Baptist Alley and preservation

[BettyO]

I know exactly what you mean, Laurie. Richmond is the very same - some alleys are still cobblestone and I mean COBBLESTONE! Cobblestone was usually from an earlier era (Federal period through the Antebellum period.) That which was placed in the 1870s - 1900s was usually Belgian block. A lot of streets here in Richmond are actually still Belgian Block - NOT cobblestone. Cobblestone consists of rounded stones like bread rolls or river rock - smooth in texture and difficult to walk over. What is currently in Shockoe Slip here in Richmond is NOT cobblestone, but Belgian block, as is our famous Monument Avenue. Folk call it cobblestone - heck, the engineers here at work call it cobblestone and I'm forever correcting them! There are only two alleys here in Richmond that were actually cobblestone - 12th Street Alley between 11th and what was once 13th Street from Main Street to Cary Street and one other lower down near Main Street. Cobblestone is more predominant in Europe rather than here in the US.

Richmond alleys had names as well - Pink Alley, Tulip Alley, Jessamine Alley, etc. Petersburg and Baltimore had the very same. Most African Americans lived in the alleys here in Richmond, Petersburg as well as Baltimore.