Rediscovering Aberdeen’s past: Looking to future in historic Paradise Alley

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Historic Paradise Alley in Aberdeen is getting a new life.

The Aberdeen Visitor’s Bureau has been cleaning up the area and sharing its history with the local community.

The parking lot behind the main street shops is called Paradise Alley, a part of the Aberdeen Black History Trail. In the 1880s, this area was a bustling African-American shopping district in the town.

Buildings used to fill the lot making a well-defined alleyway that hosted the shops.

Tina Robbins of the Aberdeen Visitor’s Bureau said how important it was for the Bureau to preserve the history of this space.

“Our rediscovery of it being named Paradise Alley, we wanted to celebrate that and to be able to share the story and continue the story and give it forward to the next generations. We want to take hold of our historic spaces treasure them and share the stories. We don’t want it to get lost,” said Robbins.

The town hoped to bring new life into the space with events and the addition of a mural. there are also plans to continue beautifying the area.

“With our mural telling the story, bringing forward to now, we want to bring everybody together and celebrate this space again and to be able to preserve the cultural-historical significance of this alley,” said Robbins.

They hope to hold one event a month in the alley bringing the community together.

“We have done our work in the alley and now it is time to enjoy everything that we have created here. We are ready to just come together as a community and celebrate fall and celebrate unity,” said Robbins.

Fall into Paradise Alley is the first event of fall held in the alley, taking place on Thursday at 6 p.m.

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