Colby Street

From Pittsburgh Streets
Colby Street
Neighborhood Summer Hill
Christy Avenue (until 1923)
Portion North of Regulus Street
Origin of name F. S. Christy
Birch Street (1915–1923)
Portion South of Ames Street
Chelsea Avenue (1923–1933)
Portion North of Regulus Street

The majority of this street was originally named Christy Avenue. It was laid out through the estate of John Lighthill. It does not appear in the 1886 Hopkins atlas,[1] but it is shown, unlabeled, in the 1897 edition.[2] It is labeled "Christy Ave." on plans of lots from 1895 and 1897.[3][4] The latter plan was laid out by the surveyor F. S. Christy,[4] who was likely the source of the street name.

The southern part, from Mount Pleasant Road to just north of Ames Street, was laid out as Birch Street in 1915.[5]

Summer Hill was annexed to the City of Pittsburgh in 1922.[6] The next year, a Pittsburgh city ordinance changed Birch Street to Colby Street and Christy Avenue to Chelsea Avenue.[7]

Colby Street and Chelsea Avenue were connected by the Summer Hill Terrace plan of lots, laid out in 1928.[8] In 1933, a city ordinance made Chelsea Avenue part of Colby Street.[9]

References

  1. Atlas of the Vicinity of the Cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny, Pennsylvania, plate 7. 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
  2. Real Estate Plat-Book of the Northern Vicinity of Pittsburgh, plate 13. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1897. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1897-plat-book-northern-pittsburgh. [view source]hopkins-1897
  3. "Plan of lots located in Reserve Twp laid out for David Lighthill: Being subdivision of part of purpart 'D' of the Lighthill estate." Recorded Apr. 9, 1895, Plan Book 15, p. 87. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3781130. [view source]david-lighthill-plan
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Plan of lots located in Reserve Township: Laid out for Mrs. Margaret L. Aikin: Being a subdivision of part of Purpart 'B' of the Lighthill estate." Laid out Feb. 1897; recorded Apr. 21, 1897, Plan Book 16, p. 86. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3781277. [view source]margaret-l-aikin-plan
  5. "Eastside plan of lots: Laid out for D. L. Patterson hrs.: Situated in Reserve Twp. All'y. Co. Pa." Laid out July 1915; recorded Sept. 20, 1915, Plan Book 27, pp. 34–35. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3783133. [view source]eastside-plan
  6. Mark A. Connelly. "Pittsburgh City Ordinance 382." Local Geohistory Project. https://www.localgeohistory.pro/en/pa/event/pittsburgh-city-ordinance-382/. [view source]lgeo-summer-hill-annexation
  7. "An ordinance changing the names of various streets, avenues, lanes, roads, alleys and ways in the Twenty-sixth Ward (formerly Reserve Township)." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1923, no. 446. Passed Nov. 26, 1923; approved Nov. 30, 1923. Ordinance Book 35, p. 12. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the year 1923, appendix, pp. 329–330, Kaufman Printing Company, Pittsburgh (Google Books XkEtAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust uiug.30112108223980; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1923). [view source]ordinance-1923-446
  8. "Summer Hill Terrace plan of lots: 26th Ward Pitsburgh, Pa.: Laid out for Albert Knopp." Laid out Aug. 1928; recorded Jan. 17, 1929, Plan Book 33, pp. 122–123. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3784032. [view source]summer-hill-terrace-plan
  9. "An ordinance changing the names of certain avenues, streets, roads and ways in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1933, no. 121. Passed May 29, 1933; approved May 31, 1933. Ordinance Book 45, p. 241. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the year 1933, appendix, p. 72, City Printing Co., Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1933). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 5, 1933, p. 25 (Newspapers.com 89887815), and June 6, p. 23 (Newspapers.com 89888832). [view source]ordinance-1933-121