Beltzhoover Avenue
| Beltzhoover Avenue | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhoods | Allentown, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, Mount Washington |
| Origin of name | Beltzhoover family |
| Allen's Lane (mid-1800s) | |
| Origin of name | Joseph Allen |
Beltzhoover Avenue is named for the Beltzhoover family.
On June 25, 1794, Melchor Beltzhoover purchased 248½ acres of land from John Ormsby (see Ormsby Street) for the sum of 745 pounds, 10 shillings, and afterward added to his land holdings.[1] A portion of this land passed to his son Jacob Beltzhoover and then to Jacob's daughter Harriet Beltzhoover Murray, from whom Benjamin McLain and Thomas Maple purchased it in 1875 as the first property acquired for their Beltzhoover and Allentown developments.[1]
A road in the location of modern Beltzhoover Avenue north of Warrington Avenue appears in the 1862 map of S. N. and F. W. Beers.[2] C. A. Weslager says that this road was originally named Allen's Lane for Joseph Allen, whose homestead was there and for whom Allentown is named.[1] The borough of Allentown was incorporated in 1869[3][1] with Beltzhoover Avenue as its western boundary.[4] Allentown was annexed to the city of Pittsburgh in 1874.[3][1] The borough of Beltzhoover was incorporated in 1875,[5][6][3][1] named for the Beltzhoover family, early settlers in the area.[5][3][7][1] Beltzhoover was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1898.[3][1]
In 1930, a group of residents complained that the name Beltzhoover was too long, unpleasant to pronounce, and hard to spell (especially the Z), and proposed that it be renamed Victory Avenue, Tulane Avenue, or any other "short and euphonious" name. However, many other residents objected, and no change was made.[8][9][10][11][12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 C. A. Weslager. "Reminiscences of Beltzhoover and Allentown: Two old-time Western Pennsylvania boroughs." Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, vol. 49, no. 3, July 1966, pp. 251–262. https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/2808. [view source] weslager
- ↑ S. N. & F. W. Beers. Map of Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Smith, Gallup & Hewitt, Philadelphia, 1862. LCCN 2012592151; 1862 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] beers
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 History of Pittsburgh and Environs, vol. 3, p. 771. American Historical Society, New York and Chicago, 1922. Google Books k_kMAAAAYAAJ, QMtaAAAAYAAJ; HathiTrust 011262563; Internet Archive historyofpittsbu03flem. [view source] history-pgh-environs-3
- ↑ Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 100. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1872. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1872-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; 1872 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] hopkins-1872
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: Including its early settlement and progress to the present time; a description of its historic and interesting localities; its cities, towns and villages; religious, educational, social and military history; mining, manufacturing and commercial interests; improvements, resources, statistics, etc.: Also portraits of some of its prominent men, and biographies of many of its representative citizens, p. 53. A. Warner & Co., Chicago, 1889. Google Books DwzYAAAAMAAJ; Internet Archive historyofalleghe1889cush. [view source] history-of-allegheny-county
- ↑ A. A. Lambing and J. W. F. White. Allegheny County: Its early history and subsequent development, p. 71. Snowden & Peterson, Pittsburgh, 1888. Google Books 6bY-AAAAYAAJ; HathiTrust 008957728, 100693049; Historic Pittsburgh 00aee8946m; Internet Archive centennialhistor00lamb; LCCN 18008828. [view source] lambing
- ↑ History of Pittsburgh and Environs, [vol. 6?] (biographical), pp. 155–156. American Historical Society, New York and Chicago, 1922. Google Books iP9HAQAAMAAJ, UNAwAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust 011262563; Historic Pittsburgh 31735055723013. [view source] history-pgh-environs-6
- ↑ "Ask to change avenue's name: Residents want euphonius' [sic] substitution for Beltzhoover." Pittsburgh Press, Feb. 25, 1930, p. 9. Newspapers.com 141322994. [view source] ask-to-change
- ↑ "Find 'Beltzhoover' too hard to spell: Residents suggest 'Tulane Ave.' as more suitable name." Pittsburgh Press, Mar. 6, 1930, p. 21. Newspapers.com 141338956. [view source] find-beltzhoover
- ↑ "Beltzhoover groups heard: Row over proposal to change name is aired in council." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mar. 20, 1930, p. 3. Newspapers.com 88824288. [view source] beltzhoover-groups
- ↑ "Beltzhoover name debated by residents: Proponents and protestants of change cite 75-year life of designation: Planners' report favors retention: Expense to city cited as woman denies re-naming is her plan alone." Pittsburgh Press, Mar. 20, 1930, p. 25. Newspapers.com 141339610. [view source] beltzhoover-name
- ↑ George Swetnam. "Here in Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh Press, Sept. 29, 1947, p. 15. Newspapers.com 149729673. [view source] swetnam
