Which Is The Shortest Street In The World?
Ebenezer Place located in Wick, Caithness, Scotland is acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records in November 2006 as the shortest street in the world with a length of 6 feet and 9 inches, a length shorter than most NBA team players. Ebenezer Place outdid the previous record set by Elgin Street located in Bacup, Lancashire in the year 2006 which had a length of 17 feet. Ebenezer Place is home to only one address which is the front door of No. 1 Bistro, part of the Mackays Hotel.
The History Of Ebenezer Place
Ebenezer Place was established in 1883 when Mackays Hotel was founded by the owner Alexander Sinclair who had returned to Scotland from America after making a considerable fortune. The hotel was constructed at the junction of Union Street and River Street in Wick. During that time Alexander Sinclair was asked by the town council to print a name on the shortest side of the hotel; he did, and the shortest street in the world was created. However, Ebenezer Place was not officially approved as a street for about four years as it took the same amount of time to get the required door for Ebenezer Place to be installed. At present, Ebenezer Place comprises of only a single address since there is no room for another and No 1. Bistro remains a part of the Mackays Hotel.
Ebenezer Place And The Guinness Book Of Records
Ebenezer Place was mostly unnoticed as the shortest street in the world until Murray Lamont the manager of Mackays Hotel did some research and started a long process of getting the Guinness Book of Records to accredit the street. Craig Glenday, the editor-in-chief of the Guinness Book of Records traveled to Wick in Scotland, a trip that took about 50 hours battling through gale force winds and storm. An hour after Glenday arrived in Wick, he declared Ebenezer Place held the new record as the shortest street in the world. Robert Louis Stevenson, the son of Thomas Stevenson who spent time in Wick while his father was building the new breakwater in the Bay later, included a new reference to Ebenezer Place referring to it as Treasure Island.
Features On The Street
Ebenezer Place only features one building, the Mackays Hotel. Despite being situated on the shortest street in the world, the hotel has high standard and comfortable rooms. Mackays Hotel was built in the shape of a trapezoid, and its narrower side comprises of the entrance to the hotel and the only address on the street. Mackays Hotel is situated in proximity to other attractions in the area such as the village of John O'Grady and the Wick train station. The hotel offers accommodation, bar and restaurant services and being the center of Caithness, people travel from all over to come and get a glimpse of both the street and the hotel. The street does not look like much, and one is mostly likely to miss it if they are not looking keenly.
