Almost from the earliest days Philadelphians began cutting up William Penn's large city blocks with lanes, alleys and courts, some of which still survive. Elfreth's Alley, for example, often spelled Elfrith's in 1785, began in 1702 as a cart-lane from the Delaware docks from Front up to Second Street. The following is a list of these "private streets" and their locations, if known. If the name is a link it goes to the residents of the place in 1785 and 1791.
Abel's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Allen's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Appletree Alley, running E & W from 4th to 5th St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St. White's directory gives residents of Appletree Alley between 6th and 8th Streets, none of whom match any listings given in MacPherson. These mysteries have yet to be solved.
Ann Street was the part of American Street in the Northern Liberties between Wood Street (Brewer's Alley) and Willow Street. The Vine Street Expressway has wiped out most if not all traces of this small street.
Armitt's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Ashe's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Ashton Street. Appears only in the 1791 directory, of the three directories in question. Unknown location.
Bailey's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Baker's Alley, running N. & S. from Vine to Elm St. between 2nd and 3rd St. Elm Street, today part of New Street, ran from 2nd to 3rd, between Race and Vine. The 1794 Scot-Allardice map shows two tiny alleys running where Baker's Alley was stated to have run in 1791; presumably one is Baker's and the other Benner's Alley, though there are no listings in 1785 for Benner's Alley.
Baron Street (1785) Unknown location.
Barrett's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Benner's Alley, running north-south from Vine to Elm St. (today part of New Street) between 2nd and 3rd St. There are no listings for this alley under this name in the 1785 directories, though there are for Baker's Alley, which ran in the same block (q.v. for more notes). It may be that this alley had an alternate name, like Wood Street being called Brewer's Alley by the locals, or it may simply have been first cut through between 1785 and 1791. Clement Biddle included this alley in his 1791 listings.
Biddle's Alley, running S. from High St. between 2nd and 3rd St.
Black Alley, in the Northern Liberties.
Black-horse Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between High and Chestnut St.
Blackberry Alley,, running N & S from Pine to Lombard St. between 8th and 9th Sts. (1793) This tiny street did exist in 1785, which makes its omission from the 1791 directory a small mystery, and appears on the 1794 Scot-Allardice map with several houses clustered on it, set off from the rest of the city by open space. By 1836 only a field appears in this block on the Tanner map of that year, and the 1860 Bonsall-Smedley atlas shows the block as being developed once more, this time with an alley running east-west through it.
Bowen's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Branch St., running E. & W. from 3rd to 4th St. between Vine and Sassafras St.
Bread St., running N. & S. from Mulberry to Sassafras St. between 2nd and 3rd St. Despite the facts that this street is not obscure among alleys, is not tiny, still exists, and that it has had the name Bread Street from at least 1762 to the present day, neither MacPherson nor White lists this street at all. White did not even come close to listing all the alleys, so this is no real surprise. Probably MacPherson did list this street, but gave it some obscure but then-official name. He was fairly consistent in that regard; for example, he even ignored such a long-established (60+ years) street name as Arch Street in favor of the official name, Mulberry Street. Biddle's 1791 directory does list Bread Street.
Bringhust's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Brooke Court, on the W side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine St. (called "Brookes's Court" in the 1793 directory). MacPherson lists a "Brooks' Alley" which seems to have been an alternative name for Brooke or Brooke's Court (see the listings for the link). The link to those listings is under the Brooks' Alley listing below.
Brooks' Alley. See notes for Brooke Court, above.
Brooke Street. In the Northern Liberties between Green and Brown Sts.
Brown's Court (1785) Unknown location.
Budd Street. In the Northern Liberties, running from Green to Poplar. This became part of New Market Street sometime after 1836, when Budd Street had been extended northward to Germantown Avenue.
Burchill's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Button's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Buttonwood Lane. In the Northern Liberties, running west from what was the Old York Road, both of which are now mostly obliterated by the vast industrial wasteland that is the southern part of Northern Liberties. The western part of what became Buttonwood Street, west of 9th Street, still exists, but the 18th century part is gone.
