Denny Street

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See also De Soto Street, which was originally named Denny Street.
Denny Street
Neighborhood Lower Lawrenceville
Origin of name Harmar Denny

Denny Street is most likely named for Harmar Denny (1794–1852), a lawyer and member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.[1] In the mid-19th century, Denny owned a large triangular tract of land here.[2] This land later became Iron City Park,[3][4] with Denny Street along the northeast edge.[4]

However, most sources say instead that the street is named for Ebenezer Denny (1761–1822), first mayor of Pittsburgh (1816–1817) and the father of Harmar Denny.[5][6][7][8][9][10] The 1816 city charter of Pittsburgh required the select and common councils to elect one of the city aldermen as mayor. Denny received 15 of 23 votes cast on July 9, 1816, at the second ever meeting of these councils.[1][11] This origin is possible, but the location of the street at the edge of the old property of Harmar Denny strongly suggests the street is named for him.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 George T. Fleming. "Growth of city in century is great: Celebration of charter anniversary directs attention to progress made: Noteworthy events." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Mar. 12, 1916, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85766545. [view source]fleming-growth
  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. S. N. & F. W. Beers. Map of Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Smith, Gallup & Hewitt, Philadelphia, 1862. LCCN 2012592151; 1862 layer at Pittsburgh Historic Maps (https://esriurl.com/pittsburgh). [view source]beers
  4. 4.0 4.1 Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs, p. 54. 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
  5. George T. Fleming. "Wood's [sic] plan of Pittsburgh: Thomas Vickroy's account of the survey of 1784 and parts taken in city's early life by Craig and Bayard." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Dec. 13, 1914, sec. 2, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85908612. [view source]fleming-woods
  6. Annie Clark Miller. Early Land Marks and Names of Old Pittsburgh: An address delivered before the Pittsburgh Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution at Carnegie Institute, Nov. 30, 1923, p. 32. Pittsburgh Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, 1924. Historic Pittsburgh 00awn8211m; Internet Archive earlylandmarksna00mill. [view source]miller
  7. "Street names sketch history of city: Tribute to many pioneers dimmed by time." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sept. 26, 1936, anniversary section IV, p. 16. Newspapers.com 88921069. [view source]street-names
  8. James K. DeLaney. "Spectres of past haunt Pittsburgh's corner signposts: Street names 'pennants of tribute.'" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mar. 30, 1967, [p. 41]. Newspapers.com 88235360. [view source]delaney
  9. Bill Toland. The Morning File. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 15, 2007, p. A-2. Newspapers.com 96650982. [view source]toland
  10. Bob Regan. The Names of Pittsburgh: How the city, neighborhoods, streets, parks and more got their names, pp. 61, 67. The Local History Company, Pittsburgh, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9770429-7-5. [view source]regan
  11. History of Pittsburgh and Environs, vol. 2, pp. 58, 61. American Historical Society, New York and Chicago, 1922. Google Books 3staAAAAYAAJ, TPUMAAAAYAAJ; HathiTrust 011262563; Internet Archive historypittsbur00yorkgoog, historypittsbur02socigoog. [view source]history-pgh-environs-2