In celebration of our alleys
We were outside in our alley last week, and I couldn’t help but think how special it is to have such a unique space right behind our home.
Chances are if you’ve spent any time in Milwaukee or Chicago, you’ve walked, played, or even lived on an alley.
Alleys are important here in greater Milwaukee. They build community, create new senses of space, interweave neighbors, and generate places for design, art, and play.
In Milwaukee, we’ve even taken a city alley and turned it into an art gallery. Check out Black Cat Alley on your trip to the city’s East Side.
In the 19th century, many cities used alleys to hide stuff like barns, horses, and carriages. Today, after a 20th-century decline, alleys are fairly common — especially as I noted here in the Midwest.
We use alleys to shelter garages, garbage cans, cable and telephone poles and equipment, and recycling dumpsters. They work and function well — and, for people like us who live on an alley — the elimination of…