Cannon's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Carlisle Alley (1785) Unknown location. These listings include those for West Carlisle Alley.
Carpenter St., running E & W from 6th to 7th St. between High and Chestnut St. MacPherson lists a "Carpenter's Court" which may have been an alternative name for Carpenter St. The link to those listings is under the Carpenter's Court listing below. They should not be confused with those of Carpenter's Hall Alley (below), which still exists and leads to Carpenter's Hall, but they may be related (e.g. Carpenter's Court may have been the name for the yard in which Carpenter's Hall stood). Carpenter Street should also not be confused with the modern Carpenter Street in Southwark, which is probably the one known as Prune Street in the 18th century.
Carpenter's Court. See notes for Carpenter Street, above.
Carpenter's Hall Alley. Led and still leads south from Chestnut Street between 4th and 5th Street, to Carpenter's Hall.
Carter's Alley, on the W side of 2nd St. between Chestnut and Walnut St.
Cauffman's Alley, on the S side of Cherry St. between 3rd and 4th St.
Chancery Lane, running N & S from Mulberry St. to Coombes' Alley, between Front and 2nd St.
Charlotte Street. This was the 18th century name of the section of Orianna Street running north from Brown Street to Poplar Street, which was then as far as it went. Today it extends further north than Poplar.
Cherry St., running E & W from 3rd to 9th St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Christian's or Christen's Alley or Street. Unknown location. Does not appear in the 1791 directory.
[Christ] Church Alley, running E & W from 2nd to 3rd St. between High and Mulberry St. For the Church Alley near Old Swede's Church in Southwark, see the list below.
Church Alley. This street ran in Southwark near Old Swede's Church.
Clever Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Clifton's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Coates' Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Vine and Sassafras St. MacPherson referred to this as South Coates' Alley; follow the link for more explanation.
Cobler's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Coole's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Coombs' Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between High and Mulberry St.
Cooper's Court, on the N side of Mulberry St. between Front and 2nd St.
Coxe's Alley. A small street in Southwark, running from Front to 2nd Street, just south of Almond Street.
Cresson's Alley, running E & W from 5th to 6th St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Crooked-billet Alley, on the E. side of Water St. between High and Chestnut St.
Crown St., running N & S from Sassafras to Vine St. and continued in the Northern Liberties, between 4th and 5th St.
Cypress Alley, running E & W from 3rd to 4th St. between Walnut and Spruce St. The 1823 directory backs this up, specifying that it ran (in the numbering current that year, anyway) from #144 S. 3rd to #79 S. 4th. This was just south of Willing's Alley (an alley which still exists) which ran from #98 S. 3rd to #75 S. 4th, per the 1823 directory. Obviously, the street numbering differed from street to street, one reason why today's centennial system of numbering (with 100 numbers assigned to each block) helped standardize things so much.
Davis' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
DeHaven's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Dickinson's Street (1785) Unknown location.
Discharge Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Drinker's Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St. This small alley still exists, just to the north of Elfreth's Alley, though there are no houses (and no 18th century structures) in it. Despite its appearance many times in period sources by no other name than Drinker's Alley, the 1785 directories have no listings for Drinker's Alley.
Drinker's Court, on the N. side of Union St. between 2nd and 3rd St. (On the S. side of Union on this block, according to the 1793 directory.)
Elbow Lane, between 2nd and 3rd St and turning W into 3rd St. between High and Chestnut St. (The 1793 directory adds, "That part of Elbow Lane which runs S. from High St. is commonly called White-Horse alley.")
Elder Street (1785) Unknown location.
Elfrith's Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Elm Street, running E & W from 2nd to 3rd St. between Vine and Sassafras St. The 1793 directory adds, "commonly called New St." New Street is still its (now wildly inaccurate) name, over 200 years later, though what is today called New Street also encompasses Key's Alley on the east and Story St. on the west, which run in a line with New Street.
Elmsley's Alley (see Lownes's Alley)
Emlin's Alley. Unknown location, but possibly the same as that listed as Emlen's Court in the 1791 directory, which was noted as being in the Northern Liberties.
