A Primer on NYC "Backhouses"

"So how did these structures come about? The classic and seemingly most loved example is the carriage house located behind an elegant early rowhouse. In these cases, a single family house was built, typically in the early 19th century, with a stable for the family’s horses located behind, accessible through either a side passageway or a tunnel or 'horsewalk' through the house. As horses began to disappear from regular use in the city and fewer families kept them behind their houses, these stables were often converted to residences, sometimes called carriage houses."