The first mention of any alley is that of Paddy Alley[5] (after a
resident), running from Ann to Middle Street, 1658, but whether so named
before or after the streets which it connects is not known. Rawson's Lane,
afterwards Bromfield's Lane, and now Bromfield Street, 1693; Black Horse
Lane, part of what is now known as Prince Street, 1698; Beer Lane, part of
Richmond Street; Blind Lane, part of Bedford Street; Elbow Alley, which
was in the form of a crescent, from Ann to Cross Street; Pudding Lane,
part of Devonshire Street--all mentioned in 1708, when a list of the names
of the streets, lanes, &c., was prepared and published by the Selectmen.
Among these were Frog Lane, Hog Alley, Sheafe Lane, Blind Lane, Cow Lane,
Flounder Lane, Crab Lane, &c. Probably all these lanes and alleys were
laid out or established, at a much earlier date than that mentioned. Sheep
Lane was first called Hog Lane, in 1789; Turn-again Alley, at an early
date, was near Hamilton Place.
The first lanes and possibly alleys, it has been said, were probably
cow-paths or foot-paths, but at the end of seventy-eight years, in 1708,
they had undoubtedly all received names, peculiar as some of them were.
Most of these lanes--not all of them--were named after residents or owners
in the neighborhood. The alleys were each named after some citizen,
excepting where there might be some local name or peculiarity, as Board
Alley, Brick Alley, Crooked Alley; and so of some of the lanes and
streets, as Bog Lane, Marsh Lane, Well Street, Bath Street, Grape Place,
Granite Place, and some others.