Over the last few episodes, we have shown how Elfreth’s Alley went from a neighborhood of artisans in early Philadelphia to a rundown street in the shadow of factories and warehouses, with unsanitary conditions and rampant overcrowding by the 1930s.

Today, Elfreth’s Alley is in nearly every guidebook to Philadelphia as a must-see attraction. During a typical summer Saturday, some thousand visitors walk down the length of the block, duck into Bladen’s Court, a small offshoot of the Alley, and retrace their steps back up the street, posing for photos in front of the Instagram-worthy houses and the historical flags waving above.

How did this transformation happen? Why did it happen? Who made it happen?

In this episode, we will examine the beginning of Elfreth’s Alley metamorphosis into a tourist spot.