"Checkers Alley"

Through the early teens of the last century, an alley on this site provided access to businesses off Main Street, including Arthur Maloney's corn mill behind the buildings, and also led to one of the two public outhouses at the ends of South Peachtree Street. In the early 1900's, local dry goods merchant Abe Johnson, who owned the alley and the building next door, and banker Gus McDaniel often played checkers there. One day, a mule pulling a large wagon driven by teenage Reps Miller was spooked and ran through the alley, knocking over both players. Angry at having to dodge wagons on his own property, Abe Johnson enclosed the alley and built a structure that became #19 Jones St. and served as an annex to his store. The closing of the narrow passage drew stiff public opposition because it forced people to take a more circuitous route to reach needed facilities. In time, townspeople laughed about the episode and gave the blocked passage several colorful names, the most common and acceptable of which was Checkers Alley.

Norcross, Georgia · United States