Elfreth’s Alley

Please Note:  I have mounted this exhibit here with the permission of Temple University’s Urban Archives.  I do not own nor do I claim any sort of copyright on these images.  Temple University’s Urban Archives holds the copyright on these images. If you would like to use these images, please contact Urban Archives.

American Mythbuilding:  Philadelphia’s Elfreth’s Alley

Philadelphia’s Elfreth’s Alley, a narrow block-long street of homes located between Race and Arch Streets in Old City, is today a popular tourist destination. Purported to be the oldest continuously occupied residential street in the nation, Elfreth’s Alley has been a curiosity since the 1930s. How did Elfreth’s Alley gain a reputation as a historic place worthy of a stop on a tour of Philadelphia? What is history and how is history created over the passage of time? Who has a hand in this creation? How do others, such as citizens, children, the media, and various levels of government become involved? The story of the evolution of Elfreth’s Alley into a tourist destination is an excellent lens through which to examine these questions.

Before 1933, Elfreth’s Alley was populated by working-class families who made their livings on the nearby docks or in Philadelphia’s warehouses and factories. Formal efforts to turn Elfreth’s Alley into something more began in 1933 when Mrs. D.W. Ottey opened a tearoom on the quiet street. Mrs. Ottey learned of Elfreth’s Alley’s legend shortly after moving in and began to organize fellow history-lovers investigate and preserve the block’s story. In 1934 Mrs. Ottey and her group put on the first annual Elfreth’s Alley Fete Day, an event held annually on the first Saturday in June to the present day.

Temple University’s Urban Archives has many resources to shed light on the development of Elfreth’s Alley as a tourist destination and answer the above questions. This exhibit is just a sampling of the photographs and documents Urban Archives possesses on the subject.

View of the Alley Looking toward Front Street: June 2, 1932
Elfreth’s Alley wasn’t yet a tourist destination in 1932. However, the Works Progress Administration employed out-of-work architects and draftsmen to document old buildings, such as those in the Alley, the first such attention the block would garner.

Thirty-Three Houses over Two Hundred Years Old: June 7, 1935
In one of the earliest demonstrations of colonial life staged in twentieth century Elfreth’s Alley, Josephine Reardon (right) a fifth-generation resident of the block, wore eighteenth-century attire as relatives and neighbors looked on.

Old World Atmosphere in Philadelphia: June 8, 1935
Efforts to capture publicity for Elfreth’s Alley were still in their infancy in 1935. This photograph shows the quiet, non-descript nature of the street at the time. But not all residents were enthused at the prospect of a higher profile for their neighborhood.

Points of Interest in Philadelphia: June 21, 1936
This newspaper article declared Elfreth’s Alley a “point of interest,” but demonstrated the range of residents’ opinions regarding the attention given the block. Additionally, the piece recounted the many tales attributed to the Alley.

These Houses Will Remain Standing: February 20, 1937
Two children sat on the stoop of one of two homes scheduled for demolition on Elfreth’s Alley. However, Philadelphia’s mayor interceded, declaring the “ancient” dwellings were too “historic” and “precious” to lose.

Elfreth’s Alley Trust Secretary Writes to the Bulletin: May 19, 1940
Mary Ellen Regan, secretary of the Elfreth’s Alley Restoration Trust, pronounced the little block, “a perfect street of two-hundred years ago with such historic connotation” possessed by “no other place.”

Richard Rowan Retouching His Sign: June 7, 1946
By the 1940s, Elfreth’s Alley was a bona fide tourist destination. Enterprising businesspeople like Richard Rowan, opened shops such as Poor Richard’s to cater to visitors coming to explore the block of homes.

Dedicating Plaque in Historic Elfreth’s Alley: April 13, 1947
The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin and Elfreth’s Alley Association sponsored a plaque designating the Alley an historic space. The plaque was installed at the 100th anniversary of the paper and some attendees wore 19th century costumes to honor the occasion.

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Franklin Revisit the Alley: June 5, 1949
Two children participating in Fete Day observed a couple dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin and Deborah Read Franklin on a visit to Elfreth’s Alley. Are such portrayals accurate retellings of history?

Elfreth’s Alley Association President Writes to the Bulletin: 1955
John Barnett, President of the Elfreth’s Alley Association, wrote to the Evening Bulletin following a fire. The Association’s letterhead declared a mission to “enshrine Elfreth’s Alley in the annals of historic old Philadelphia.”

Janet Newland Finds Shelter from the Rain: June 4, 1961
Just as organized groups often came to visit Elfreth’s Alley, parents also brought their children to the annual Fete Day, which became known as an excellent way spend a day with the family learning about colonial history.

Elfreth’s Alley Now a National Historic Landmark: June 1, 1963
Elfreth’s Alley was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service in 1963. This garnered countrywide attention for the Alley and cemented its reputation as a place steeped in history.

Fred R. Zeiter Participates in Fundraising Day: June 1, 1968
Children could be more than just spectators at Elfreth’s Alley. Here, Fred R. Zeiter of Drexel Hill, PA, joined his parents in donning colonial dress at a fundraising event for the Elfreth’s Alley Association.

The Evening Bulletin ceased operations in 1982, at which time Elfreth’s Alley Fete Day was still a high-profile event drawing crowds of tourists. The event and others still occur each year and proceeds go toward preservation efforts.

Archivist’s Note:  I attempted to find records for each of these images in Temple University’s Digital Collections but was unsuccessful.  Therefore, to my great dismay, I am unable to link to the images directly in the catalog of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs as I hoped to do.  Each of the above titles is the caption that originally went with the photograph when it ran in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.  In some cases (such as the letters), I had to create my own title.  The dates are the original dates of publication or the date the image was made, as recorded on the original hard copy image that is housed at Urban Archives.   The introduction and captions are text I wrote specifically for the exhibit after researching the subject using Urban Archives’s George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Newsclipping Collection.  If you would like to use this exhibit, please acquire permission first, from Urban Archives and me.  You can contact me at sara(dot)a(dot)borden(at)gmail(dot)com.