Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-14

hamtschatka street." remarked Dr. John
W. Jordan, librarian Of the Historical So.
e,ely OF Pennsylvania, COMMUNICATE of the
Moravian Church, and an authority on The
geheolosy OF streets as well as the "Irirst
Families Of Philadelphia"
For my part" Doctor. Jordan said to
uay II am rather glad that the block In
question Is to be known as Union League
place, There is something distinctive and
Naluaple In such name, which would
luehtiIy II with the locality. I am in favor
OF local names, and we have too few of them
here In Philadelphia Uniformity OF street
names may be good from some viewpoints
but 1t destroys historical and local associa.
lions The old names are like landmarks
Long after the building or family for which
they are called has passed away they re-
man TO point out to the seeker the site
OF the place or preserve the name of the
person responsible for their existence.
Il would like to see Shippen street. Tur-
ners lane and other old names restored
Arch and Race streets should still be Mul.
perry and Sassafras in more than memory
London is noted for it's adherence to the
historic names of even ia courts and al.
leys preserving them long after the char.
acter of the street has changed and the
significance of the name is lost But the
very title itself always Keeps that history
In mind, and Philadelphia, which once had
many of such streets and ways, might
well go back to them instead of gradually
wiplng them out of existence
"As to Moravian street. 1 feel that the
designation of Union League place to the
block suggested is n good one. The first
Moravians had their church at Bread and
Race streets Then they moved to Frank.
lin and Wood streets, opposite Franklin.
Square
My father lived for nearly 80 years on
Arch street above 10th, and l remember
the church and its little graveyard well. 1t
remained until the congregation purchased
the present location on Fairmount avenue
near 18th street, out by Bush Hill, which
was one of my favorlte walks, and where
my father told me he had witnessed pub
Tic hangings. There never was n Moravian
church property along the present Mora
Wan street, so far as know, and the Sc
lection of the name must have been merely
a fancy one. / remember when 1t was laid
out, about the time of the Civil War when
the Union League, as the successor of the
Union Club, built its clubhouse at Broad
and SAMSON streets. after quitting its
original home on Chestnut street west of
llth, which afterward became the Bald
win mansions site, and is now a theatre
II am glad to see, in this connection, that
the Union League in all its growth has
not altered the Broad street building, but
makes its enlargements so as to preserve
the original appearance of that landmark
1t Is the last of the old buildings in that
block. l recall Clarke's grocery store, which
preceded the Bellevue, at Walnut street.
and the former home of the Academy of
Natural Sciences, north of SAMSON street
The Lafayette and the La Pierre House are
swallowed up by office buildings. Now only
the Union League remains, and it's impor-
tance not only as a club. but as a useful
civic institution, should keep it there"
The Rev. John S. Romig present pastor of
the First Moravian Church. corroborates
Doctor Jordan in the declaration that the his
tory of the denomination in this city reveals
no apparent reason why Moravian street
should have been so called. He too rather
welcomes the movement to give new name
to a portion of the street. From what 1
have seen of It," he said, II see no reason
why Moravians should be particularly proud
of the street bearing their name If the