Cemetery Street
| Cemetery Street | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood | Fineview |
| Origin of name | St. Mary's Cemetery |
| Morris Street (until ca. 1880) | |
| Origin of name | Mary or John Morris |
This street appears in the 1872 Hopkins atlas as Morris Street, with its eastern terminus at St. Mary's Cemetery.[1] It was probably named for a Mary Morris, who owned a house at the intersection with Willis Street (today Meadville Street),[1][2] or for John Morris, a laborer and iron puddler who lived near the same intersection.[1][3][4][5]
By 1882 the street had been renamed Cemetery Street, apparently to distinguish it from the disconnected segment of Morris Street further west (today Mercy Street).[6][2]
St. Mary's Cemetery was blessed on September 10, 1854, and on the same day the first burial took place.[7] A large chapel was built and blessed on November 6, 1870, with a seating capacity of about 300.[7] The chapel was used for burial ceremonies, an annual service on All Souls' Day (November 1), and occasional services at other times.[7] Below the chapel was a crypt that held the remains of the pastors of St. Mary's Church.[7]
However, in 1890 the cemetery was condemned by the City of Allegheny.[7] The next year a new cemetery in Ross Township was blessed, most of the bodies in the old cemetery were moved, and the old cemetery and chapel were abandoned.[7] In 1905 the chapel was vandalized by a thief in search of treasure; the caskets of three priests were pried out of the crypt and broken open, and the bones of the priests were scattered across the floor.[8][9][7] The deteriorating chapel, in its secluded location, also became the site of clandestine boxing matches, chicken fights, and games of poker and craps.[7][10] The chapel was finally torn down in 1913, with its bricks and lumber being used to build a stable.[10]
The old cemetery later became the site of the WWSW radio transmission tower, completed in 1939.[11][12] The transmitter was adapted to support FM broadcasts in 1941.[13] Television broadcasts began in 1957 under the call letters WIIC,[14][15] which became WPXI in 1981.[16][17] Also in 1981, the easternmost block of Cemetery Street was renamed Television Hill Street.[18]
Bob Regan includes "Cemetery" in his "Streets of Pittsburgh" crossword puzzle, clued as "Collection of large parcels of land used for burying deceased persons."[19] Unfortunately this is just a (slightly odd) dictionary definition of cemetery and gives no information about the origin of the name.
See also
- Morris Street, for other streets that have had that name
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 92. 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
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Real Estate Plat-Book of the City of Allegheny, vol. 2, plate 5. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1890. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1890-volume-2-plat-book-allegheny; included in the 1890 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source] hopkins-1890-allegheny-vol-2
- ↑ George H. Thurston and J. F. Diffenbacher. Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Cities and Parts of Adjoining Townships, for 1874–75. Thurston & Diffenbacher, Pittsburgh, 1874, p. 415. Historic Pittsburgh 31735055723179. [view source] thurston-diffenbacher-1874
- ↑ George H. Thurston and J. F. Diffenbacher. Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny for 1875–76: Embracing a general directory of the residences of citizens; a full classified business directory; a register of public institutions, benevolent societies and city governments; a directory of the streets, secret societies, schools and churches. Thurston & Diffenbacher, Pittsburgh, 1875, p. 410. Historic Pittsburgh 31735056286960. [view source] thurston-diffenbacher-1875
- ↑ George H. Thurston and J. F. Diffenbacher. Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny for 1876–7: Embracing a general directory of the residences of citizens, full classified business directory, register of public institutions, benevolent societies and city governments, directory of the streets, secret societies, schools and churches. Thurston & Diffenbacher, Pittsburgh, 1876, p. 418. Google Books 8dkCAAAAYAAJ; Historic Pittsburgh 31735038288480. [view source] thurston-diffenbacher-1876
- ↑ J. F. Diffenbacher. J. F. Diffenbacher's Directory of Pittsburgh & Allegheny Cities for 1882–'83: Embracing a general directory of residences of citizens, full classified business directory, register of public institutions, benevolent societies, and city government; directory of the streets, secret societies, schools and churches, twenty-sixth [sic] annual issue. Diffenbacher & Thurston, Pittsburgh, 1882, p. 50. Historic Pittsburgh 31735051650889. [view source] diffenbacher-1882
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 "Old landmark on Northside tumbling down: St. Mary's cemetery chapel unable any longer to withstand ravages of time: Frequently desecrated: Abandoned 21 years, it has been used for boxing and chicken fights." Pittsburgh Post, Nov. 17, 1912, fourth section, p. 6. Newspapers.com 86387889. [view source] old-landmark
- ↑ "Vandals prowl in church yard: Treasure lures them to desecrate priests' graves in old St. Mary's." Pittsburg Press, June 26, 1905, p. 16. Newspapers.com 141838627. [view source] vandals-prowl
- ↑ "Allegheny lies upon nine hills: Eternal City's distinction has its counterpart in portion of Greater Pittsburgh: Many picturesque spots." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Oct. 6, 1907, fourth section, p. 6. Newspapers.com 85423001. [view source] nine-hills
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Nunnery Hill chapel razed: Landmark on Northside torn down after 50 years' existence." Pittsburgh Post, Feb. 16, 1913, second section, p. 6. Newspapers.com 87976976. [view source] nunnery-hill-chapel-razed
- ↑ "Antenna tower completed for radio station WWSW: Slender spire rises 350 feet on Northside hill; new transmitter building under way." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sept. 23, 1939, p. 5. Newspapers.com 88915331. [view source] antenna-tower
- ↑ Si Steinhauser. "New radio tower is completed: WWSW prepares to dedicate plant within city." Pittsburgh Press, Oct. 5, 1939, p. 20. Newspapers.com 141368609. [view source] new-radio-tower
- ↑ "A sailor makes it ship-shape." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 13, 1941, p. 18. Newspapers.com 89890145. [view source] sailor-makes-it-ship-shape
- ↑ "Channel 11 affiliated with NBC: July 15 is target date for opening of new TV station." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mar. 30, 1957, p. 1. Newspapers.com 89451365. [view source] channel-11-affiliated
- ↑ "Channel 11 going on air tomorrow: 5 p. m. dedication to be followed by NBC programs." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 31, 1957, p. 1. Newspapers.com 89442541. [view source] channel-11-going-on-air
- ↑ Barbara Holsopple. "ABC premieres 'Breaking Away' tomorrow: WIIC-TV officials negotiating for call letters WPXI." Pittsburgh Press, Nov. 28, 1980, p. D-14. Newspapers.com 146788004. [view source] holsopple-wiic
- ↑ Barbara Holsopple. "Through Freedom of Information Act: WDUQ-FM to air tapes of Jim Jones, followers." Pittsburgh Press, Apr. 18, 1981, p. B-12. Newspapers.com 146739050. [view source] holsopple-wduq
- ↑ "Resolution changing the name of Cemetary [sic] Lane, from Lanark Street to Meadeville [sic] Street in the Twenty-Fifth (25th) Ward of the City of Pittsburgh, to Television Hill Street." Pittsburgh city resolution, 1981, no. 624. Passed June 22, 1981; approved July 2, 1981; effective July 13, 1981. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the year 1981, appendix, p. 565 (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1981volA, Pghmunicipalrecord1981volB). [view source] resolution-1981-624
- ↑ Bob Regan. The Names of Pittsburgh: How the city, neighborhoods, streets, parks and more got their names, pp. 183–186. The Local History Company, Pittsburgh, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9770429-7-5. [view source] regan
