Powhattan Street

From Pittsburgh Streets
(Redirected from Powhatan Street)
Powhattan Street
Neighborhood Bloomfield
Origin of name Powhatan people or Powhatan, a Powhatan leader
Sciota Street (until 1900)
Powhatan Street (1900–1910)
Origin of name Powhatan people or Powhatan

This street first appears in the 1899 Hopkins atlas, where it is labeled as part of Sciota Street.[1] It was renamed Powhatan Street, with one T, by a city ordinance in 1900.[2] Ten years later, another ordinance officially established the names of all streets in Pittsburgh; this ordinance spelled the name (perhaps inadvertently) as Powhattan Street, with two Ts,[3] perhaps by analogy with Manhattan.

In 1904, A. G. McKean included "Powhattan" in a list of streets with Native American names, compiled through "an examination of the Pittsburg and Allegheny street directory."[4] The name almost certainly refers either to the Powhatan people of Virginia or to Powhatan (ca. 1547 – ca. 1618), the leader of the Powhatan people when English settlers landed at Jamestown in 1607 and the father of Pocahontas, but there is insufficient context to say which.

References

  1. Real Estate Plat-Book of the City of Pittsburgh, vol. 2, plate 6. G. M. Hopkins & Co., Philadelphia, 1899. http://historicpittsburgh.org/maps-hopkins/1899-volume-2-plat-book-pittsburgh-east. [view source]hopkins-1899-2
  2. "An ordinance changing the name of Sciota street, between Osceola street and Atlantic avenue, to 'Powhatan sereet' [sic]." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1900–1901, no. 107. Passed June 25, 1900; approved June 30, 1900. Ordinance Book 13, p. 275. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh, for the Year 1900–1901, appendix, p. 41, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1901 (Google Books DsBEAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust chi.096599021; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecordcommon1900). [view source]ordinance-1900-1901-107
  3. "An ordinance establishing the names of the avenues, streets, lanes and alleys in the City of Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh city ordinance, 1909–1910, no. 716. Passed Mar. 31, 1910; approved Apr. 5, 1910. Ordinance Book 21, p. 359. In Municipal Record: Minutes of the Proceedings of the [Select and Common Councils] of the City of Pittsburgh for the Years 1909–1910, appendix, pp. 328–381, Devine & Co., Pittsburgh, 1910 (Google Books doQzAQAAMAAJ; HathiTrust uiug.30112108223832; Internet Archive Pghmunicipalrecord1909). Reprinted in the Pittsburgh Post, Apr. 29, 1910, pp. 12–16 (Newspapers.com 86616256, 86616285, 86616314, 86616333, 86616343), and Apr. 30, pp. 12–16 (Newspapers.com 86616643, 86616672, 86616694, 86616726, 86616748). [view source]ordinance-1909-1910-716
  4. A. G. McKean. "Our Pittsburg letter." Courier (Connellsville, Penna.), Apr. 28, 1904, p. 6. Newspapers.com 37848766. [view source]mckean