Somewhere along the line, probably after World War II, American cities declared war on alley houses. Seen as dirty, cramped and ugly, most of them around the United States have been torn down. I was pleased to rediscover Soulard a couple of weekends ago, and realized that the alley house is alive and well, some already reutilized, and others still waiting revival. The fascinating little private spaces created by these buildings are varied, and rare in today’s St. Louis.
