Moultrie Street
| Moultrie Street | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhoods | Bluff, West Oakland |
| Schenk Street (1860 – ca. 1870) | |
| Portion | South of Fifth Avenue |
| Spring Street (1869–1881) | |
| Portion | North of Fifth Avenue |
| Madison Street (ca. 1870 – 1881) | |
| Portion | South of Fifth Avenue |
| Origin of name | James Madison |
| Stobo Street (1881–1901) | |
| Portion | North of Fifth Avenue |
| Origin of name | Robert Stobo |
This street was laid out as Schenk Street in 1860 by Washington McClintock, Adam Reineman, and Edward D. Gazzam.[1][2] By 1872 it had been renamed Madison Street,[3] probably for James Madison (1751–1836), fourth President of the United States (1809–1817).
The part of Moultrie Street north of Fifth Avenue was laid out as Spring Street in 1869 by Ann Reed.[4]
In 1881 many streets were renamed in order to fix duplicates. There was another Madison Street on the Hill (today's Milwaukee Street), so this one was renamed Moultrie Street. Similarly, in order to avoid confusion with Spring Alley (today Spring Way), Spring Street was renamed Stobo Street.[5]
Stobo Street was named for Robert Stobo (1727–1770).[6][7][8][9] Stobo was a captain under then Lieutenant Colonel George Washington in 1754, and along with Jacob Van Braam (eponym of Van Braam Street) was taken prisoner by the French after the Battle of Fort Necessity.[8][9] He was taken to Fort Duquesne, and while there he gathered intelligence, including a plan of the fort, which was smuggled out by Native Americans and delivered to Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia.[9] Stobo's letters were carried by General Edward Braddock on his failed expedition to capture the fort the next year, and when the French discovered them, they sent Stobo and Van Braam to Quebec.[9] Stobo was tried and convicted as a spy and sentenced to death, but he managed to escape and made his way to Cape Breton Island.[9] There he learned that General James Wolfe and his army had just departed for Quebec, so Stobo immediately turned around, caught up with Wolfe, and provided intelligence that helped Wolfe in the capture of Quebec in 1759.[9]
In 1901 a proposal was made in City Council to change the name of Stobo Street to Amherst Avenue, but the Committee on Surveys recommended against it. Instead, the committee felt it would be better to make Stobo Street part of Moultrie Street, so an ordinance was passed that officially established the location of Moultrie Street from Fifth Avenue to Centre Avenue.[10][11][12]
See also
- Amherst Avenue (disambiguation), Madison Street, and Spring Street (disambiguation), for other streets that have had those names
References
- ↑ "Plan of lots in the manor of Pittsttsburg [sic]: Laid out for McClintock Reineman and Gazzam." Laid out Nov. 1860; recorded Feb. 1861, Plan Book 2, p. 146. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3778444. [view source] mcclintock-reineman-gazzam-plan
- ↑ S. N. & F. W. Beers. Map of Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Smith, Gallup & Hewitt, Philadelphia, 1862. LCCN 2012592151; https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/31783; 1862 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] beers
- ↑ Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 49. 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
- ↑ "Plan of building lots situated in the 14th Ward being parts of Manor Lots Nos. 19 & 20: Made for Mrs. Ann Reed." Laid out Dec. 20, 1869; recorded Jan. 5, 1870, Plan Book 4, pp. 10–11. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3778778. [view source] ann-reed-plan
- ↑ "An ordinance establishing the names of avenues, streets, lanes and alleys of the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1881, no. 33. Passed Feb. 28, 1881; approved Mar. 4, 1881. Ordinance Book 5, p. 212. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Select and Common Councils of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1880, pp. 213–234 (Internet Archive pghmunicipalrecord1880). [view source] ordinance-1881-33
- ↑ "Signs for streets: With the names in big letters, to be placed at every corner: Following the Paris style: An attempt to label the city that proved a sad failure: How some streets were named." Pittsburg Dispatch, Aug. 10, 1892, p. 2. Newspapers.com 76578361. [view source] signs-for-streets
- ↑ George T. Fleming. "Historic names handed down: Crawford, Baron Steuben and George Rogers Clark among historic characters recalled by some Pittsburgh streets." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Jan. 17, 1915, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85751161. [view source] fleming-historic
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 George T. Fleming. "Washington in fight with French: Stirring events in early history of vicinity give Pittsburgh street names: Foes also honored: Magnanimity of De Villiers and misfortunes of Van Braam have been remembered: Patriot's only defeat." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Feb. 21, 1915, sec. 6, [p. 6]. Newspapers.com 85898552. [view source] fleming-washington-in-fight
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 George T. Fleming. "Two hostages of Washington are honored: Captivity of officers left in hands of French is long and arduous ordeal: Stobo serves Wolfe: Pittsburgh street names recall the fall of Quebec and stirring times in early history: Rewards of the hostages." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Feb. 28, 1915, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85899118. [view source] fleming-hostages
- ↑ "Tilt between councilmen: Chairman [sic] of two of the committees indulged in rapid fire repartee: Trouble was over quorums: Meetings of both bodies was called for same hour: After much difficulty they both got down to work and transacted some business." Pittsburg Post, Jan. 25, 1901, p. 8. Newspapers.com 86398018. [view source] tilt
- ↑ Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1900–1901, Common Council, pp. 506, 509. Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1901. Google Books DsBEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096599021; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecordcommon1900. This book has several parts: "Minutes of the proceedings of the Select Council of the City of Pittsburgh, for the year 1900–1901" (index, pp. iii–xliii; proceedings, pp. 1–473), "Minutes of the proceedings of the Common Council of the City of Pittsburgh, for the year 1900–1901" (index, pp. iii–xlvi; proceedings, pp. 1–652), and an appendix of ordinances (index, pp. i–xii; appendix, pp. 1–171). [view source] municipal-record-1900-1901
- ↑ "An ordinance locating Moultrie street, from Fifth avenue to Centre avenue." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1901, no. 337. Passed Jan. 28, 1901; approved Feb. 4, 1901. Ordinance Book 13, p. 501. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1900–1901, appendix, p. 135, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1901 (Google Books DsBEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096599021; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecordcommon1900). [view source] ordinance-1901-337
