Elfreth’s Alley
Posted on October 14th, 2008 by lmanzi
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Filed under: Philidelphia and tagged Philidelphia, Streets
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Post any information you found out about this topic.
Filed under: Philidelphia and tagged Philidelphia, Streets
Elfreth’s Alley is named for Jeremiah Elfreth, an 18th-century blacksmith and property owner. Among the alley’s residents were tradesmen and their families, including shipwrights, silver and pewter smiths, glassblowers, and furniture builders. In the 1770s, one-third of the households were headed by women. The Georgian and Federal-style houses and cobblestone pavement of the alley were common in Philadelphia during this time.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, industry began to change the street. Perhaps the first was a stove factory that in 1868 took its place in a row of residential houses. Eventually, factories surrounded Elfreth’s Alley. The city’s waterfront was only a few blocks away. Industry changed more than the architecture; successive waves of immigrants, lured by the nearby jobs, moved onto the street; in 1900, the neighborhood was overwhelmingly Irish.
In 1934, the Elfreth’s Alley Association (EAA) was founded to preserve the alley’s historic structures while interpreting the street’s 300-year history. The EAA helped save the street from demolition, and also lobbied the city to restore the alley’s name to “Elfreth’s Alley”; it had been designated as the 100 block of Cherry Street years before as part of a street-name simplification program.
Located in Philadelphia, Elfreth’s Alley is one of the oldest currently inhabited streets in the United States. The street was named after Jeremiah Elfreth, a blacksmith who lived there. This street dates back to the early 1700’s. Usually on the first or second Saturday of June the people celebrate Fete Day, the day many of the houses on the property opened.
For the most part, the street is still standing thanks to the Elfreth’s Alley Association, formed in 1934. This association is dedicated to the preservation of the alley. They have saved the street from demolition a few times, and have worked to preserve the houses on still standing road. This alley shows a sharp contrast to the more frequently preserved mansions of Society Hill, but it still stands as a popular attraction to Philadelphia.
Elfreth’s Alley is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was created in the year 1702. It is important because it allows us to step back in time and see what an old residential street looked like. One important person involved in Elfreth’s Alley is John Gilbert. He gave up part of his land along with Arthur Wells to create the alley. Four important things to know when visiting Elfreth’s Alley are that it was an older version residential streets that we have today, there are 32 buildings built from 1720 through 11830, you can learn about earlier American days from stories that they tell their, and it used to connect to blacksmiths’ shops.
Opened in: 1702
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Importance: it’s known as the oldest residential street of America
Important person: Arthur wells
Four facts
• Benjamin Franklin once lived here
• The last house on the street has a spinning balcony
• Betsy Ross walked down this alley
• The oldest houses are 122 to 124 years old
its located in philidelphia. it was created in the 1700’s. oldest street in the united states. a importaint person involved is jeremiah Elphreth, street named after. imporaint facts old street, in 1934 was presurved many people grew up on street named after resident.
Elfreth’s Alley is an international alley in Philadelphia. This alley way was used as early as the 1700’s and was one of the oldest continuously inhabited alley ways. It is important because it is a national historic landmark. It was named after Jeremiah Elfreth because he was the property owner. It is in Philadelphia’s old city neighborhood. The pavement is not regular pavement it is cobblestone. The architecture style is colonial. The homes there are very historic and have not changed.
Elfreth’s Alley — popularly known as “Our nation’s oldest residential street” is dated way back to the eighteenth century at least. Two of these craftsmen, blacksmiths John Gilbert and Arthur Wells, owned the land where Elfreth’s Alley now sits. In 1702 each one of these men gave up a portion of their land to make their own alley way on their property. This “alley way” was the second most visited street because it connected Philadelphia with towns north and south of the state. In the beginning of the early twentieth century it became a run-down, not taken care of piece of land. And it faced many demolition threats.
Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest residential street in our nation. There are 30 buildings on this street. This street is still open to the public today. There are many programs to on this alley. This alley was built in 1702. It was opened by Arthur Wells, and John Gilbert.
Elfreth’s Alley is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The street dates all the way back to 1702. It is one of the oldest residential streets in America. It is named after Jeremiah Elfreth, an 18th century blacksmith and property owner. In the 1770’s, one third of the households were headed by women. It is lined with 32 homes, each being no more than 16 feet in width. On the first week of June every year, the residents open their homes and gardens to the public.