Field Way

From Pittsburgh Streets
Field Way
Neighborhood Esplen
Front Alley (until 1906)
Origin of name Its location near the "front" of a plan of lots
Front Way (1906–1925)
Origin of name Its location near the "front" of a plan of lots

This alley was laid out as Front Alley in 1888 in a plan of lots for John A. Wood and son.[1] It was named for its location behind the lots at the "front" of the plan, those abutting on Carson Street.

Esplen was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1906.[2] A Pittsburgh city ordinance that same year changed the name of Front Alley to Front Way.[3]

Front Way was renamed Field Way in 1925.[4]

In a 1937 Post-Gazette column joking about Pittsburgh street names, Charles F. Danver grouped Front Way with Back Way in East Allegheny, Rear Way in Regent Square, and Side Way in Polish Hill.[5] And in a 1944 article in the Pittsburgh Press, Gilbert Love included Front Way in a list of ways that "in the competition for names . . . have had to take what was left by the larger streets."[6] Apparently the street guides these columnists were using had not been updated with the name Field Way.

See also

References

  1. "Part 'A', plan of lots, near Chartiers Boro., laid out for John A. Wood & Son." Laid out Mar. 1888; recorded Mar. 10, 1888, Plan Book 8, pp. 130–131. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3779958. [view source]john-a-wood-son-plan-a
  2. Mark A. Connelly. "Esplen Borough–Pittsburgh City 1906 Merger." Local Geohistory Project. https://www.localgeohistory.pro/en/pa/event/esplen-borough-pittsburgh-city-1906-merger/. [view source]lgeo-esplen-annexation
  3. "An ordinance changing and establishing the names of avenues, streets and alleys in the Fortieth ward of the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1906–1907, no. 208. Passed Sept. 10, 1906; approved Sept. 13, 1906. Ordinance Book 18, p. 25. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh for the Year 1906–1907, appendix, pp. 83–84, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1907 (Google Books 2rxEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096599013; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1906). [view source]ordinance-1906-1907-208
  4. "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets and ways in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1925, no. 175. Passed Apr. 20, 1925; approved Apr. 22, 1925. Ordinance Book 36, p. 299. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the Year 1925, appendix, pp. 142–146, Kaufman Printing Company, Inc., Pittsburgh (Google Books qSb28JpAxN8C; HathiTrust uiug.30112109819786; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1925). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Apr. 27, 1925, p. 15 (Newspapers.com 88691643), and Apr. 28, [p. 21] (Newspapers.com 88691689). [view source]ordinance-1925-175
  5. Charles F. Danver. Pittsburghesque. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 12, 1937, p. 8. Newspapers.com 90316941. [view source]danver-1937
  6. Gilbert Love. "What's in a name? A lot!: Christening streets is big chore for Pittsburgh has 5888 of them: Official Thinker Up of Street Names even goes to seed and mail order catalogs to find appropriate titles: Complications rise when residents complain." Pittsburgh Press, Feb. 11, 1944, p. 25. Newspapers.com 147943383. [view source]love-christening