The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-11
RAIEIGH'S STREETS.
TO and for Whom they Were Respec'
lively Named.

Nearly all the older people in Raleigh
| know more or less about the city's earl!
| history, but there are many of ou
younger people who know not how tht
| streets of the city received their names
In the year 1901 the Commissioners
appointed to select the site for the
State capitol completed their work anC
the territory now bounded by the streets
North. East South and West was lait
off by surveyor named Cnrlstmas. The
plan of the city was submitted to the
Commissioners and being greatly pleased
with the work they began naming the
streets.
First FIVE public squares were to be
named and these Union Square," in
which is the Capitol building; "Caswell
Square" named after the States first
Governor now the site of the State
School for the Blind; Mash Square, -
named after the second Governor of
North Carolina, which is faced by the
depot and still beans the name; Burke
Square" named for our third Governor,
now the site of the Governors Man
sion; and Moore Square," named in
commemoration of Alfred Moore, then
Attorney General of this State, and
since a member of the United States
Supreme Court, Familiarity known as the
Baptist Grove but is to this day
called by its original name.
At that time there were eight judicial
districts in the State, and the streets
of greatest Importance at that time
were named for these districts as fol-
lows: Edenton, Newbern, Wilmington,
Hillsboro, Halifax, Salisbury, Fayette-
vile and Morgan. The last named re-
ceived this title from the Western dis
trict, the court house of which was Nor
gan Town, now Morganton.
The remaining streets were named
later by the Commissioners, and each
was duly honored by street commemor-
ating himself The Commissioners lone
from each district were
Salisbury District-JameS Martin.
Newbern District-Frederick Hargett.
Edenton District-W. J. Dawson.
Halifax District-Thomas Blount.
Morgan District-Joseph Mcdowell Sr
Fayetteville Dish. w. Harrington.
Wilmington District-James Blood
worth.
Hillsboro District-Thomas Person.
STATE at Laf3e-A lille Jones.
There were four other streets named
Lcnoir. Cabarrus, Dayie and Lane. The
first after the Speaker of the Senate.
the second after the Speaker of the
House, the third after a General in the
Colonial Army, and the fourth after
Joseph Lane, the former owner of the
site of our capital city.
These streets were named one hundred
ard seven years ago, and to this day
retain their original names. In three or
four instances encroachments on the
city property nave been made, but the
uniform breadth of &C and 80 feet, which
was then established, has been enforced
and the city has lost little ground.
Concerning nearly all of the above
named men there are some interesting
stories related. but none more pleasant
than that told Of Col. BloOdworth and
his famous gun, "OId Bess.'' The Colo
mel. it is said, was man of considera-
bic means, a member of the General
Assembly, and presented the site of
Raleigh ITO the State provided a street
in the capital city be named for him.
That is why there is Bloodworth
street here
Colonel Bloodworth was a gun-smith
by trade. and made the wonderful long
range gun for his own use in the hunting
of bears, panthers. and deer. On page
355 of the second edition of Caruthers's
History of North Carolina you will find
an historic account of ''Old Bess.'' the
long-range rife Of Colonel BloOdworth.
which proved so destructive to the Brit
isll garrison of Wilmington, and whose
famous debut was made on the 4th of
July. Tradition has it that while the
Major was hunting once at Point Peter
fopposite Wilmington his dogs freed
several coons in big hollow cypress
tree. 1t seems there was big hole un-
der the root of the tree leading up into
the hollow of the tree, and that Major
Bloodworth made use of his knowledge
of the tree to try his gun on the British
soldiers when they came about the wa
ter front during their occupation of Will
m.ngton. 1t is said he had his blankets
and provisions in the tree, and made
it his hiding-place while the British
were There.