Pansy Way
| Pansy Way | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhoods | Point Breeze, Regent Square |
| Buttercup Alley (until 1910) | |
| Pansy Alley (1910–1914) | |
This alley was laid out in 1860 in the Park Place plan of George E. Peebles, though that plan did not give it a name.[1] It was named Buttercup Alley by a Pittsburgh city ordinance in 1881.[2]
After Pittsburgh annexed Allegheny City in 1907,[3] this name conflicted with another Buttercup Alley on the North Side (today Buttercup Way). Over 900 streets and alleys were renamed in 1910 to fix such duplications; Buttercup Alley in the East End became Pansy Alley.[4]
An article in the Pittsburg Press reporting on these name changes bemoaned the disappearance of Buttercup Alley: "The horticulturists on the committee were divided on the popularity of the buttercup and the pansy and the poor little plebian [sic] yellow buttercup was trampled out of existence. Buttercup alley, in the Fourteenth ward, becomes Pansy alley."[5] The writer failed to note that the name Buttercup Alley was being preserved on the North Side.
Pansy Alley became Pansy Way in 1914, when an ordinance changed all alleys in Pittsburgh to ways.[6]
In 1989, the City of Pittsburgh installed street signs at over 10,000 intersections. The new signs led to some surprises for long-time residents who had never heard of the official names of alleys. In an article in the Pittsburgh Press, Mary Pat Flaherty listed Pansy Way as one such name.[7]
See also
- Buttercup Alley, for other streets that have had that name
References
- ↑ "Park Place plan of lots: Laid out for George E. Peebles." Laid out May 1860; recorded July 17, 1869, Plan Book 3, pp. 310–311. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3778748. [view source] park-place-plan
- ↑ "An ordinance establishing the names of avenues, streets, lanes and alleys of the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1880–1881, 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-1880-1881-33
- ↑ Mark A. Connelly. "Allegheny City–Pittsburgh City 1907 Consolidation." Local Geohistory Project. https://www.localgeohistory.pro/en/pa/event/allegheny-city-pittsburgh-city-1907-consolidation/. [view source] lgeo-allegheny-annexation
- ↑ "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets, lanes and alleys in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1909–1910, no. 715. Passed Mar. 31, 1910; approved Apr. 5, 1910. Ordinance Book 21, p. 342. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh for the Years 1909–1910, appendix, pp. 312–328, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1910 (Google Books doQzAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust uiug.30112108223832; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1909). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Apr. 19, 1910, pp. 10–11 (Newspapers.com 86611990, 86612022), Apr. 20, pp. 10–11 (Newspapers.com 86612278, 86612297), and Apr. 21, pp. 10–11 (Newspapers.com 86612601, 86612625). [view source] ordinance-1909-1910-715
- ↑ "Councils to fix names of streets: Will pass finally on new selections ordered reported favorably by surveys committee—Historical Society aids City Clerk Clark: Some changes which are recommended." Pittsburg Press, Jan. 27, 1910, p. 5. Newspapers.com 141338336. [view source] councils-to-fix-names-of-streets
- ↑ "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
- ↑ Mary Pat Flaherty. "What's in a name? Grief when city changes street signs." Pittsburgh Press, Aug. 30, 1989, pp. A1, A4. Newspapers.com 145796154, 145796313. [view source] flaherty
