History of Chicago

  • Grid

    Federal Government to break up the land; section it into squares. It made it possible for them to apply alley's.
  • When allies were made

    Allies have been around since the beginning of the 19th century.
  • Usefulness

    Alleys were useful when it came to keeping working parts of urban life out of site.
  • Needs

    Chicago alleys were made for the practical needs of Chicago.
  • Service

    Alleys were laid all around the 58 blocks of the Illinois & Michigan Canal commissioners original town plat in 1830. It provided service access to property facing the main streets.
  • Wood block pavement

    Wood block pavement was used for for alleys. Samuel Nicolson was the superintendent of Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation when he invented the process.
  • Replacement

    Wood block was replaced with Brick or Belgian Block paving schemes.
  • How many alleys

    98% of Chicago blocks had alleys
  • Transportation

    Alleys formed the back bone of our transportation system.
  • located

    Wooden paved alleys were added in historical places