Next to Burlington Iowa's famous Snake Alley on the 600 block of Washington Street is a stone paved alley preserved from another time. This alley like its famous brick neighbor connects a residential street to a portion of the business district. A locked chain strung between two posts at the bottom of the alley limits access unless the key is obtained from the police. The alley is certainly accessible to pedestrians and cyclists who can maneuver around the chain. But cars and horse drawn carriages will encounter more difficult egress unless the chain is removed. When checking out Snake Alley be sure to venture eastward about 200 feet towards the river to discover this protected portal to Burlington's past.
Ripley's Believe it, or Not touts Snake Alley in Burlington, Iowa as the crookedest street in the world. Judge for yourself. The alley on a hill is located between an old time residential area of the Port of Burlington and its business district. In 1894 a city crew designed and built the alley in an unique way. It consists of five half-curves and two quarter curves along the 275 stretch of brick pavement. The alley measures some 58 feet high and has a 21% grade in the one block stretch. While the street has been known to host a few cars down its winding trek most often bikers (both motor and foot powered) and pedestrians managed the crooked course.
Snake Alley's pavement consists of bricks carefully placed. The lay of the brick is not totally decorative but was engineered to allow horses better footing as they made their way down the slope back in the day. Years of wear have produced black marks from turning tires. On this day a professional photographer used the alley as a backdrop for a high school senior's portraits. At other times the alley is used as part of a race course for bikes and foot.
When you travel to Burlington, one of Iowa's oldest cities (which was the former second Wisconsin territorial capital, then Iowa territorial capital) make a stop at Snake Alley. You will enjoy the view and maybe make the claim that you tamed the crooked path of bricks.
