Historic Alleyways in Washington, DC
- Live Guide
- Instant Confirmation
- Private Tour
- E-Ticket
**Note - This tour is only offered on a private tour basis from mid-December until February. Contact Off the Mall Tours directly to book a private tour. Starting February, tour will be the 2nd Sunday of the month. The Alleyways of DC served a distinct purpose as a city planning feature, but they also provided a hidden safe space where escaped enslaved people and the poor could find inexpensive housing and live their lives away from prying eyes. While city officials condemned life in the alleyways as dangerous, dirty and diseased, they were in fact a place where communities sustained each other and provided security. This fascinating tour takes you through the Blagden Alley/Naylor Court historic district near the Convention Center.
Itinerary Details
Operated by: Off the Mall Tours
Stop At:
Blanche K. Bruce was the first African American to serve a full term as Senator, and rose to his position during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. The tour starts as the location of his residence while he was serving his Senatorial term.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At:
Blagden Alley is one of DC's most well-preserved historic alleyways. Once the subject of a study of DC alleyways, it is now the site of art galleries, hidden-away restaurants and coffee shops.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At:
The tour makes a pit stop at this popular coffee spot.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At:
Beginning in 2015, a series of works were commissioned by artists with a history in the Shaw neighborhood and in Blagden Alley — They created a stunning display of new works painted directly on the garage doors of several buildings in Bladgen Alley.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At:
Naylor Court is a former site of alleyway stables, and later old fashioned garages. It is a part of the Blagden Alley - Naylor Court Historic District.
Duration: 30 minutes
