Comer Alley runs North-South between Race and Pleasant Sts. in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati. Being a fan of alleys, I walk down this way regularly but only recently noticed that the brick pavers were made by different companies.
There’s 20th Century and Portsmouth Block. The third one is maybe McManigal? I’m not completely sure of the spelling, but I found a reference in The Clay Worker. Manigal or McManigal was apparently based in Middleport, OH.
Anyway… Why does one stretch of alley contain brick from three different companies? My guess is that two of these were salvaged from other sites to repave the alley, and that it wasn’t done very long ago. Does anyone know the story behind this?
Nice post. I saw some McManigal bricks used in another alley — I think near the Mercer Commons site – or maybe it was Parvis Alley behind Reser Bicycle Outfitters. I love alleys too
Alleys rock! It’s too bad that some of the ones in OTR have been closed to the public.
My McManigal paver was unearthed at the old railroad tracks near the Ohio River at Pete Rose Way where the waterfront park is. It is now in my living room in Salem Indiana, evoking another era and serving as a conversation piece.
Wow, what a great story!
the City recently relaid the alley. the original alley contained only some percentage of the required pavers. the city makes up the difference with stockpiled pavers, which are generally from some other part of town. when they redo an alley, everything is pulled up and the base redone. so the original and imported bricks might get all mixed up.