The ground plot of the city is an oblong square, and is intersected by a number of streets at right angles with each other, nine of which run East and West from Delaware to Schuylkill, and twenty three North and South, crossing the first at right angles, forming one hundred and eighty-four squares of lots for buildings.
The streets running East and West are named (except High Street near the middle of the City) from the trees found in the country upon arrival of the colony: Vine, Sassafras, Mulberry, High, Chestnut, Walnut, Spruce, Pine, and Cedar Streets, and those running North and South from their numeral order, Front, Second, Third, Fourth, etc. to Broad Street, which is midway between the two rivers.
In deeds and other descriptive writings which require exactness, these streets have the Delaware of Schuylkill prefixed to their numeral names, to distinguish to which front they belong; as Delaware Second Street, etc. but as there are very few buildings Westward of Broad Street, this addition is never made in common conversation, but when they are named they are always understood of the Delaware front unless Schuylkill be added.
A number of the streets of this city are now generally known by names of different from those originally intended, thus Sassafras Street is commonly called Race Street, Bread Street, Moravian Alley, etc. In the directory the original names are retained, and in the list pointing out the situation of the streets, lanes and allies, their more common names are likewise mentioned.
The numbers in the streets, etc lying East and West, begin with No. 1 on the North and No. 2 on the South sides at the Delaware or other Eastern beginning of the street, and proceed regularly in the excess of two Westward, hence all the houses marked with odd numbers are on the North sides of the way, and all those marked with even numbers on the South.
The numbers in the streets lying North and South, begin at the several corners of High St, with No. 1 on the East and No. 2 on the West sides. High Street is considered as the common line of division, and the part of these streets lying North of it, has the addition of North to its name and those lying South, the addition of South, the numbers proceed in each street from No. 1 on the East and No. 2 on the West corner, in excess of two Northward and Southward from High Street having all the odd numbers on the East and and the even numbers on the West sides.
Thus if a stranger wishes to find any house in a main street, as No. 29, South Front St., he will know from the odd number that it is on the East side of the way, from the word South, that it is Southward from High St, from the word Front that it is the main Street nearest to the river, and cannot be at a loss to discover the residence of any person whose name in the directory calls for a main street.
When the person sought resides in any other street, lane or alley, the enquirer must turn to the alphabetical list of the lesser streets, etc where he will find opposite to its name the main street from when it begins, its direction whether East or West by the letters E & W or North and South by the letters N. S. prefixed, and preceding to the intersection of it, he will discover the progress of the number and follow them till he finds the house sought.
Thus to find No. 60 Union Street, look under letter U in the list, and Union St will be found to begin from the West side of Front St between Spruce and Pine Streets, and extending E & W across three squares, to terminate at the East side of Fourth St.; now if you come to any intersection of Union Street you examine the First number you see; you know by the even number 60, that you are to seek on the South side, by the index 1 and the progress of the numbers, and by the first number you meet, whether you are to Westward for a higher number or Eastward for a lower number.
The like modes serve for the lesser streets, etc. in a N & S direction, except that the odd numbers are on the East and the even numbers on the West side.
High Street, commonly called Market Street, is the principal street in the city and near the centre.
Parallel to it on the north, the first street is Mulberry, commonly called Arch Street.
The second is Sassafras, commonly called Race Street.
The third is Vine Street.
The fourth is Callowhill Street in the Northern Liberties.
On the So. side of first Street parallel to High Street is Chestnut Street.
The second, Walnut Street
The third, Spruce Street
The fourth, Pine Street
The fifth, Cedar, commonly called South Street
Apple-tree alley, running E. and W. from Fourth to Fifth St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Baker's alley, running N. and S. from Vine to Elm St. between Second and Third Sts.
Benner's Alley, running N. and S. from Vine to Elm St. between Second and Third Sts.
Biddle's Alley, running S. from High St. between Second and Third St.
Black-horse Alley, running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between High and Chestnut St.
Blackberry Alley running N. and S. from Pine to Lombard St. between Eighth and Ninth Sts.
Branch St. Running E. and W. from Third to Fourth St. between Vine and Sassafras St.
Bread St. running N and S from Mulberry to Sassafras St.between Second and Third Sts., commonly called Moravian Alley.
Brookes-Court, on the W. side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine St.
Carpenter St. Running E. and W. from Sixth to Seventh St. between High and Chestnut St.
Carter's Alley, on the W. side of Second St. between Chestnut and Walnut Sts.
Cauffman's Alley, on the S. side of Cherry St. between Third and Fourth Sts.
Chancery Lane, running N. and S. from Mulberry St. to Coombes' Alley, between Front and Second Sts.
Cherry St. running E. and W. from Third to Ninth St. between Mulberry and Sassafras Sts.
Church Alley running E. and W. from Second to Third St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Coates's Alley running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between Vine and Sassafras Sts.
Coombes's Alle running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Cooper's Court, on the N. side of Mulberry St. between Front and Second St.
Cresson's Alley, running E. and W. from Fifth to Sixth St.
Crooked Billet Alley on the East Side of Water Street between High and Chestnut St.
Crown Street running N and S from Sassafras St. to Vine St. and continued in the N. Liberty between 4th and 5th Sts.
