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KD Country: Pittsburgh Names

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Aug 31, 2009 6:50 pm US/Eastern

KD Country: Pittsburgh Names

Reporting
Dave Crawley
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Did you know that Kennywood Park began as Kenny's Woods, and Shadyside was named for a long ago book? That information and more can be found in a much newer book with the self explanatory title: "The Names of Pittsburgh."

Author Bob Regan says his book answers questions many of us have wondered about. Like the neighborhood of Fairywood.

"As far as I could tell it's a made up name by the railroad," Regan said.

Then there's Troy Hill.

"Elizabeth Seymour who lived in that area named that area for her birthplace in Troy, N.Y.," Regan said. "Squirrel Hill is an easy one because that's where Indians used to hunt squirrel."

He wraps up a discussion of Pittsburgh Hills with the origin of Billy Buck Hill.

"That's on the South Side Slopes, and there used to be a little store there that had billy goats in the yard," Regan said.

The Manchester neighborhood is one of many named for communities in England, including Brighton Heights, Soho, and the

Birmingham section of the South Side.

England isn't the only country we've borrowed from.

"We're in the Mexican War Streets on the North Side," Regan said, standing by the sign post for Buena Vista Street. "Which were named after the Mexican War."

He said the city of Pittsburgh and Chatham University were named for the same English gentleman.

"William Pitt was the Earl of Chatham," Regan said.

He couldn't find answers for every question, however.

"The Golden Triangle was a little frustrating," Regan said "I couldn't find the exact origin. The first reference to it was in a 1914 Saturday Evening Post article."

Finally, he explains the origin for the call letters "KDKA."

"The station letters were assigned by the Marine Broadcasting Service."

"The Names of Pittsburgh" is available at most area book stores.

For more information, log onto www.thelocalhistorycompany.com.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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