1889. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1889-volume-1-atlas-pittsburgh; included in the 1890 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] hopkins-1889-vol-1
  17. ↑ Assessment Plat-Book of the City of Pittsburgh, vol. 10, p. 3. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1929. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1929-volume-10-assessment-plat-book-pittsburgh-central. [view source] hopkins-1929-vol-10
  18. ↑ Alexander Gross. Pittsburgh and Vicinity: Featuring transit lines and house numbers. Geographia Map Co. Inc., New York, 1953. Published with Alexander Gross, The Complete Street Guide to Pittsburgh and 16 Nearby Suburbs: With large map of Pittsburgh and suburbs; streets, house numbers, transportation lines, places of interest, churches, etc., etc., Geographia Map Co. Inc., New York, 1953 (DonsList.net PghStreets1953M). A slightly different version entitled The Premier Map of Pittsburgh and Vicinity is reproduced in Sam Stephenson, ed., Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Project, pp. 22–23, University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2023, ISBN 978-0-226-82483-3 (LCCN 2022055151). [view source] gross-map
  19. ↑ Jump up to: 19.0 19.1 "An ordinance vacating Oliver Avenue for its full width from Wood Street to Liberty Avenue, excepting and reserving the 12-inch water line and 36-inch sewer line located in Oliver Avenue; vacating King's Way for its full width from Oliver Avenue to a point 87.33 feet southwestwardly therefrom; vacating Hillsboro Way for its full width from Oliver Avenue to a point 68.47 feet southwestwardly therefrom; and condemning for extinguishment private rights, if any, in or on the foregoing portions of streets for public purposes; and providing certain terms and conditions." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1968, no. 668. Passed Dec. 23, 1968; approved Dec. 27, 1968. Ordinance Book 70, p. 247. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the Year 1968, appendix, pp. 436–438, Park Printing, Inc., Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1968). [view source] ordinance-1968-668
  20. ↑ Franklin Toker. Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait, pp. 50–51. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, Penna., 1986, ISBN 0-271-00415-0. LCCN 85-71786. [view source] toker
  21. ↑ Franklin Toker. Pittsburgh: A New Portrait, pp. 67, 75. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, 2009, ISBN 978-0-8229-4371-6. LCCN 2009022903. [view source] toker-new
  22. ↑ "An ordinance changing the name 'alley' on every thoroughfare in the City of Pittsburgh to 'way.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1914, no. 402. Passed Nov. 10, 1914; approved Nov. 16, 1914. Ordinance Book 26, p. 360. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the Year 1914, appendix, p. 226, McClung Printing Co., Pittsburgh (HathiTrust uiug.30112108223899; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1914). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Nov. 23, 1914, p. 11 (Newspapers.com 86505785), and Nov. 24, p. 12 (Newspapers.com 86505809). [view source] ordinance-1914-402
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