Streets named for soldiers in battle

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. Union

• Lyon Street — One block long street that connects Price and Hays streets, both of which can be entered from Carr Street. Price Street goes all the way to North Curtis Avenue, but not Hays Street. Lyon honors the Union’s Lt. James J. Lyon, according to the original naming committee in 1959. It is important to know that Lyon Street does not honor Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, a better known soldier with that name. He had been killed the August before the Battle of Pea Ridge while participating in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield, Mo.

• Mary Phelps Drive — Located in the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. The only Pea Ridge street that honors a woman. She came down the Old Wire Road from Springfield, Mo., to visit her husband, Col. John S. Phelps, just before the battle began. Unable to return home, she “appointed herself medical supervisor, nurse, quartermaster and commissary for the embattled 4th Division and worked day and night to help the wounded,” according to the Shea and Hess book.

• McNair Place — Turns north off of McNair Street. Named for Col. Evander McNair, since no Union participant was located.

• Miller Drive — Located in the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. Honors George Miller of Co. A, 12th Missouri Infantry.

• Montgomery Circle — Off Ark. Hwy. 94, then west off of Wakefield Drive, part of the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. Honors Sgt. John W. Montgomery, who was killed at the Battle of Pea Ridge. He served with Co. D, 3rd Iowa Cavalry.

• Patterson Road — Turns north off of East Pickens Road (Ark. Hwy. 72) midway between downtown area and east city limits. Goes all the way to the Missouri line, where State Line Road connects it to Hayden Road (Ark. Hwy. 265) to the west. Named by Charles Hardy. Honors William Patterson, Co. D, Phelps Regiment of Springfield, Mo.

TO BE CONTINUED…