Dante Way

From Pittsburgh Streets
Dante Way
Neighborhood Central Business District
Origin of name Probably Dante Alighieri, as a modification of the original name Denny
Fate Vacated in 1966
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Denny Alley (until 1881)
Origin of name Harmar Denny
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Dante Alley (1881–1914)
Origin of name Dante Alighieri, as a modification of Denny

Dante Way formerly ran from Sixth Avenue to Chatham Street, parallel to and just north of Webster Avenue (today Bigelow Square).[1]

It was originally named Denny Alley. It was probably laid out in a plan of lots by Harmar Denny in 1834: Denny was the owner of the surrounding land,[2] and nearby Prospect Street (later part of Bedford Avenue) was laid out in that plan.[3] Denny Alley is mentioned in a newspaper article from 1851, reporting a resolution brought before Common Council to grade the alley.[4] It appears, unlabeled, in R. E. McGowin's 1852 map, running from High Street (later Sixth Avenue) to Tunnel Street.[5] It was extended eastward to Chatham Street by 1872.[6] A plan of the property of the Denny estate, showing Denny Alley, was recorded in 1879.[7]

In 1881, a city ordinance renamed many streets and alleys to fix duplicates. In order to avoid confusion with Denny Street in Lawrenceville, Denny Alley was renamed Dante Alley.[8] The name probably refers to the Italian poet Dante Alighieri (ca. 1265 – 1321),[9] but it was likely chosen as a convenient modification of the name Denny.

Dante Alley became Dante Way in 1914, when another ordinance changed all alleys in Pittsburgh to ways.[10]

Dante Way was vacated in 1966 to make room for the construction of the U. S. Steel Tower.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Atlas of Greater Pittsburgh, plate 1. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1910. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1910-atlas-greater-pittsburgh; 1910 layer at PGH Historic Maps and Imagery (https://pittsburghpa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=25ed595c7bde40cdae7165261a9a3ad6). [view source] hopkins-1910
  2. ↑ Jean Barbeau and Lewis Keyon. Map of Pittsburgh and Its Environs. N. B. Molineux, Pittsburgh, 1830. Historic Pittsburgh DARMAP0576; https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/36c3ab00-57aa-0136-8f4f-08990f217bc9. [view source] barbeau
  3. ↑ "An ordinance vacating a portion of Prospect street, in the Second ward of the City of Pittsburgh, from Bedford avenue to Bigelow boulevard." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1917, no. 169. Passed Apr. 23, 1917; approved Apr. 25, 1917. Ordinance Book 28, p. 452. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the Year 1917, appendix, pp. 78–79, Eureka Printing Company, Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1917; https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_b17a2c86-a14e-483b-9030-7467198ee94f/; https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_725cecc9-3fba-4fc6-b2bc-ee70c6963e8d/). [view source] ordinance-1917-169
  4. ↑ "Home matters." Daily Pittsburgh Gazette, Dec. 30, 1851, [p. 3]. Newspapers.com 85635785. [view source] home-matters-1851-12-30
  5. ↑ R. E. McGowin. Map of the Cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny and of the Boroughs of South-Pittsburgh, Birmingham, East-Birmingham, Lawrenceville, Duquesne & Manchester etc. Schuchman & Haunlein, Pittsburgh, 1852. https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/32269. [view source] mcgowin-1852
  6. ↑ Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, pp. 25–26. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1872. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1872-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny. [view source] hopkins-1872
  7. ↑ "Plan showing the property of the Denny estate in the 5th, 7th and 8th Ward's Pittsburgh: Made from surveys of R. E. McGowin, C. M'Gowin and Z. W. Remington by Wm. F. Aull, civil engr and draughtsman." Laid out Mar. 1, 1879; recorded Aug. 1, 1879, Plan Book 6, pp. 178–179. Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds 3779403. [view source] denny-estate-plan
  8. ↑ "An ordinance establishing the names of avenues, streets, lanes and alleys of the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1880–1881, 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, Herald Printing Company, Pittsburgh, 1881 (Internet Archive pghmunicipalrecord1880; https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_b24d64b7-2eda-488e-a00b-cddc143becfd/). [view source] ordinance-1880-1881-33
  9. ↑ W. G. Kaufmann. "Names of streets: Pittsburg ransacked creation when doing its christening: Honors for local celebrities: The hard fighters and the noble Indians all taken care of: How other titles originated." Pittsburg Dispatch, Mar. 15, 1891, p. 15. Newspapers.com 76218287. [view source] kaufmann
  10. ↑ "An ordinance changing the name 'alley' on every thoroughfare in the City of Pittsburgh to 'way.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1914, no. 402. Passed Nov. 10, 1914; approved Nov. 16, 1914. Ordinance Book 26, p. 360. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh for the Year 1914, appendix, p. 226, McClung Printing Co., Pittsburgh (HathiTrust uiug.30112108223899; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1914; https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_a82f1363-0512-40c8-b4e5-f02b090b761d/; https://pittsburgharchives.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_bf8a4f10-7526-4a96-8943-6a220d361293/). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Nov. 23, 1914, p. 11 (Newspapers.com 86505785), and Nov. 24, p. 12 (Newspapers.com 86505809). [view source] ordinance-1914-402
  11. ↑ "An ordinance vacating Gazette Square, between Dante Way, Bigelow Boulevard and Pentland Street; a portion of Bigelow Boulevard, between Chatham Street, Pentland Street and Gazette Square, as widened by Ordinance No. 542, approved October 25, 1940; Chatham Street, between Pentland Street and Bigelow Boulevard; Pentland Street, between Seventh Avenue and Gazette Square; Unnamed Way, between Pentland Street and O'Neil Way; O'Neil Way, between Seventh Avenue and Strawberry Way; O'Neil Way, off Dante Way northwardly for a distance of 19.20 feet, more or less; Strawberry Way, between Grant Street and Gazette Square; Dante Way, between Sixth Avenue and Gazette Square; a portion of Bigelow Boulevard, from a point 114.96 feet south of Seventh Avenue to a point 331.00 feet, more or less, southwardly therefrom, all in the Second Ward of the City of Pittsburgh, abandoning all sewer and water lines in the vacated streets, and providing certain terms and conditions." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1966, no. 519. Passed Nov. 14, 1966; approved Nov. 22, 1966. Ordinance Book 68, p. 291. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: For the Year 1966, appendix, pp. 494–497, Park Printing, Inc., Pittsburgh (Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1966). [view source] ordinance-1966-519
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