The Streets of Pea Ridge: Union soldiers named on streets

PEA RIDGE — Editor’s Note: The following article 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.

Ellis Lane - North off of Slack Street (Arkansas Hwy. 72). Honors Col.

Calvin A. Ellis, who led the 1st Missouri Cavalry. Ellis is one of 15 lanes whose names and honorees were selected by Mayor Mary Durand and then-water superintendent, Floyd Blackwell, when the 911 announced that all lanes, too, needed names. The selection of honorees came from the city’s existing list of participants designated “A.”Names were designated for any lane or street with at least two residences. Ellis is a dead-end street that runs a short distance between Halleck and Barris Lanes but across Slack Street from them.

Ford Street - In Ridgemoor Estates. Turn right (east) off of Hayden Road (State Hwy. 265) onto Mc-Nair Street and take the second street to the left.

Honors Private AugustFord, Co. A, 37th Illinois. He was wounded at Pea Ridge.

Hall Place - Is a northsouth street off of Hall Drive. It honors George W.

Hall, who was a private in Co. A of Phelps Regiment from Southwestern Missouri. Hall was wounded at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

Several honorees of Pea Ridge streets were the Phelps’ Regiment. There is an interesting story regarding him and his wife.

Col. Phelps’ wife came down the Old Wire Road from Springfield to visit her husband. He and other Union forces were dug in up on the hill above Little Sugar Creek at Brightwater. They had expected theConfederates had circled and were coming from the North. Mrs. Phelps got here all right but the road behind her was filling up with enemy troops. She could not go back home.

According to the Shea and Hess book, she just went to work tending the wounded as the Battle of Pea Ridge got underway. Her husband was one of those who was wounded in the battle.

Hoffman Street - Take Patton Street from North Curtis and go west. It will end at a corner where Hoffman begins and goes northward. Its name honors a private with the 15th Missouri Volunteers named John Hoffman.