The Streets of Pea Ridge

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. It is continued from previous columns, the latest which ran Feb. 25.

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, cont.

• Sims Lane -- East off North Weston near West Pickens Road. It was named for Col. W.B. Sims, who led the 9th Texas Cavalry for the Confederacy.

• Slack Street is Arkansas Hwy. 72 West -- Heads west from Curtis Avenue. It honors the third general killed at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Brig. Gen. William Y. Slack, who led the 2nd Missouri Brigade. Gen. Slack had been seriously wounded the August before the Battle of Pea Ridge when he fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek near Springfield. He had not completely recovered at the battle here. At Pea Ridge, a bullet struck him in the abdomen only inches from his earlier wound. Mortally wounded, he was carried to a field hospital at the tanyard and later moved to a farmhouse on Rollers Ridge near the present site of Gateway. There he died March 20, 1862, several days after the battle. He was buried in that area, but in 1880, his body was re-interred in the Confederate Cemetery at Fayetteville. His widow brought their two sons for the service. One son had only been six months old when his father had been killed, but was 18 years old when he came for the reburial at Fayetteville. There are two monuments on the Pea Ridge National Military Park, not including grave markers in Ford Cemetery. One of the two monuments bears the names of the generals killed at Pea Ridge: McCulloch, McIntosh and Slack. Pea Ridge has a street that honors each of them.

• Stone Street -- Turns east off of North Curtis Avenue opposite the street named Patton, goes one block passing the Church of Christ as it heads to North Davis Street. Honors J.A. Stone, Co. K, 4th Arkansas.

Union names

Union soldiers honored on names of north-south streets

• Asboth Street -- Lies between Patton and Van Dorn streets. Named for Gen. Alexander S. Asboth, a former Hungarian nobleman, who commanded the second division under Gen. Samuel R. Curtis at Pea Ridge. Painfully wounded, he refused to leave the field. One of three Union generals at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

• Bancroft Drive -- Located in the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. Honors Cpl. Oruns D. Bancroft who was killed in the Battle of Pea Ridge while serving with Co. A, 9th Iowa.

• Barris Lane -- Turns left (south) off of Slack Street (Ark. Hwy. 72 W.) by the Nazarene Church. Honors Capt. Sampson P. Barris of the 24th Missouri.

• Barnes Street -- Was named for Lt. Col. M.S. Barnes of the 37th Illinois Infantry. Located in Tyler Estates, which is located on the north side of Hayden Road (Ark. Hwy. 265), and was approved by the Pea Ridge Planning Commission in 1996.

• Bowen Street -- Lies between Patton and Van Dorn streets. Named for Major William D. Bowen of Bowen's Missouri Cavalry Battalion.

• Bussey Lane -- Turns left (north) off of East Pickens Road at the city limits. Honors Col. Cyrus Bussey of the 3rd Iowa Cavalry and assorted companies of the 1st, 4th and 5th Missouri Cavalry and half of the 1st Missouri Flying Battery. After the war, his men presented Bussey with an ornate presentation sword that is inscribed with the words "Pea Ridge."

• Carr Street -- Turns north off of Slack Street (Ark. Hwy. 72 West), the first street west as you leave Curtis Avenue. Carr Street actually is part of "the old highway" before Ark. Hwy. 94 was built. It was named for Col. Eugene A. Carr, who commanded the 4th Division under Gen. Curtis. It was Colonel Carr who is reported to have taken the elk horns from Elkhorn Tavern up north after the battle. They were returned in 1885 but are not the ones seen on the tavern today.

• Chapman Lane -- If you head due north on Hayden Road from West Pickens, you reach a road turning north again just after you take the first curve. You are on Chapman Lane -- but only a few hundred feet to the city limits. There suddenly Chapman becomes Easterling Road, reportedly the work of the 911 program. Chapman was named for Lt. W.B. Chapman of the 2nd Ohio Battery. Easterling is outside the city limits.

• Clark Street -- Turns north off of East Pike behind the school campus. Its honoree was James W. Clark of Co. H of Phelps Regiment from southwest Missouri. James was wounded in the Battle of Pea Ridge.

• Coler Drive -- Turns left (north) up a hill at the east end of the paved section of Carden Road. It ends at an attractive cul-de-sac which circles a large tree. Or you can turn right off of Carden on an undeveloped section of the street. In fact, Russell Yeates, a rural mail carrier, said there are four houses farther down the road that shows Coler, two on each of two forks. Both forks are Carden Street so far as mail delivery goes. This street honors Col. William N. Coler, who led the Union's 25th Illinois under Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel's 1st Division.

• Conrad Street -- The second street turning south off of Carden Road. It honors Major Joseph Conrad, who was with the 3rd Missouri Infantry. This street on its original plat was called Musteen Road, but was changed by Mayor Jack Musteen in 1968 upon discovery that no one named Musteen could be located in the Union list of participants here.

• Curtis Avenue -- The major street in Pea Ridge, entering town at the south as another name for Ark. Hwy. 94, joined later by Ark. Hwy. 72 coming in from Bentonville, and traveling along still northward until the two reach Pickens Road. There Hwy. 94 heads west and Hwy. 72 goes to the east. Curtis Avenue honors Gen. Samuel Ryan Curtis, the Union's commanding officer at the Battle of Pea Ridge. Curtis' counterpart was Confederate Gen. Earl Van Dorn. Curtis was the victor; Van Dorn was the vanquished. And by the way, when Hwy. 94 says adieu to Hwy. 72 and heads westward, Curtis Avenue bids its farewell to both of them and continues on another long block to Pike Street and can go no farther north.

• Davidson Lane -- Turns westerly off of South Davis Street, and is not a through street. It honors Capt. Peter Davidson of Peoria Battery A, 2nd Illinois Artillery.

