Wenzell Avenue

From Pittsburgh Streets
Wenzell Avenue
Neighborhoods Banksville, Beechview
Origin of name Henry Wenzel
South Street (1890s)
Origin of name Road leading south from Banksville
Banksville Road (1900s)
Origin of name Road leading to Banksville
Banksville Avenue (until 1910)
Origin of name Street leading to Banksville
Wenzell Way (1909–1918)
Origin of name Henry Wenzel

This road was laid out in 1832.[1] It appears, unlabeled, in maps of Allegheny County from 1851 and 1862.[2][3] The 1876 and 1886 Hopkins atlases also show the road with no name,[4][5] but in the 1896 edition the northern end of the road, in Banksville, is labeled South Street,[6] presumably because it led south from Banksville. The 1905 edition still shows the name South Street for the northern portion, but the southern portion is labeled "Brownsville Road" (probably an error for Banksville Road), with an indication that it was formerly named South Street.[7]

The name Wenzell Way (from West Liberty Avenue to the city line at Mackinaw Avenue) was officially established by a Pittsburgh city ordinance in 1909.[8] Banksville Avenue, between Mackinaw Avenue and Catalpa Street (today Crosby Avenue), was renamed Wenzell Way in 1910 and again, redundantly, in 1911.[9][10]

The 1910 Hopkins atlas still shows "Brownsville Road" north of Mackinaw Avenue, but gives the name "Wenzel Avenue" to the portion to the south.[11] The 1917 edition labels the whole length of the street Wenzell Way.[12]

Wenzell Way was renamed Wenzell Avenue in 1918.[13]

It is named for an early landowner at the southern end of the road, whose name was spelled in many ways. The 1851 map shows the house of "G. Waitzel".[2] In 1862, we have "H. Wenzel";[3] in 1876, "H. Wesel";[4] and in 1886, "H. Wentzel."[5] The 1896 Hopkins atlas gives the full name "Henry Wentzel,"[6] the 1905 and 1910 editions spell the name "Henry Wenzel,"[7][11] and in 1917 we are back to "Henry Wentzel."[12]

See also

References

  1. South Pittsburgh Development Corporation. Brookline, p. 9. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, S. C., 2005, ISBN 978-0-7385-3724-5. LCCN 2004113373. [view source]spdc
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sidney & Neff and S. McRea. Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with the Names of Property-Holders. Philadelphia, 1851. LCCN 2012592150. [view source]sidney-neff
  3. 3.0 3.1 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
  4. 4.0 4.1 Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 45. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1876. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1876-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; included in the 1872 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1876
  5. 5.0 5.1 Atlas of the Vicinity of the Cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny, Pennsylvania, plate 22. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1886. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1886-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; included in the 1882 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1886
  6. 6.0 6.1 Real Estate Plat-Book of the Southern Vicinity of Pittsburgh, Penna., plates 3, 10. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1896. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1896%E2%80%93plat-book-southern-pittsburgh; included in the 1890 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1896
  7. 7.0 7.1 Real Estate Plat-Book of the Southern Vicinity of Pittsburgh, plates 15, 16. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1905. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1905-plat-book-southern-pittsburgh; included in the 1903–1906 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1905
  8. "An ordinance changing and establishing the names of certain avenues, streets, lanes and alleys in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth wards of the City of Pittsburgh (formerly known as the Boroughs of West Liberty and Beechview)." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1909, no. 375. Passed Oct. 14, 1909; approved Oct. 20, 1909. Ordinance Book 20, p. 614. 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. 146–150, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1910 (Google Books doQzAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust uiug.30112108223832; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1909). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Nov. 11, 1909, p. 8 (Newspapers.com 86421216), and Nov. 12, p. 11 (Newspapers.com 86421491). [view source]ordinance-1909-375
  9. "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets, lanes and alleys in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 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-1910-715
  10. "An ordinance changing the names of certain streets, avenues and alleys in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1911, no. 558. Passed Feb. 14, 1911; approved Feb. 16, 1911. Ordinance Book 22, p. 498. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh for the years 1910–1911, appendix, pp. 322–323, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1911 (Google Books 0X0zAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust uiug.30112108223840; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1910). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Mar. 10, 1911, p. 13 (Newspapers.com 86499788), and Mar. 11, p. 13 (Newspapers.com 86499822). [view source]ordinance-1911-558
  11. 11.0 11.1 Atlas of Greater Pittsburgh, plate 28. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1910. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1910-atlas-greater-pittsburgh; 1910 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1910
  12. 12.0 12.1 Plat-Book of the City of Pittsburgh, vol. 7, plate 11. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1917, revised 1928. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1917-volume-7-plat-book-pittsburgh-south-side-southern; included in the 1923 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1917-vol-7
  13. "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets and ways in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1918, no. 30. Passed Feb. 18, 1918; approved Mar. 2, 1918. Ordinance Book 29, p. 322. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the year 1918, appendix, pp. 61–62, McClung Printing Company, Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1918). [view source]ordinance-1918-30