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Hops Alley among winners in downtown Salem alleyway naming

Names for Salem’s downtown alleyways were announced this week. (Anna CK Smith/ Salem Reporter)

The results have been tallied.

The new names of Salem’s downtown alleys are as follows:

Electric Alley: Named after the Electric Building erected in 1917.

Wexford Alley: Named after Wexford Theater which opened in 1910 and burned 5 years later.

Fortune’s Corner: Named for two bank buildings on the block.

Durbin’s Alley: Named after the Durbin brothers’ livery on the corner of State Street and Commercial Street Northeast.

Cherry Lane: Named after Salem’s nickname “Cherry City,” for the many orchards in the area.

Hops Alley: Named after the “hop king” of Oregon, T.A. Livesley.

George Lai Sun Alley: Named after the mayor of Salem’s Chinatown.

Peppermint Flats Alley: Named for the mint that used to grow in that area.

READDowntown alleys will get historic monikers during naming process

(Map by Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)

The Salem Main Street Association started the alley naming contest earlier this summer, asking the public for input on historic names. Voting started on Aug. 7 and wrapped up last month.

The next step is putting up signage, and then the possibility of art, said Jacqueline Heavey, chair of the design committee for the Salem Main Street Association.

“Hopefully, we can find a way and build off the momentum of public naming and keep things moving forward. The public was certainly enthused about these possibilities,” she said.

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Heavey said there were 567 citizens who voted.

Thankfully, we had clear majorities,” Heavey said.

Most alleys had voters in favor of one name by more than 50%, but the alley bound by Commercial Street Northeast, Liberty Street Northeast, Court Street Northeast and State Street was more hotly contested.

Durbin’s Alley got 33% of the vote, while Spirited Alley came in second with 25% of the vote, Statesman alley garnered 17% and Cyrus Reed Alley got 16%.

During the input process in July, Heavey said two of the alleys didn’t get any suggestions so they were named George Lai Sun Alley and Peppermint Flats Alley.

The city is working with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to name a ninth alley later on.

Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected]