With either short deadlines, immediate needs for information or a lack of desire to look further, somehow young journalists neglected about thirty years of history when it comes to the FBI's "Hogan's Alley." They also neglected the true pioneers behind the idea.
The last time we looked, a search on the Net regarding the FBI's "Alley" reveals the top listed articles, and photos pointing to 1987. They recount that it was that year the "Alley" was created at the FBI Academy; a virtual high tech town with its own Biograph Theater and much more. Well, that's only part of a longer story......
A Small Portion Of Today's "Hogan's Alley" - Courtesy FBI
Most articles about the 1987 "Hogan's Alley" don't reflect any prior existence of the legendary walkway. "Hogan's Alley" today doesn't bear any resemblance to the original at the early Academy and it wasn't the original "Alley." In fact, it isn't law enforcement's first either.
The real story of the FBI's "Hogan's Alley" goes back further in years than most have been alive. Through our research from 1920s articles, 1930s published books, coupled with copies of family documents belonging to the FBI's "Hank" Sloan, and corroborated by Bureau files, we now know the story of how and when it all started along with the influence of Camp Perry, Ohio.
Grabbing its name sake from the Sunday comics of long ago, once upon a time it was merely a strip of various building fronts with "cut out doorways" and pop-up targets of gangster legends.....
FBI "Hogan's Alley" Of The 1950s - FBI Photo
Our new history report is here!
~ In no specific order, an extended thanks to Bureau Historian, Dr. John Fox, retired FBI Special Agent Chuck Stern, and the Sloan family for their assistance~