Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-04-23
The streets.or Aiexnndria.

The StreetssOf Alexandria.
We have been asked several times Of late
to publish the names of the streete with the
reason why they arc so named. We comply
very readily, although the information has
bean before published.
The original town,-buiit upon narrow
bill, with the Potomac river on one side and
marsh On the other-was laid off in 1749
with but two streets-Fsirfax and Royal
rnnnjng north and south. The nomencla
ture of the old town was thus intended to
do honor to the royal family and The fami.
lies CT. Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Baron of
Cameron, within whose territory the town
was laid out. These two streets-Royal
and Fairiax-were crossed by central street
called Cameron street, after the li.le OF Lord
Fairfax, fanked on the cpe side by the ii.
ties ofthe male men1 bers OF tho royal family
king. Prince and Duke and on the other
by the titles of the royal femaes-Queen.
Princess and Duchess streets. The fact that
O stream which the Indians called Orc ko
creek ran along a portion Of the streets
which ought to have been csled Duchess
led, upon making the plGt .: the town to
banning the street after the water which
grew ard was enlarged in 1853 by the ad-
dition of one street 10 the west, which was
named Pitt street in honor ofLord Chatham,
while another street, added on the south at
the same time, was called after Gen. Wolfe,
the popular hero of the day, before whose
army Quebec had fallen. The next enlarge
ment, about the time of the Revolution, gave
US St. Asaph street which our fathers named
after John Halifax, Bishop of st. Asaph, In
Wales, trenchant writer in favor of the
liberties Of Virginia; and also one street
south which was chrs.eoed after the deter.
mined Wing editor of the North Briton news
paper, George Wilkes All the otherstreets
were named during OF aitsr the Revolution,
and we will recapituIate ard take them in
their order, starting frat from the strand, as
the riverside is called.
Union was named because il was laid out
in 1883 when the feeling in favor OF uniting
the country Was stroOg among our fathers.
A curva OF the river until that time had oc.
cupied with its waters the site of the street.
Water-17S3-na because, when the
town was laid cut the river came up to the
foot Of the hill which sloped from Fairfax
street to the waters edge. This street has
been renamed Lee III nonor Of Gen. r. e.
Lee
Fairfax-1749 after tho family of Lord
Fairfax.
RoyaI-1749-afte the royal family.
Pitt-1763--a Sir William Pitt.
St. Asaph-1774-after John Halifax,
Bishop of St. Asaph.
ngtop-17S3-aft the Father Of
bis Country.
Columbus-after the discoverer of the
Continent.
Alfred-after tho good King Alfred, the
founder of the common law.
Patrick and Henry-after tho great ora.
tor of Virginia.
Fayette-in honor of the French patriot of
that name.
Payne and Peyton-after families dis.
tinguished in the esrly history of the town.
Commerce--as q commercial thorough
fare.
West-after the family of Hugh West,
upon whose land q portion of the town was
built.
This concludes the streets running north
and south. The streets which run east and
west beginning at King and going south
are as follows:
Prince and Duke-uamed in 1149, for The
reasons already given
Potomac-commence on the south siGe
of Wolfe, between Lee and Union, and runs
through to Franklin.
Wo!fe-1763 after Gen, Wolfe.
Wilkes-1774-after George Wilkes.
Gbbon-17S3-in honor of the historian.
Franklin-to commemorate the Patriot
and philosopher.
Jefferson, lat Battery Rodgers,) in honor
of the author of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence.
Green-after General Green of Resolu-
tionary fame.
Church-because the Catholic church
stood st the intersection ofths street with
Washington.
South-because it was the southern Iimi:
of the town, and beyond the creek bank.
Penny Hill-becauss number of psupers
who died of the yellow fever 10 1880, were
buried there.
Coming north from King street. we have
Cameron, Queen, Princess aud Oroaoco, al
ready explained.
Montgomery-after the Revolutionary he
70 who fell at Quebec.
Madison-after the President OF ihat
name.
Wythe-after the statesman end Jurl5t CT
Virginia, George Wythe.
Pendletou-after Edmuod PendEetoD, the
Presidea. of the convention which passed
the ordnance ratifyiug for Virginia tbs pres
ent Constitution OF the United States.
Beyond this street, at the canal. there Is
onother which is sometimes called First
street.
Syrup of Figs
"a NATURES own true laxative. l. is the
IT, tokan ond the most effective