South Carolina
Philadelphia Alley, Charleston
February 2015
Philadelphia Alley is a one-block pedestrian passage between Queen and Cumberland Streets in Charleston’s historic center. Francis Kinloch assembled property there between 1751 and 1766, building a residence and four rental tenements. The narrow route providing access to those buildings was known as Kinloch’s Court by 1766. A city plaque later gave the creation date as 1776, but local archival research identified this as an error introduced when the plaque was fabricated.
A fire destroyed Kinloch’s Court and much of the surrounding neighborhood in 1796. Following another major fire on October 7, 1810, the South Carolina legislature authorized Charleston to open the court as a public street. City Council renamed it Philadelphia Street on January 30, 1811. Philadelphia had provided financial aid after both fires, although the surviving records do not establish precisely why the new name was chosen.
“Cow Alley” remained a colloquial name of uncertain origin. The later nickname “Dueler’s Alley” is based largely on local tradition; claims that the passage was a frequent dueling ground are not well documented. The route became generally known as Philadelphia Alley during the early 20th century and was officially recognized under that name by 1952. Charleston restored and landscaped the alley in 2006, shaping the shaded historic passage photographed in 2015.
