Rambling the virtual streets of Rogers Park on Google Maps the urban explorer can walk down more alleys than not. Coverage still far from complete with many abrupt stops and dead ends. Chicago is blessed with a proponderance of alleys. Houses or apartment buildings without alleys are the exception.
Some neighbors take advantage of the road less travelled looking for metal scraps, odds and ends, a quiet place to hang out. Drivers find another way around a blocked street or a new way home. Eccentric builders built coach houses some with stables, some without.
A couple back lanes (like the those inbetween Jarvis and Fargo) have stop signs. The scene below resemles a farm house on a country road.
For now there is no designation on Google Maps for which alley is what or an archive as to which alleys are included. If you haven't all ready got your building or your house address outback there's no time like the present to rectify the situation. Doing so aids firemen and policemen responding to emergencies.
Using Google Maps to scout alleys is an excellent way to check out unfamiliar territory, study a neighborhood you think you know quite well, or a good way to pass the time. There are always hidden pockets of the city that merit further investigation.
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