Notes:Hillsboro Way
Hillsborough Alley
1807-08-04: Source:Hillsborough-alley-agreement-1807
1810-10-25: Source:Hillsborough-alley-agreement-1810
1815: Source:Riddle
- p. 9: "Barker John, carpenter, w side Hillsboro' alley bet. Virgin alley and 5th"
- p. 30: "Gary John, miller, w side of Hillsboro' alley between Virgin alley and 5th"
- p. 31: "Gillespie Hamilton, laborer, s side of Virgin alley between Hillsboro' and King's alley"
- p. 34: "Hamilton Francis, water carter, w side of Hillsboro' alley between Virgin and 5th"
- p. 42: "Johnston John, laborer, e side of Hillsboro' alley, between Virgin alley and 5th"
- p. 78: "Sprout James, carpenter, w site Hillsboro alley between Virgin alley & 5th st."
1819: Source:Riddle-murray, p. 28: "Hillsborough alley, from 5th St. to Virgin alley, bet'n Market and Wood, next below Wood."
1826: Source:Jones, p. 100: "Hillsborough alley, from Virgin alley to 5th street, west of Wood."
1837-01-05: Source:Sheriffs-sales-1837-01-05: "ALSO—By virtue of sundry writs of Vend. Ex., issued out of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny county, and to me directed, all the right, title, interest, and claim of Henry Baxter, of, in, and to a lot or piece of ground, and the houses, &c., thereon erected, situated in the city of Pittsburgh, bounded and described as follows, viz: Beginning on 5th street, at the distance of 43 feet from the corner of lots Nos. 403 and 404, and running along 5th street towards Wood st., 44 feet 6 inches, to Hillsborough alley; thence along said alley, northwardly, 106 feet to H. Baxter's line; thence by said line, westwardly, and parallel with Fifth street, 24 feet 6 inches; thence northwardly, parallel with Wood street, 20 feet; thence eastwardly, parallel with Fifth street, 24 feet 6 inches, to Hillsborough alley; thence northwardly along said alley, 46 feet, to Wm. Tobin's line; thence westwardly, parallel with Fifth street, 64 feet 6 inches, to ground formerly of ⸻ Balsley, Jr.; thence southwardly, parallel with Wood street, 52 feet, to ground now of A. Beelen; thence by said ground eastwardly, 20 feet; thence southwardly, by same piece of ground, and parallel with Wood street, 120 feet, to Fifth street, the place of beginning, on which are erected three brick dwelling houses, 2 stories high; one frame house, 2 stories high; one brick blacksmith shop, two stories high—the interest of the said Henry Baxter, being a lease hold, will expire about the first day of April, A. D., 1841, subject to an annual rent of $500. ¶ Seized and taken in execution as the property of the said Henry Baxter, at the suit of Edward Simpson, and others."
1860-04-05: "Orphans' Court sale," Pittsburgh Post, [p. 2] (Newspapers.com 88176947): "ALSO, ¶ All that other certain lot or piece of ground situate in the City of Pittsburgh, bounded and described, as follows, to wit:—Beginning on the south side of Virgin alley at the corner of lot No. 406, in Wood's general plan of the City of Pittsburgh, thence along Virgin alley 28 feet towards Market street; thence on a line parallel with Wood street towards Fifth street, 100 feet, to the line of property sold by H. H. Ryan to Wm. Bagaley; thence on a line running parallel with Fifth street, 28 feet to the line of lot No. 406; and thence on the line of lot No. 406, 100 feet to Virgin alley, the place of beginning—subject to an annual ground rent of $18,00—subject also, to an easement of 4½ feet on the Westerly side thereof, for the use of Hillsborough alley; on which is erected a five story brick building, part of what is known as 'Ryan's Buildings,' and connected with the residue of said buildings by an extension at the front on Virgin alley over Hillsborough alley. ¶ ALSO, ¶ All that other certain lot or piece of ground situate in City of Pittsburgh, comprising seven lots or pieces of ground, bounded and described together, as follows, viz:—Beginning on Virgin alley at the mouth of Kings alley; thence running by Virgin alley eastwardly 124 feet; thence on a line parallel with Wood street towards Fifth street, 68 feet; thence on a line parallel with Fifth street 69 feet; thence towards Fifth street on a line parallel with Wood street 32 feet; thence westwardly on a line parallel with Fifth street 25 feet; thence on a line parallel with Wood street towards Virgin alley 60 feet; thence Westwardly on a parallel line with Virgin alley, 30 feet to the middle of Kings alley; and thence along the middle of said alley Northwardly 40 feet to the place of beginning. Three of said lots being chargeable with ground rent respectively, amounting in the aggregate to $81,00 per annum, excepting and reserving 4½ feet off the said premises for the use of an alley called Hillsborough alley, on the side next to Wood street. On the front of which is erected a five story brick building, (part of 'Ryan's Buildings,') connected with that part of said buildings first described by an extension over Hillsborough alley, with steam engine, stable and dry house on said premises."
