Do you know why the sidewalks are so wide?
Hoop skirts?
Interesting question. The codes call for 4 feet because it requires a herringbone pattern (or other approved configuraation) for brick installation.
Salt Lake City is great–the width of streets was required to turn around the ox cart.
(Why Salt Lake City? Because the women said we weren’t going anywhere further. )
One story is that SLC streets are so wide so Brigham Young could walk down the street side-by-side with his wives. We were told that on a city tour…don’t shoot the messenger.
Yes!
That’s exactly right about walking next to the wife.
Not right about walking next to wife but good story.
What do you mean? The sidewalks were made wide so women in their wide hoop skirts could walk next to someone. At least that is what the tour guide on the architectural tour told us. Makes sense. It seemed those sidewalks were wider than 4 ft.
How did I guess? I’m a big fan:
My wedding hoop was 5’ across. (How many brides could be safely photographed in their wedding underwear?)
But back to the topic…
Brigham Young had many wives. It’s a good story, but hoop skirt or not, they weren’t fitting on the sidewalk.
Look at you! You belonged in Savannah! I do think those sidewalks looked at least 6’ wide.
I’m all confused about these sidewalk comments. I didn’t recall them being extra wide in Savannah? But even so, 4’ is the minimum width nowadays to accommodate a wheelchair. 5’ is normal. The sidewalk on my street is 10’ in many places.
The Brigham Young/wife story had to do with the width of the streets in downtown SLC, not the sidewalk!
Savannah is much older than the hoop skirt trend. The width of skirts peaked in the 1860s. The city plan is from the 1730s.
If you have a car, drive out to Tybee Island for beach time.
sounds like a line from a Springsteen song!
We greatly enjoyed Savannah and Charleston. Best fried green tomatoes ever in Savannah with remoulade sauce. I wrote the restaurant to see if I could get a recipe and they sent me the ingredient amounts to make a vat of it. LOL. Huey’s on the River.
Haha - that’s what happens when you’re a Jersey Girl.
Jersey girls represent!
Thanks for all the Savannah love and the tips! Really looking forward to our first-time visit this summer.