• Davis Street -- A through street that heads northward on East Harris Street and goes all the way to East Pickens Road and the campus. The original street-naming committee in 1959 selected the Davis Street honoree: Col. Jefferson C. Davis, a Union officer who was not in any way related to the Jefferson Davis, who was president of the Confederacy. The Union Jefferson Davis commanded the 3rd Division under the Union Commander, Gen. Samuel R. Curtis. After the Battle of Pea Ridge, Col. Davis moved east of the Mississippi and became one of Gen. Sherman's corps commanders. He had been in the army 20 years before the Civil War, and became a mid-level general after the battle here. The noted Garfield, Ark., historian, the late Alvin Seamster, wrote that Col. Davis was the only man who fought at Pea Ridge who had heard the opening gun fired at Fort Sumter. He was in General Sherman's march to the sea.

• Dodge Street -- Runs north from McCulloch Street to and through the Pea Ridge Cemetery and on to Greene Street. The street-naming committee in 1959 said that it honors Col. Grenville M. Dodge, who was in charge of the 2nd Brigade of the Union's 4th Division. He was badly wounded at the Battle of Pea Ridge. After the war, he became a railroad builder and is reported to have directed construction of the Union Pacific to Utah. There, it connected with the Central Pacific to form the first transcontinental railroad.

• Duvall Cul-De-Sac -- Located in the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. Was named for D.J. Duvall of the 1st Independent Battery, Iowa Light Artillery.

• Ellis Lane -- North off of Slack Street (Ark. 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 McNair Street and take the second street to the left. Honors Private August Ford, Co. A, 37th Illinois. He was wounded at Pea Ridge.

• Hall Place -- Is a north-south 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 in 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 the Confederates 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.

• Halleck Lane -- Turns south off of Slack Street (State Hwy. 72) at the Pea Ridge city limits. This street honors a man who was not here at the Battle of Pea Ridge in person, but who was very important in the battle. He was the commander of General Samuel R. Curtis, commander of the Union forces at the battle. Gen. Halleck had come only as far as the railhead at Rolla, Mo., but since the Telegraph or Wire Road came right through the battlefield, the two generals were in touch by telegrams. Gen. Halleck had been to West Point with such others as William Tecumseh Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant, Braxton Bragg, etc. He held important titles during the Civil War, and at one time, was giving orders to Gen. Grant.

• Hayden Road -- Leaves West Pickens Road as State Hwy. 265, makes two turns before reaching the Pea Ridge City Park, and heads northward through various curves before reaching the Missouri state line. Hayden honors Capt. Mortimer M. Hayden of the 3rd Iowa Battery in the 2nd Brigade of Carr's 4th Division. This street/road is about three and a third miles long from West Pickens to the state line.

• 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.

• Jenks Court -- Take Carden Road off of S. Curtis Avenue, to Jenks Court turning right off of Carden a short distance along the way. Very early records may show this street called Buttry. It was changed in 1968 by one of the developers since no Union participant by that name was located. Jenks honors John C. Jenks of the 18th Indiana Infantry.

• Jones Lane -- Turns left off of West Pickens (Arkansas Hwy. 94) on up the hill above Greene Street and leads to Greene Street after it curves westward. Honors the 1st Iowa Battery's Capt. J.A. Jones.

• Klauss Lane -- At the east edge of the Pea Ridge School campus on West Pickens Road, this street turns northward and leads past one long drive to a residence and to two other residences. The name honors Capt. Martin Klauss of the 1st Indiana Battery, light artillery.

• 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.

• Poten Spur, North, and Poten Spur, South -- Actually one street but designated North and South at the place at which Earle Lane connected it to Halleck Lane. Located in the Medlin Subdivision east of Halleck Lane. This street honors Maj. August H. Poten, commander of the 17th Missouri in the Union's 1st and 2nd Divisions under Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel.

• Reed Street -- Leaves West Pickens Road as the last street to the right before reaching Hayden Road (Ark. Hwy. 265). It starts eastward as it cuts behind a residence, then turns north. It passes two houses on the right, but it passes the back of several houses, which actually are on the next street (Park Circle) facing west. Reed turns right and ends beside a residence. It honors Private William Reed, who served with the First Flying Battery led by Capt. Gustavus M. Elbert. This was the "MS Horse Artillery." Reed was killed at this battle.

• Ryan Road -- Turns left (south) off of Slack Street (Ark. Hwy. 72) between Curtis Avenue and the Church of the Nazarene. This is a part of "the old highway" that later was replaced by Ark. Hwy. 94. Ryan is inside the city limits for a distance, then becomes the city limits a ways and finally is a county road. It honors Samuel Ryan, a private in Davidson's Batt., 2nd Illinois Light Artillery. By coincidence, perhaps, the Union commander at Pea Ridge was Gen. Samuel Ryan Curtis.

• Sigel Street -- Located in the Givens Place development, which was added in 1996. Honors Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel, one of three Union generals at the Battle of Pea Ridge. Gen. Sigel was an 1843 graduate of the Karlsruhe Military Academy, who had taken part in the unsuccessful revolutionary movements in Germany in 1849. He fled to the United States, and was director of the St. Louis public schools before the Civil War.

• Smith Street -- Starts on Lee Town Road, the first street turning north. Goes past Tinnin Street and ends at a residence facing Smith Street. Honors Zimry Smith of Co. G, Phelps Regiment from Springfield, Mo., area. Smith was reported missing at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

• Webb Street -- The first street off of McNair Street in Ridgemoor Estates. It honors Private Sebastian Webb of the Benton Fussars, who were with the 5th Missouri Cavalry serving under Col. Joseph Nemett. They were said to have been mostly Germans.