1893-03-31: O. M'Clintock & Co., "Office furniture," Pittsburgh Post, p. 4 (Newspapers.com 87582851): "Having leased the two upper floors of the Schmertz building with access by bridge across Hillsborough alley, we will on Monday next open to the public our new salesroom for our Office Furniture Department."
1968-11-20: Art Glickman, "Oliver Ave. vacating hits snag," Pittsburgh Press, p. 2 (Newspapers.com 148061248): "The discussion came up in a Council committee meeting when approval was asked on an ordinance vacating Oliver Ave. from Wood St. to Liberty Ave. and parts of Kings Way and Hillsboro Way to make room for a new office building and plaza."
1968-12-27: Source:Ordinance-1968-668 vacated Hillsboro Way "for its full width from Oliver Avenue to a point 68.47 feet southwestwardly therefrom"
1973-04-17: "Pitt land suit threatened by state," Pittsburgh Press, p. 2 (Newspapers.com 147714917): "[As a councilman, [Pete] Flaherty had a part in another notable street closing downtown in 1968. ¶ [He was one of nine council members who voted to close Oliver Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Wood Street, along with King's Way and Hillsboro Way, for a total of $100,000. ¶ [Of that sum, the Oliver Tyrone Corp. paid $78,000 and the Pittsburgh National Bank $22,000.]"
Baxter's Alley
1837: Source:Harris, p. 35: "Baxter . . . Henry, Blacksmith and Farrier, Baxter's Al. Fifth."
1841: Source:Harris-1841, p. 15: "Baxter, Henry, Blacksmith, Baxter's alley."
1843-12-09: Source:Music-for-dancing: "PERSONS wanting to employ music for Cotillion or Sleighing parties, will find a good Violin Player, by calling on J W Walker, corner of Fifth street and Baxter's alley, opposite the Exchange Bank."
1850: Source:Fahnestock, p. 52: "Kinarr John, blacksmith, Baxter al. n Liberty"
1863-10-27: "Meeting of Councils," Pittsburgh Gazette, [p. 3] (Newspapers.com 85543801): "Mr. Montgomery, a resolution authorizing the erection of a lamp on Virgin alley, near Baxter's alley. Same reference [i.e., to the Committee on Gas Lighting]."
1870-03-10: Source:Municipal-record-1870, Common Council, [p. 40]: "The following extensions were made in 1869. ¶ . . . ¶ Four inch pipe on Baxter alley, 168 [feet]."
1881-08-23: "Generations ago," Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, [p. 4] (Newspapers.com 85545584): "I am very positive that the above theater was operated before the Baxter alley Thespian Society began to perform. ¶ . . . ¶ . . . After Todd had charge of the museum a short time he moved to Fifth street, in a building that stood on the corner of that street and Baxter alley, where Samuel Toms, well known as 'Blind Sam,' sat at the door playing the fiddle to attract customers; hence many of the boys called it 'Blind Sam's Museum,' and there are probably men and women living now who never knew it by any other name."
1881-09-05: Source:Another-old-timer: "Mr. Todd, I believe, afterwards became the owner of the Museum, and located it on Baxter's alley. This alley was called after Henry Baxter, a noted character of that day, a terrible fighter and the terror of the neighborhood when on one of his sprees."
