In 1917, Heman Perry created the Service Company, a bigger organization that was over subsidiary companies such as a printing company (later the Atlanta Daily World); a farming company; a pharmacy company (later Yates and Milton Drugstore); a banking company (Citizens Trust Bank); and a realty company (Service Realty Company).
With the Service Realty Company, Perry developed a residential black community by purchasing over 300 acres of land on the Westside or Atlanta. This development became Atlanta’s first planned Black suburb.
Perry made sure this community was replete with amenities many Black residents were denied, such as paved roads, running water, a park, and even streetlights.
In 1919, Perry donated land to the City of Atlanta for a recreational park for Black residents—Washington Park. “At the time, the completed park included a dance hall, pavilion, tennis courts, swings and has served as the anchor of the development of the Historic Westside.” (@washingtonparkatl).
In 1921, Perry sold another portion of his land to Atlanta Board of Education for $42,500 for the development of Booker T. Washington High School.
In spite the unsuccessful ending to Perry’s entrepreneurship, his endeavors laid a solid foundation for Atlanta’s development as a Mecca for Black businesses.
#forBTWbyBTW #PerryHomes #perryboulevard
With the Service Realty Company, Perry developed a residential black community by purchasing over 300 acres of land on the Westside or Atlanta. This development became Atlanta’s first planned Black suburb.
Perry made sure this community was replete with amenities many Black residents were denied, such as paved roads, running water, a park, and even streetlights.
In 1919, Perry donated land to the City of Atlanta for a recreational park for Black residents—Washington Park. “At the time, the completed park included a dance hall, pavilion, tennis courts, swings and has served as the anchor of the development of the Historic Westside.” (@washingtonparkatl).
In 1921, Perry sold another portion of his land to Atlanta Board of Education for $42,500 for the development of Booker T. Washington High School.
In spite the unsuccessful ending to Perry’s entrepreneurship, his endeavors laid a solid foundation for Atlanta’s development as a Mecca for Black businesses.
#forBTWbyBTW #PerryHomes #perryboulevard