Washington DC is home to a large number of historical alleys. Many of those alleys are located on Capitol Hill and are still thriving. However, a long history of activism and regulation has haunted the alleys, and those living there, for a century. Even though alleys were introduced in the L’Enfant Plan, dated 1793-1796, the number of alley dwellings in the city before the Civil War was limited, but grew considerably in the decades to follow. Alleys were meant to provide acce