this alley is one of the areas i visited during my day in Phili.
Elfreth's Alley is our nation's oldest street with residential homes. the first home being built in the 1720's.
walking down this alley was quite uncomfortable on my feet as these cobbled stones are uneven and stick up. i couldn't help but wondering how it felt on the feet of women 100's of years ago.
you simply cannot walk down this street and not appreciate that it has been in place for such a long time.
not imagine how many people had walked the very same street.
the families that have lived there.
such history.
of course it was architecture/texture heaven for me and my lens.
oh the colors, the hardware, the peeling paint!
one thing that must of fascinated me, obviously by the # of photos i took, was the cellars (?) or underground thingy-ma-bobs!
how many potatoes have been stored down there?
or how many times were those doors flung open to provide safety from storms or were they a hideaway for slaves?
and what do people use them for today?
this famous alley seemed to be smack dab in the middle of 2012 chaios, yet as you walked it, the world outside seemed to disappear. all was quiet. almost like a quiet respect of many days, years gone by and the preservation of history.
so if your ever in Phili..
take a stroll down Elfreth's Alley!
blessings!
shay
I love this series, and your musings about the alley. The thing that struck me was the different personalities they all seemed to have. They all serve the same purpose, yet each one was unique. Those cobblestones look pretty, but they are tough to walk on! Down in the Headhouse Square area the steets are still paved in cobblestones. When you drive over them, you feel your teeth chatter! We'll check it out the next time you come :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! And I would enjoy that! Off to an apple orchard this morning to see what I can find!
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