The City of Hampton and the Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood held a dedication ceremony for a new accessibility ramp at the Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum on Wednesday. The event took place at the museum, located at 55-57 Mary Peake Blvd.
The ramp was funded by a grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Fund and built by W.F. Magann Corp. In addition to the ramp, contractors installed a paved path in the backyard to improve access for visitors using wheelchairs, canes, or walkers.
Margaret Wilson, president of the Historical Foundation of Aberdeen Gardens, spoke about the impact of the new feature. “People want to come to the museum and learn about this neighborhood and the people who live here,” Wilson said. “It bothered me when someone with a wheelchair called and I had to tell them I couldn’t set up a visit for them. I’m glad that the next time an organization calls and they’ve got people with wheelchairs, I get to say, ‘When can you come?’”
Hampton Vice Mayor Steve Brown provided an invocation and highlighted Aberdeen Gardens’ importance in local history. “Some people might think an accessibility ramp at a neighborhood museum isn’t that big a deal, but it is,” Brown said. “It’s important that we don’t miss the significance of what’s happening here today. Aberdeen Gardens is a big part of our city’s history. This building showcases that history to anyone who wants to learn about it. And now, with an ADA-compliant ramp, we truly can say that the story of Aberdeen Gardens is accessible to everyone — as it should be.”
Aberdeen Gardens was established in the 1930s through a federal program previously unavailable to African-Americans. It became notable as the first neighborhood planned, built, and populated entirely by African-Americans.
Bonita Billingsley Harris from Dominion Energy attended with her mother Amy Billingsley; both are descendants of Charles Duke, who served as architect in chief during Aberdeen Gardens’ development. Amy Billingsley shared: “My grandfather was very proud of Aberdeen Gardens,” she said. “I know he would be thrilled to see it still thriving today. Maybe he’s looking down on us now.”
Kasia Grzelkowski, president and CEO of Versability Resources, remarked on how fitting it was for this dedication to take place on National Disability Employment Awareness Month’s first day: “No one should ever be left at the door. What this ramp says is, ‘You are welcome here.’”
