Source:Naming-of-streets
"Naming of streets huge problem to Father Pitt." Pittsburgh Press, Apr. 6, 1930, news section, p. 1. Newspapers.com 146396634.
The problems of the heroine of the Mother Goose rhyme who "had so many children that she didn't know what to do" are simple as compared to the troubles that over 5,000 streets cause Father Pitt.
Not least among these worries is the problem of finding suitable names for all of them.
The parents of large families—after naming various "future presidents" John, James, Joseph, Ann, Mary and Jane, often have difficulty in finding names for later arrivals. Compassion is in order then for Father Pitt, who is naming his six thousandth.
Celebrities Honored
Pittsburgh early used up the usual street names, such as Main, Market, Center, Water and Front. The names of pioneer families were used, then the names of the nation's famous folk.
Streets were named for battles, cities, states, nations, trees, Indians, saints, Biblical places, girls and games. But new streets were made and suburbs annexed, and more names had to be evolved.
Just any name won't do. They have to be dignified and at the same time pleasing to the ear.
Council must pass on the name to be given to any street and on any changes that are to be made. People living on the street may suggest names. If they do not, Council chooses one.
Variations of existing names—that's what they're down to now. But try to find any more variations of this combination—Ibex, Ibis, Ibsen, Iberia—or of this—Iola, Iona, Ionic, Iota, Iowa.
The "ways" have suffered the most, perhaps, from this struggle.
We have Back Way, Best Way, Bill's Way, Drain Way, Drive Way, Endo Way, Front Way, Gaza Way, Mid Way, My Way, Nesta Way, Nice Way, Our Way, Rear Way, Roll Way, Side Way, Tut Way and Water Way—all excellent ways, but the names do sound queer.
Commodity Names
Pittsburgh honors various commodities of every day [sic] use by naming streets Gasoline, Gas, Paper, Linoleum and Dressing.
Streets are named Hyphen, Hyperion, Hypolite, Index, Calliope, Album, Alumni, Brewery, Diploma and Doll.
Many street names prove "jawbreakers" for modern Pittsburghers. Some of these are Hartranft, Kosciosko [sic], Liedertafel, Mawhinney, Melancthon, Schmuttgen, Desdemona and Dunfermline.
What's to be done about the situation? Nothing! Some cities have more streets than Pittsburgh. And they keep on naming them.
