Sheridan Square

From Pittsburgh Streets
(Redirected from Wilberforce Street)
Sheridan Square
Neighborhood East Liberty
Origin of name Sheridan Square theater
Washington Street (until 1881)
Origin of name George Washington
Wilburforce Street (1881–1888)
Sheridan Street (1888–1914)
Origin of name Philip Sheridan

Sheridan Square is the last block of Sheridan Avenue, from Penn Avenue to Centre Avenue.

It appears, unlabeled, in the 1862 map of S. N. and F. W. Beers.[1] The 1882 Hopkins atlas shows it as Washington Street.[2]

It was officially renamed Wilburforce Street by an 1881 city ordinance establishing the names of all streets in Pittsburgh; it was one of seven streets named Washington that were renamed to fix the duplication with Washington Street in the Lower Hill (today Washington Place).[3] This name was probably an unintentional misspelling, as the more common spelling of the name is Wilberforce. Indeed, the same ordinance spelled the name Wilberforce when giving it as the terminus of Shakespeare Street.[3] The 1890 Hopkins atlas labels it Wilberforce Street.[4]

An 1888 city ordinance (which used the spelling Wilberforce) made it part of Sheridan Street, today Sheridan Avenue.[5]

The name Sheridan Square was chosen in 1913 for a theater on the triangular lot bounded by Penn, Centre, and Sheridan Avenues,[6][7] and the city council approved a corresponding name change for the street shortly after the theater opened.[8][9][10]

See also

References

  1. 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
  2. Atlas of the Cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1882. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1882-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; 1882 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1882
  3. 3.0 3.1 "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
  4. Atlas of the City of Pittsburgh, vol. 4. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1890. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1890-volume-4-atlas-pittsburgh; included in the 1890 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1890-vol-4
  5. "An ordinance changing the name of Wilberforce street, Twentieth ward, to Sheridan street." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1888, no. 20. Passed June 25, 1888; approved June 28, 1888. Ordinance Book 6, p. 405. Reprinted in the Pittsburg Press, June 30, 1888, [p. 3] (Newspapers.com 141355031), and July 3, [p. 8] (Newspapers.com 141355776). [view source]ordinance-1888-20
  6. "Sheridan Square name for new Eastend theater: Harris Amusement Co. feels it has made happy selection." Pittsburg Press, Sept. 14, 1913, p. 3. Newspapers.com 143389437. [view source]sheridan-square
  7. "Sheridan Square Theater to open on October 20." Pittsburgh Sunday Post, Sept. 21, 1913, second section, p. 5. Newspapers.com 87974861. [view source]sheridan-square-to-open
  8. "An ordinance changing the name of Sheridan street, between Penn avenue and Center avenue, to 'Sheridan Square.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1914, no. 177. Passed May 19, 1914; approved May 22, 1914. Ordinance Book 26, p. 100. Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, May 25, 1914, p. 10 (Newspapers.com 86501858), and May 26, p. 14 (Newspapers.com 86501876). [view source]ordinance-1914-177
  9. "Urge equipment of playgrounds: Residents of Arlington Heights ask for improvement at earliest date: Transferring of funds." Pittsburgh Post, Oct. 23, 1913, p. 2. Newspapers.com 86507073. [view source]playgrounds
  10. "This week's playbills: The Sheridan Theater." Pittsburgh Post, Oct. 21, 1913, p. 10. Newspapers.com 86507051. [view source]sheridan-theater