Why Chicago Is The Alley Capital of the U.S.
By Kate Shepherd in News on Oct 13, 2015 8:00PM
We wonder why Chicago doesn't boast about this superlative more often: We're the alley capital of America. There are more than 1,900 miles of alleys in the city, according to WBEZ.
Alleys are frequently associated with crime and mayhem, which adds an air of mystery to the city, but why did Chicago decide to build so many? The city was built on a grid and it was a natural fit, Michael Martin, alley expert and professor of landscape architecture at Iowa State University, told WBEZ.
"The big grid was always the framework within which people developed things, and that leads to towns having square blocks, and ultimately the alley inside of that block," Martin said.
Alleys ended up being very practical for gritty 19th century city life. They were used for collecting trash, delivering coal and stowing human waste, and they kept the gross things like horse manure away from living quarters.
"This was one of the reason why alleys have this dark and nasty reputation," Martin told WBEZ. "They were very much the grimy service part of daily life."
Learn more about Chicago's alleys on WBEZ and check out their interactive Chicago alley map.