File:Alley dwellings in Southwest Washington DC - 1937.jpg

English: Alley dwellings in the Southwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., in November 1937. The United States Capitol dome can be seen in the background. The small Southwest quadrant of the city was the smallest and one of the most poverty-stricken in the first five decades of the 20th century. Victorian-style townhouses were built along tree-lined streets, but many had fallen into extreme disrepair. Running water, indoor plumbing, indoor toilets, electricity, and sewers were rare in the area until after the late 1950s. The alleys in the area were exceptionally wide, built to accommodate deliveries of water, coal, wood, and food by horse-drawn wagon. Dwellings made of discarded wood, brick, and stone (known as "alley dwellings") were often built in these alleys, leaning against the townhouse for support. The occupants of "alley dwellings" were nearly always poor African American families.