1888-04-16: Source:Correcting-local-history: "Baxter alley was private property, the space now filled by the store of Horne & Ward."
1900-07-22: Source:Foster-serenaders: "Many of the old-time Pittsburg boys were stage-struck and in the Kane family, in addition to Patrick F., who was a Foster serenader, his brother Michael played for a time in the theater in Baxter's alley, a thoroughfare running east as far as Virgin alley, midway between Market and Wood streets."
Source:Hopkins-1929-vol-10, plate 3: "Private alley" nine feet wide, extending south from Oliver Avenue 80.19 feet, in "A. Beeler Plan, D. B. 51-197."
Henry Baxter
1835-02-27: "Sheriff's sale," Daily Pittsburgh Gazette, [p. 3] (Newspapers.com 96015583): "All the right, title, interest, and claim, of Henry Baxter, of, in and to all that certain lot or piece of ground, situate in the city of Pittsburgh, bounded and described as follows: beginning on Fifth street, at the corner of lot No. 406, and running thence by said Fifth street towards Market, 28 feet, thence by a line running parallel with Wood street 92½ feet towards Virgin Alley, thence by a line running parallel with Fifth street 28 feet to lot No. 406, thence by the said lot 92½ feet to the place of beginning, being part of lot No. 405, on which are erected two frame and three brick tenements, subject to a rent of $49; also, one other lot or piece of ground adjoining the above, situate in front on Virgin Alley 28 feet and running back 147 1 2 feet towards Fifth street, be the same more or less, being part of the above described lot 405, on which are erected nine brick tenements, six of which are three story high, subject to a rent of $21. ¶ All the above lots adjoin the valuable property, lately bought by A. M'Clurg, Esq., of Philadelphia, and bounds it from Fifth street to Virgin Alley, and will be sold together, or in part, as may best suit those wishing to purchase. ¶ Seized and taken in execution as the property of the said Henry Baxter, at the suit of William Stewart."
1837-01-05: Source:Sheriffs-sales-1837-01-05 (see above)
1837-01-14: "Grand mistake," Daily Pittsburgh Gazette, [p. 2] (Newspapers.com 96008838): "Grand Mistake.—The Pittsburgh Times does not pretend to deny that they published the ticket with the names of two Royal Arch Masons, Gazzam and Bradley, on it, as the Democratic Ticket. But they detect us in a grand error, as they call it; because we spoke of those men as the Grand Masters of the Milnor Lodge.—We acknowledge the greater intimacy of those editors with the details of Masonry, and the officers and proceedings of the Lodges in this city. ¶ Since they have become so intimate with brothers Lynch and Gallagher, they have a decided advantage over us in these matters. Probably, indeed, they could now gain admission into Milnor Lodge through the influence of brothers Gazzam and Bradley. ¶ Be this, however, as it may, we acknowledge that we made a mistake in calling those dignitaries Grand Masters: we should have said Worshipful Masters. Perhaps, too, we made another mistake: a friend at our elbow suggests that Henry Baxter and Barney Coyle may now be Worshipful Masters of that very respectable Lodge."
1845-04-03: "Sheriff's sales," Pittsburgh Morning Post, [p. 2] (Newspapers.com 88168179): "ALSO, ¶ All the right, title, interest and claim of Henry Baxter, deceased, in the hands of Victoria Baxter, his Executrix, with notice to the heirs of said Henry Baxter, of, in and to all that certain lot or piece of ground situate in the city of Pittsburgh, bounded and described as follows, to wit: Beginning at the distance of 92 feet 6 inches from the corner of lots Nos. 405 and 406 in Fifth street, and running thence along the line of No. 406 to Virgin alley, thence by a line along Virgin alley 28 feet towards Market street, thence by a line parallel with Wood street towards Fifth street 147 feet 6 inches, more or less, and thence by a line running parallel with Fifth street 28 feet to the place of beginning—subject to a certain ground rent. On which are erected ten brick houses or tenements as by the diagram. Seized and taken in execution as the property of the said Henry Baxter, deceased, in the hands of his Executrix, with notice to the heirs, &c., at the suit of John M. Davis, for use."
