Streets named for soldiers in battle

“If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other it is the principle of free thought — not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935) U.S. Supreme Court justice

Editor’s note: The following is from Billie Jines’ 1996 booklet, “The Streets of Pea Ridge.” It has been updated to include new streets and those scheduled for future development.

All north-south streets are named after Union participants of the Battle of Pea Ridge; all east-west ones for their Confederate counterparts.

Confederate names

• Frost Street — Runs one block between South Curtis and South Davis streets at a corner where the Pea Ridge Car Wash stands. It honors Edwin Frost of Co. D, 4th Arkansas, who was killed in the Battle of Pea Ridge.

• Gates Lane — Turns left off of the northern segment of Hayden Road (Ark. Hwy. 265) not far from the Missouri line. Along that route, Hayden (265) weaves in and out of the narrow strip of Pea Ridge city limits that goes all the way to the state line with Otter Creek following off to the right. Gates honors Col. Elijah Gates of the 1st Missouri Brigade under Gen. Sterling Price.

• Gorham Lane — A very short street directly across from City Park, turning east off of Hayden Road (Ark. Hwy. 265). Gorham was named for Capt. James C. Gorham, who led a Missouri battery of Confederates.

• Greene Street — Runs from West Pickens Road to the south and west diagonally to Weston Street. Or from Weston Street, it is found the next street to the right after passing Hill Lane that leads into the Pea Ridge Cemetery. The original naming committee said that Greene honors Col. Colton Greene, who led the Confederate’s 3rd Brigade of Missouri Volunteers. In April 1999, the street received a second honoree, Henderson Parmer Greene, who fought in the Battle of Pea Ridge. He also kept a diary during this time. Henderson P. Greene was also the father of two generations of Pea Ridge doctors.

• Greer Street — Turns southerly off of East Pickens Road the first street east of North Davis Street. It is one of the city’s longest streets, winding its way all the way to Lee Town Road a mile away. Or, from Lee Town Road, take the first road to the left, after passing Lee Town Drive. Greer starts in the city, but much of it is outside the limits. Greer was named for Col. Elkanah Greer of the Confederacy’s 3rd Texas Cavalry. Much mention is made of Col. Greer in the important book, Pea Ridge/Civil War Campaign in the West, by Shea and Hess. One incident helps the reader realize how the chaos following the deaths of both Gens. McCulloch and McIntosh affected the first day’s fighting at the battle. Col. Greer and his men stood as ordered on Little Mountain (now called Round Top) for three hours, becoming increasingly anxious and realizing that something must be wrong. The colonel kept sending couriers to no avail. Finally, Capt. Bradfute, an aide to Gen. McCulloch, showed up but didn’t tell Greer that Gens. McCulloch and McIntosh both were dead. Inexplicably, the authors of the book said, because Greer was the second-ranking officer in the cavalry brigade after Gen. McIntosh.

• Hall Drive — Turns west off of South Curtis Avenue just south of the Pea Ridge Emergency Services Building. It honors John Hall, Co. F, 22nd Arkansas. Hall survived the war; he drew a Confederate pension in Benton County after the war.

• Harris Street — Crosses South Curtis Avenue and heads both east and west. This street name was selected by long-time city employee, Charles Hardy, to honor three brothers from here who fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge. They were George, John and Newton Harris. Documentation for their local battle connection came from the book, “The Empire Builders,” the genealogy of the Harris family prior to and after locating in Pea Ridge Country in 1849. The book had been researched and published by Clarence A. Harris. Charles is one of many descendants of these men, who participated in the local battle.

• Hays Street — Hays Street turns east off of Carr Street, passes Lyon and then circles south onto Price Street. Or turning west off of North Curtis Avenue onto Price Street, go one block and turn onto Hays, which circles back to the west after one block. It honors Capt. T.T. Hays, according to what the original committee told me in 1959. They said that Capt. Hays organized one of the first Confederate companies in Benton County. He was born in Alabama in 1825, and fought at Wilson’s Creek, Mo., Pea Ridge and others. He surrendered at Marshall, Texas, in 1865.

• Hazelton Road — Turns west off of Weston Street about midway between Slack Street and Pickens Road. As it heads due west, it travels but a short distance inside the city limits before becoming a county road. This street apparently does not honor a combatant of the Battle of Pea Ridge. None were found on any list by this name. A longtime resident of Hazelton Road said he understood that it was named for a neighbor who was named Hazel. She had remarried, following the death of her first husband, but upon obtaining her address now in another state, I got no reply to the letter I wrote asking if the tradition were true.

• Henry Little Circle — Turns off of South Curtis Avenue at two locations, going east in both cases to form a circle. This street honors Col. Henry Little, who commanded the 1st Brigade Missouri Volunteers under Gen. Sterling Price at Pea Ridge. Later, he became a general and was killed at the Battle of Corinth, Miss., while commanding the First Division of Price’s Army.

• Hickman Road — Take Hayden Road north to Chapman Lane, and within a few yards, Hickman Road turns westward. Actually, it was 911 officials who named Hickman Road in honor of the only Hickman then living on the road, the late William “Bus” Hickman. Hickman Road only goes a short distance west from Chapman as it heads out into county road status. Even before that, though, it is not entirely within the city; it forms the city limits for that short distance. Thus, residents who one day build on that stretch will find this situation: those on the south side will be living within the city, while across the street, neighbors will be rural residents. Since its name already honors someone who lived after the Battle of Pea Ridge, no other honoree was sought from either of two known battle participants on the Confederate side by the name of Hickman.

To be continued…