Cypress Alley running E and W from Third to Fourth St. between Spruce and Union Streets
Dock St is the only crooked street in Philadelphia, begins at the bridge in Front St., and extends No. westward in a serpentine track though two squares, across Second and Walnut Streets and terminates at Third St. Another branch of it extends SW across Spruce St. and terminates in Second St.
Drinkers Alley running E and W from Front to Second St., between Mulberry and Sassafras Sts.
Drinkers Court, on the S. side of Union St. between Second and Third Sts
Elbow Lane, running S. from High St. between Second and Third St. and running W. into Third St. between High and Chestnut Sts. That part of Elbow Lae which runs S. from High St. is commonly called White-Horse Alley.
Elfrith's Alley, running E. and West from Front to Second St. between Mulberry and Sassafras.
Elm St. running E. and W. from Second to Third St. between Vine and Sassafras Sts. commonly called New St.
Etris's Alley, on the W. side of Fifth St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Fayette St. running N. and S. between Mulberry and Filbert Sts. and between Ninth and Tenth Sts.
Fearis's Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Fetter Lane, running E. and W. from Third to Bread St. between Mulberry and Sassafras St.
Filbert St. running E. and W. from Eighth St. to Schuylkill, between High and Mulberry Sts.
Gaskell St. running E. and W. from Second to Fifth St. between Lomard and Cedar Sts.
George St. running N. and S from Gaskell to Cedar St. and continued in Southwest, between Second and Third St.
Gray's Alley, running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between Chestnut and Walnut Sts.
Groff's Alley, on the N. side of Sassafras St. between Second and Third Sts.
Hoffman's Alley, on the S. side of Sassafras St. between Fourth and Fifth Sts.
Jackson's Court, on the N. side of Sassafras St. between Front and Second Sts.
Key's Alley, running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Letitia Court, running N. and S. from High St. to Blackhouse Alley, between Front and Second St.
Laurel Court, on the N. side of Spruce St. between Second and Third Sts.
Little Water St. running N. and S from Willing and Morris's Wharf to Cedar St.
Lodge Alley, on the W. side of Second St. between Chestnut and Walnut Sts.
Lombard St. beginning at Front St. and running W. between Pine and Cedar Sts.
Lownes's or Elmsley's Alley, on the W. side of Second St. between Walnut and Spruce St.
McCullough's Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts, likewise called Ewings Alley.
Mayer's Alley, on the E. side of Third St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Mifflin's Alley, on the W. side of Second St. between Walnut and Spruce Sts.
Mulberry Court, on the W. side of Sixth St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Norris Alley, running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between Chestnut and Walnut Sts.
North Alley, running E. and W. from Fifth to Sixth St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Patton's Alley, on W. side of Fourth St. between High and Chestnut Sts.
Pear St. running E. and W. from Second to Third St. between Walnut and Spruce Sts.
Penn St. running N. and S from Pine to Cedar St. between Front St. and Delaware.
Petty's or Greenleafe's Alley, on the W. side of Fourth St. between High and Chestnut Sts.
Pewter-platter Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Priests Alley, on the W. side of Front St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Puran St. running W. from Fourth St. between Walnut and Spruce Sts. commonly called Shippen's Alley.
Quarry St., running E. and W. from Third to Bread St. between Mulberry and Sassafras Sts.
Rawlinson Court, on the E. side of Second St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Relief Alley, running E. and W. between Front and Second St. and between Lombard and Cedar Sts.
Sassafras Alley, running N. and W. from Sassafras St. to Scheibell's Alley, between Fifth and Sixth Sts.
Say's Alley, on the E. side of Water St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Scheibell's Alley, running E. from the E. side of Sixth St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Shepherd's Alley, on the W. side of Third St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Sinte's Alley, on the E. side of Water St. between High and Chestnut St.
Smith's Alley, running N. and S from Dock St. to Carter's Alley, between Second and Third Sts.
South Alley, running E. and W. from Fifth to Sixth St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Stamper's Alley, running E. and W. from Second to Third St. between Pine and Lombard Sts.
Stinmetz's Alley, on the E. side of Fourth St. between Sassafras and Vine Sts.
Sterling Alley, running N and S from Sassafras to Cherry St between Third and Fourth Sts.
Story St., running E. and W. from Third to Fourth St. & between Sassafras and Vine Sts., commonly called New St.
Strawberry St. running N and S. from High to Chestnut St. between Second and Third Sts.
Styles' Court, on the S. side of Mulberry St. between Second and Third Sts.
Sugar Alley, running E. and W from Sixth to Ninth St. between High and Mulberry Sts.
Taylor's Alley, running E. and W. from Front to Second St. between Chestnut and Walnut Sts.
Union St., running E. and W. from Front to Fourth St. between Spruce and Pine St.
Waggoners Alley, running S. from Sassafras, between Ninth and Tenth Sts.
Whalebone Alley, running S. from Chestnut St. between Third and Fourth Sts.
Willing's Alley, running E. and W. from Third to Fourth St.between Walnut and Spruce Sts.
White Horse Alley, running So. from High between Second and Third Sts, a part of Elbow Lane
York Court, running E. from Third St. to Laurel Court, between Walnut and Spruce Sts.
Zachary's Court on the N. side of Walnut St. between Front and Second Sts.