Notes:Bank Lane
1788: Source:Reserve-tract shows a lane laid out along the banks of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, except for a detour around the mouth of a stream that flowed through the (West) Commons. This detour is what causes most of this confusion.
1828: Source:Out-lots-32-36-plan
1892-06-04, Source:Streets-mixed-up: "One of the old streets that will cause the most trouble, however, is what is known on the original survey as Bank lane. It runs from South avenue along the river bank to Beaver avenue, and if opened will run straight through Lindsay & McCutcheon's mills, Excelsior Coffin Works, Labelle Steel Works and a number of other thriving manufactories."
Source:Old-state-body mentions Bank Lane twice
Source:Fleming-old-allegheny: "Bank lane has long since been South avenue."
Source:Fleming-old-penn-4: "The South Common extended from Seminary Hill to Cedar avenue, East, and was commonly called First and Second Banks, the former extending from the canal to Bank lane, the ground now occupied by the Pennsylvania tracks and station. The Second Bank embraced that part of the common from Stockton avenue to Bank lane, this latter now South avenue."
Source:Fleming-old-citizens: "Pennsylvania avenue was originally called Bank lane." This must be an error.
Source:Fleming-obstacles: "In the directory of 1856 we got the first note of Mr. Carnegie as a railroad official, as follows: 'Carnegie, Andrew, Supt. Department P, Central R. R., house, Rebecca, near Bank lane.' Above this is the line, 'Carnegie, Margaret, widow, Rebecca near Bank lane.' This was in old Allegheny. Rebecca street is now Reedsdale and Bank lane is South avenue."
Source:Fleming-firemens-riot: "In 1856, in George H. Thurston's directory of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny companies are given as the American Hose Company in East lane; the 'old Washington' at Jackson and Beaver streets; the William Penn in Bank lane, now South avenue, and 'the President and Uncle Sam not in use.'"
When was Bank Lane divided up and renamed?
Source:Thurston-1856, p. xxii: "Bank lane (see map)"
Source:Thurston-1857, p. 254: "Bank Lane, indefinite, sundry places" (similarly in Source:Thurston-1860, p. 364, and Source:Thurston-1861, p. 362)
Source:Thurston-1862, p. 357:
- "BALKHAM, farmerly [sic] Bank lane, from South Common to river"
- "MARTIN, formerly Bank lane, from Craig to School"
- "RIVER AVENUE, formerly Bank lane, from Darrah to city line"
- "SCHOLL [sic], formerly Bank lane, from South av to West Common"
- "SOUTH AVENUE, formerly Bank lane, from Mason to School"
Allegheny City Ordinances, 1840–1868:
- 1860-05-08: "An ordinance to authorize the grading and paving of the crossing of Bank Lane on the south end of Federal Street" (pp. 290–291).
- 1860-08-17: "An ordinance to prohibit encroachment on that part of the river fronting on the first ward" (p. 294): "Southern Avenue formerly Bank Lane"
- 1861-11-05: "An ordinance to grade & pave Western Avenue and sidewalk on School Street in the first ward" (pp. 313–314).
- 1862-06-05: "Resolution relative to River Avenue" (pp. 332–333).