Etris' Alley, on the W. side of 5th St. between Sassafras and Vine St. There are apparently no listings in the 1785 directories for this alley on what was then the edge of town. It may not have existed in 1785, though it did by 1791. There are four listings in MacPherson's 1785 directory for buildings at #1-#4 "Ethes's Alley," but these provide no assistance, as all are listed as "vacant or residents would not give name."
Evans' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Falls Road (1791) Unknown location.
Fayette St., running N and S between Mulberry and Filbert Sts. and between 9th and 10th Sts. (1793) There are no listings for Fayette Street in the 1785 or 1791 directories.
Fearis' Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine St. MacPherson may have the listings for this lane under another name (see the listings for the unknown alleys) but that name is not yet known.
Fetter Lane, running E & W from 3rd to Bread Street between Mulberry and Sassafras St. There are no listings for this name in the 1785 directories.
Fidel's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Filbert St., running E & W from 8th St. to Schuylkill, between High and Mulberry Sts. (1793)
Fleet Street (1785) Unknown location.
Fourteen Chimneys-- not on a side street, but treated as a separate address because they were well-known and were referred to as a separate address by the shape of their chimneys. According to Joseph Jackson's Encyclopedia of Philadelphia, Vol.III, p.682, they were a row of fourteen buildings built by a speculator in 1759, located on the west side of 5th Street above Race. Robinson's 1799 directory lists them as being 130 to 146 North 5th Street (Biddle system of numbering).
Franklin's Court. Franklin's Court ran-- and still runs-- north-south from Chestnut to Market between 3rd and 4th Street. Its main inhabitant was, of course, Benjamin Franklin.
Gaskell St., running E & W from 2nd to 5th St. between Lombard and Cedar (now South) St. This street is still known by its original name, though today spelled Gaskill Street, and it no longer exists between 2nd and 3rd Streets.
George St., running N & S from Gaskell to Cedar St. between 2nd and 3rd St. (The 1793 directory adds "and continued in Southwark" just before the word "between".)
German St. Ran from 2nd to 5th just north of Catharine Street in Southwark; today it's the part of Kenilworth Street from 2nd to 5th.
Glen's Alley. Unknown location. Does not appear in the 1791 directory, only the 1785 MacPherson.
Goforth's Alley. Unknown location. Does not appear in the 1791 directory.
Gray's Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Chestnut and Walnut St.
Greenleaf's or Petty's Alley. On the W side of 4th St between High and Mulberry St. Does not appear in the 1791 directory.
Groff's Alley on the N. side of Sassafras St. between 2nd and 3rd St. Neither 1785 directory contains any listings with this address.
Ground Street. MacPherson's name for Crown Street (q.v.).
Hall's Alley (1785) Unknown location. Not to be confused with Carpenter's Hall Alley (q.v.).
Hamilton Court (1785) Unknown location.
Harper's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Harris' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Hart's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Haynes' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Heltzheimer's or Hiltzheimer's Alley (1785) Probably located near Jacob Hiltzheimer's property near the upper end of Market Street.
Henderson's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Hill's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Hoffman's Alley, on the S. side of Sassafras St. between 4th and 5th St. Neither 1785 directory contains any listings with this address, though the 1791 directory does.
Holmes' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Hunckle Street (1785) Unknown location.
Ingle's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Irwin's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Jackson's Court, on the N. side of Sassafras St. between Front and 2nd St.
Jackson's Row (1785) Unknown location, but appears as a separate location in MacPherson's directory from Jackson's Court.
Jacob Brown's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Johnson's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Kauffman's Alley (1791) Unknown location.
Kepley's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Key's Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Sassafras and Vine St.
Knight's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Knowles' Court (1785) Unknown location.
Kunckell Street (1791) Unknown location.
Laurel Court, on the N. side of Spruce St. between 2nd and 3rd St.
Leech's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Letitia Court, running N & S from High Street to Black-horse Alley, between Front and 2nd St.
Lexe's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Lilly Alley (1791) In the Northern Liberties.
