Notes:Ogle Way

Dispute about vacation of Ogle Way in the 1920s:

• 1925-12-28: Source:Ordinance-1925-565, "An ordinance vacating Grant Street, from Seventh Avenue to Liberty Avenue and Ogle Way, from Grant Street to William Penn Place."
• 1927-04-09: "Land deal of 1794 cited in dispute: Realty firm wants Ogle way to remain as street," Pittsburgh Post, p. 3 (Newspapers.com 88714115)
• 1928-11-27: "Council cannot vacate streets: Court holds action of city is illegal," Pittsburgh Press, p. 1 (Newspapers.com 146458385)
• 1928-11-28: "Decision may void vacation of many roads: Claimed illegal to give up streets to firms—solons disagree with court," Pittsburgh Press, p. 2 (Newspapers.com 146460255)
• 1929-10-04: "Realty firm's appeal heard: Obstruction of Ogle way claimed by plaintiff," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. 9 (Newspapers.com 89750771)
• 1930-03-04: "Ogle Way case over: U. S. Supreme Court refuses review," Pittsburgh Press, p. 6 (Newspapers.com 141335455)

Eugene Jannuzi, "New Nixon being readied for stage shows," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 24, 1950, Daily Magazine, [p. 1] (Newspapers.com 87859510): Marquee of new Nixon Theater extended entirely across Ogle Way.

Claimed connections to staring:

• 1954-08-10, Source:Danver-1954: "Well Named ¶ William L. Zepp, of Duquesne, was in town recently seeing the sights. He was amused to discover that the little alley leading to the stage door of the Nixon Theater, where during the season the boys hang around to stare at the visiting show girls, is appropriately named—Ogle Way."
• 1956-04-14, Source:Danver-1956: "Well Named ¶ A fella on the phone (who doesn't care to have his name used, naturally), reminds that Ogle Way is the place to go to ogle the girls in 'Strip for Action.' It's a short alley running between Liberty Avenue and William Penn Place, beside the theater."
• 1963-03-02, Source:Danver-1963-03-02: "Glass Reflections ¶ PASSING SHOW: Betty Logue, the red-headed Beau Brummell doll, on her way to work at the Ogle Way oglery, where she's a black-haired doll. New wig."
• 1979-03-29, Source:Browne-1979-03-29: "Well Named ¶ I'll be darned! I just noticed that a side street off Liberty Avenue's 'Porno Row' is named Ogle Way!"
• 1980-02-06, Source:Browne-1980-02-06: "Street Pairs ¶ If you know that Sandwich Street is near Tambellini's restaurant in Mt. Washington and that Ogle Way is near a Liberty Avenue porno theater, you ought to know where Romeo Street is. Right near Juliet Street, of course."
• 1981-02-02, Source:Browne-goalie: "Strip trip ¶ The opening of Pittsburgh's new convention center and the completion of the Heinz Hall plaza will result, I think, in the end of Liberty Avenue's ordeal as Downtown's porno promenade. You can bet the flesh peddlers won't just go away, which means some other Downtown street will inherit the tawdry trade. Maybe it'll be Ogle Way, which runs off Liberty Avenue."
• 1982-01-22, Source:Deasy: "Ogle Way used to rub up against the old Nixon Theater and got its name from passers-by who used to stand and ogle the actors and actresses."
• 1985-11-06, Source:Browne-1985-11-06: "Street planning ¶ I know that Liberty Avenue was named in recognition of early Pittsburghers' love of freedom but I wonder who named – and why – a street that runs off upper Liberty. It's right beside a theater that features XXX skin shows and films. The street is named Ogle Way. Plenty of ogling in that area."
• 1986-04-06, Source:Davidson: "3. Liberty and Ogle. Ogle Way is a short block, near the end of Downtown where strippers have traditionally performed their freestyle dances for audiences of ogling men. Is this liberty or licentiousness?"
• 1990-02-09, Source:Oneill-street-signs (1990-02-09):

How did all these streets get their names? Most city files show only when the street was named, not why.

Which is disappointing, because there's an alley between William Penn Place and Liberty Avenue, a narrow, one-way street tucked between a parking lot and the backs of some businesses, that's all but yelling for a biography.

The shiny new street sign took me by surprise when my EBA bus went by it recently. I figured some city planner had a sense of humor.

From this sign, you can see advertisements across the avenue for "Popular and Adult Magazines," "Doctor Johnson's Love Products" and videos with "private booths; private viewings." A few steps east would take you to Mike's Adult Books, and beyond that is Chez Kimberly, which advertises "Girls, Girls, Girls."

The street sign says you're standing on Ogle Way.

Serpa's records show that it was dubbed Ogle on April 5, 1910, when the city decided to rename old Oak Alley. Serpa thinks the switch had something to do with the Aldine Theatre Building, which was built shortly thereafter, but he can't be sure.

What does it matter? If you're at Liberty, step right up to Ogle. It's one geographical joke you don't need Boscoe to bring together.