Etymologies of place names in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Source of the place names in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Skyline
Place Name Source
Baltimore Avenue Originally Baltimore Pike , named for the destination city of Baltimore, Maryland
City Line Avenue Originally Decker Avenue (after the co-founder of Black and Decker , name comes from U.S. Route 1 straddling both the Philadelphia city line and the Montgomery County line.
Christopher Columbus Boulevard Formerly Delaware Ave, named in honor of the famous explorer.
Franklin Square, Benjamin Franklin Parkway Named for Benjamin Franklin.
Federal Street The road between the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Schuylkill Arsenal[1]
Girard Avenue, Girard Point, and Girard Point Bridge Named for financier Stephen Girard.
Kelly Drive Formerly East River Drive, named in honor of John B. Kelly, Jr.[2]
Lancaster Avenue Originally Lancaster Pike, named for the destination city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Manayunk The neighborhood's name comes from the word "manaiung," place where we go to drink, in the language of the Lenape[3]
Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive[4] Formerly West River Drive, named in honor of the slain civil rights leader.
Rittenhouse Square Named for David Rittenhouse.
Roosevelt Boulevard/Roosevelt Expressway Named for President Theodore Roosevelt.
South Street The original southern border of the city of Philadelphia, before the 1854 Act of Consolidation.
Washington Square Named for George Washington.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://ruins.wordpress.com/tag/schuylkill-arsenal/
  2. ^ http://www.gophila.com/P/Kelly_Drive_/201.html
  3. ^ http://www.manayunk.com/abouthist.asp
  4. ^ Taussig, Doron (January 13-19, 2005). "Fit for a King?". Philadelphia Citypaper., p. 36. www.citypaper.net/articles/2005-01-13/cb.shtml