Little Water St., running N & S from Willing and Morris' wharf to Cedar St. This was something like a continuation of Swanson Street north of Almond Street up to Cedar (now South Street). The 1785 directories contain no addresses on this street by this name; some or all of the entries for this street may have been listed under "River-side" or as being on this or that wharf.
Locksley's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Locksley's Court (1785) Unknown location.
Lodge Alley, on the W side of 2nd St. between Chestnut and Walnut St.
Lombard St., beginning at Front St. and running W between Pine and Cedar St.
Long Lane (1791) In the Northern Liberties.
Lownes' or Elmsley's Alley, on the W. side of 2nd St. between Walnut and Spruce St.
McCall's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
McCullough's Alley, on the W side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine St. (The 1793 directory adds, "likewise called Ewing's Alley")
Maiden's Lane (1785) Unknown location.
Maiden's Row (1785) Unknown location; see listings for Maiden's Lane.
Mall Fuller's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Mary Street (1785) In Southwark; ran (and probably still runs, though perhaps under a different name) from Front to 2nd just north of Prune Street (which is probably the modern Carpenter Street).
Mayer's Alley, on the E side of 3rd St between Sassafras and Vine St. No listings in the 1785 directories, under this name. In this location its site would today be under the pilings of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (unless it was north of New Street, which is unlikely).
Mead Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Mifflin's Alley, on the W side of 2nd St. between Walnut and Spruce St.
Millar's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Millis' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Minor Street (1785) Unknown location.
Miss Moore's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Moore's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Moore's Court (1785) Unknown location; see link to Moore's Alley for listings.
Moravian Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Mulberry Court, on the W. side of 6th St. between High and Mulberry St.
Naper's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Neeman's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
New Street-- See Elm Street.
New Market Street (1785) Ran and still runs in the Northern Liberties, north up to Germantown Avenue, though today part of the 18th century street is under Interstate 95.
Norris' Alley running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Chestnut and Walnut St.
Norris' Court (1785) Unknown location; see Norris' Alley listings.
North Brown's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
North Alley or Street (1785) running E & W from 5th to 6th St. between High and Mulberry St.
Offley's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Ozeas's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Palmer's Rowe (1785) Unknown location.
Pancake Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Patton's Alley, on the W side of 4th St. between High and Chestnut St.
Pear St., running E & W from 2nd to 3rd St. between Walnut and Spruce St.
Pegg Street (1785) In the Northern Liberties; later became simply the northern end of New Market Street running up to Germantown Avenue, which gives an idea as to the location.
Pemberton's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Pemberton's Court (1785) Unknown location; see Pemberton's Alley link for listings.
Penn St., running N & S from Pine to Cedar St. between Front St. and Delaware.
Peter's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Petticoat Alley (1791) In the Northern Liberties.
Petty's or Greenleafe's Alley; see Greenleaf Alley.
Pewter-platter Alley, on the W side of Front St. between High and Mulberry St. This ran and still runs (as the 100 block of Church Street) from Front to 2nd Street.
Pierson's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Pollard's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Powel's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Pratt's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Priest's Alley, on the W side of Front St between High and Mulberry St.
Pruan St., running W from 4th St between Walnut and Spruce St. (The 1793 directory adds, "commonly called Shippen's alley.") However, the 1791 listings for "Pruan Street" actually refer to those living on Prune Street, with no apparent listings for the one mentioned as being between Walnut and Spruce.
Prune Street (1785) One of the southernmost streets in Southwark according to the 1794 map; it is probably the street today called Carpenter Street.
Quarry St., running E & W from 3rd to Bread St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Rallison's Alley (1785) Unknown location, though perhaps the street known as Rawlinson Court, below.
Rawlinson Court, on the E side of 2nd St. between Sassafras and Vine St. Possibly the one known as Rallison's Alley (q.v.)
Razure's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Relief Alley, running E & W between Front and 2nd St. and between Lombard and Cedar St.
Richardson's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Rowe's Alley and/or Rose Alley Unknown location, though if it was the same as Rose Alley in 1791 it was in the Northern Liberties.
