Herron Avenue

From Pittsburgh Streets
Herron Avenue
Neighborhoods Bedford Dwellings, Lower Lawrenceville, Middle Hill, Polish Hill, Upper Hill
Origin of name Herron family
Miner Street (until 1872)
Portion North of Centre Avenue
33rd Street (1872–1902)
Portion North of Milwaukee Street
Origin of name Sequential numbering up the Allegheny River

Herron Avenue is named for the pioneering Herron family. George T. Fleming, in a 1915 newspaper column about military origins of street names, highlights Major General Francis J. Herron as a member of this family.[1]

Maps from the 1850s and 1860s show Miner Street leading from Centre Avenue to Ridge Street (today Ridgway Street), following roughly the route of modern Herron Avenue.[2][3][4][5]

Herron Avenue is first listed in Boone's 1871 city directory with the description "from Centre av to Allequippa":[6] it originally ran along the southernmost portion of modern Herron Avenue from Centre Avenue to just south of Milwaukee Street, turning eastward along today's Wichita Way to Bryn Mawr Road, and then along Bryn Mawr Road to Andover Terrace (which was originally part of Allequippa Street).[7]

In 1872, Miner Street, from the Pennsylvania Railroad to Herron Avenue, was made part of 33rd Street.[8][9][10]

In 1902 Herron Avenue was rerouted to its modern course: the southern part of 33rd Street was renamed Herron Avenue, and the eastern part of old Herron Avenue became Bryn Mawr Road.[11][12]

References

  1. George T. Fleming. "Names recall Civil War heroes: Soldiers of national and local fame well commemorated in Pittsburgh: Battles also live." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, May 30, 1915, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85758872. [view source]fleming-civil-war
  2. 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
  3. The Cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, with Parts of Adjacent Boroughs, Pennsylvania. 1855. Historic Pittsburgh DARMAP0089; https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1688~130047; https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/32240; 1855 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). In George W. Colton, Colton's Atlas of the World: Illustrating physical and political geography, J. H. Colton & Co., New York, 1856 (https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/view/search?q=Pub_List_No%3D0149.000). [view source]colton
  4. S. N. & F. W. Beers. Map of Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Smith, Gallup & Hewitt, Philadelphia, 1862. LCCN 2012592151; https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/31783; 1862 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]beers
  5. Woods' New Map of Pittsburgh, Allegheny and Surroundings: 1867. A. Hani, Pittsburgh, 1867. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/a9c4def0-d462-0135-7cac-417576d76635. [view source]woods-1867
  6. H. Boone. Directory of Pittsburgh & Allegheny Cities, the Adjacent Boroughs, and Parts of the Adjacent Townships, for 1871–72. Geo. H. Thurston, Pittsburgh, 1871, p. 32. Historic Pittsburgh 31735033431283. [view source]boone-1871
  7. Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 43. 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
  8. "An ordinance changing the name of Miner street, from Penna. R. R. to Herron avenue." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1872, no. 13. Passed Apr. 22, 1872. Ordinance Book 3, p. 196. In The Municipal Record: Containing the Proceedings of the Select and Common Councils of the City of Pittsburgh, Together with the Ordinances, &c.: With an Index, vol. IV, p. 48, Pittsburgh Daily Gazette, Pittsburgh, 1872 (Internet Archive pghmunicipalrecord1872). [view source]ordinance-1872-13
  9. 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. 11. Google Books 8dkCAAAAYAAJ; Historic Pittsburgh 31735038288480. [view source]thurston-diffenbacher-1876
  10. Atlas of the Cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny, plates 7, 10. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1882. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1882-atlas-pittsburgh-allegheny; 1882 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]hopkins-1882
  11. "An ordinance changing the name of Thirty-third street, between Ruthven street and Herron avenue, to 'Herron avenue.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1902, no. 556. Passed Mar. 10, 1902; approved Mar. 11, 1902. Ordinance Book 14, p. 424. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1901–1902, appendix, p. 213, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1902 (Google Books vMJEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096598960; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecordselect1901). [view source]ordinance-1902-556
  12. "An ordinance changing the name of Herron avenue, between the intersection of Herron avenue with Thirty-third street and Centre avenue, to 'Bryn Mawr road.'" Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1902, no. 557. Passed Mar. 10, 1902; approved Mar. 11, 1902. Ordinance Book 14, p. 425. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1901–1902, appendix, p. 213, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1902 (Google Books vMJEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096598960; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecordselect1901). [view source]ordinance-1902-557