Rudolph's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Rutter's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
St. John Street A street in the Northern Liberties, today part of American Street.
Sassafras Alley running N & S from Sassafras (Race) St. to Scheibell's Alley, between 5th and 6th St.
Say's Alley, on the E side of Water St. between High and Mulberry St.
Scheibell's Alley, running E from the E side of 6th St. between Sassafras and Vine St. Probably the same one called Sheebel's Alley in MacPherson.
Schoolhouse Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Seller's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Sewell's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Sexe's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Shepherd's Alley, on the W side of 3rd St. between High and Mulberry St.
Shindle's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Shoemaker's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Sim's Alley, on the E side of Water St. between High and Chestnut St.
Smith's Alley, running N & S from Dock St. to Carter's Alley, between 2nd and 3rd St. The 1762 map shows Smith's Alley cutting clear through to Chestnut Street. The Society Hill Sheraton occupies this space today.
Society Alley (1785) Unknown location.
South Alley, running E & W from 5th to 6th St. between High and Mulberry St.
Sprinket Lane (1785) Unknown location.
Stamper's Alley, running E & W from 2nd to 3rd St. between Pine and Lombard Sts. This was called Chester Alley originally; John Stamper (mayor of Philadelphia in 1759) supposedly owned this entire block (Pine to Lombard, 2nd to 3rd) and had his townhouse on the corner of S. 2nd Street and the alley, with 44 feet of frontage on S. 2nd Street and 130 feet deep along the alley. Upon Stamper's death in 1782, the alley was renamed after him, and remains so today. (From Philadelphia: Three Centuries of American Art, p.145)
Stanton Court (1785) Unknown location.
Steinmetz's Alley, on the E side of 4th St. between Sassafras and Vine St.
Sterling Alley, running N & S from Sassafras to Cherry St. between 3rd and 4th St.
Story St., running E & W from 3rd to 4th St. between Sassafras and Vine St.
Strawberry Alley, running N & S from High to Chestnut St. between 2nd and 3rd St. (The 1793 directory calls it "Strawberry St.")
Strawberry Street (1791) Unknown location.
Streiker's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Styles' Court, on the S. side of Mulberry St. between 2nd and 3rd St.
Sugar Alley, running E & W from 6th to 9th St. between High and Mulberry St.
Swanson Street, ran south from Almond Street down through Southwark by the riverside. The 1785 directories contain no addresses on this street by this name; some or all of the entries for this street may have been listed under "River-side" or as being on this or that wharf.
Sykes' Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Tallman's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Taper's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Taylor's Alley, running E & W from Front to 2nd St. between Chestnut and Walnut St.
Trotter's Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St. [or, running from 2nd to 3rd between Walnut and Chestnut; see listings] (Omitted in the 1793 directory.)
Union St., running E & W from Front to 4th St. between Spruce and Pine St. Not really an alley; listed with the streets.
Vernon Street Unknown location.
Videl's Alley (1791) Unknown location.
Waggoners Alley, running S. from Sassafras, between 9th and 10th Sts. (1793)
Wallace's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Walsh's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Walsh's Court (1785) Unknown location.
Walter's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Watkin's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
Wells' Alley (1791) Unknown location.
Wentle's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
West's Alley Unknown location.
Whalebone Alley, running S. from Chestnut St. between 3rd and 4th St. Not listed as such in the 1791 directory.
Wharton's Alley (1785) Unknown location.
White-horse Alley (see Elbow Lane)
William's Alley Unknown location.
William's & West's Court (1791) Unknown location.
Willing's Alley, running E & W from 3rd to 4th St. between Walnut and Spruce St.
Wood Street, or Brewer's Alley. White called it Brewer's Alley; MacPherson called it by its official name of Wood Street, which is what it is called today.
York Court, running E. from 3rd St. to Laurel Court, between Walnut and Spruce Sts. (1793; this appears for the first time on Philadelphia maps in the 1794 Scot-Allardice map, though Laurel Court appears on the 1762 map.)
Zachary's Court, on the N side of Walnut St. between Front and 2nd St.
Zane's Alley (1785) Unknown location.