After the churches split, the First Christian Church group had services in 'Old Town' in various homes and buildings until about 1905 when a new church was built in 'New Town'. 

There were several gins in town, but only two were operating at one time. One was located near the former home of Omar Cleveland and was operated by Lee Baker. he later sold it to Mr. Waggoner, who in time moved it away.  B. B. Barton built a gin near the former home of Earl Harms, but it burned after four or five years of operation.  Ben Ford built a new gin on the same site.  The farmers organized a company and built a gin on the site of the present home of the Armstrong family.  The Ford and farmers' gins were the last in operation ceasing after the boll-weevil devastation in 1926-1927.

Mrs. S.L. Atkins owned a rooming house in 'New Town' called the Atkins Boarding House. It was located near the current Paradise Welcome Sign, on HWY 114.  Mr. Atkins was hired at the Upper Arkansas School after he sold his hotel to Jasper Lynch.  The building burned in 1904.  Tom Brackett built a hotel nearby after the Atkins Boarding House burned, and that same building became the Wallace Hotel, the home of the Wallace family.  The building was torn down when the HWY 114 bypass was built.

The first doctors to 'New Town' were Drs. T. B. Peek, Floyd, and Morton, who were all practicing at the same time.  Later doctors included Peek, Riley, Spencer, and McElry. Dr. Floyd Cole was a dentist in the town.

There were two lumber yards, the Boone Lumber Company and the Cameron Lumber Yard.  Boone's was located near the Paradise Market Gas Station, and the Cameron Yard was West of Boone's.

The post office was located near the present Veteran's Park, with William M. Ward serving as postmaster from July 3, 1895 to August 11, 1906.  North of the post office was a leather shop where saddles and other leather goods were made.

In 1903, Thompson and Carter built and operated a bank on the West side of the street. It was the last county bank. Since then, the building has housed many businesses such as cafe's, beauty shops, and an office for a construction company.

The First National Bank was established on the present site of Pizookie's Ice Cream Parlor. The People's Bank stood on the site of the present City Hall.

 Old Wise County Bank Building

South of the People's Bank, Mr. M.D. Cansler had a dry goods and grocery store, which was moved from 'Old Town'. It was later changed to a drug store, operated by Earl Frost's father. Mr. Frost also was postmaster from March 27, 1915 to March 3, 1925.

South of the drugstore was a barber shop.  the telephone office was located on the present site of Main Street Salon.  A studio was North of the telephone office.

A newspaper, called the Paradise Echo, was printed in part of the Collins building, just North of the current post office, and an ice cream parlor and ice house occupied the other part.  The Collins building has since been torn down.

South of the Collins building was a barber shop run by Allen Cobb and others.  Nest to that was a building used for hardware and horseshoeing, followed by four brick buildings to the South which were used by various people for grocery and dry goods.

A blacksmith shop occupied the site of the current Veteran's Park. The blacksmith's shop became the old fire station, which was eventually destroyed by a tornado.  Mr. Williamson was the last blacksmith in Paradise.

At one time, there was a woodyard and stock pens across the railroad between the former homes of George Sizemore and Omar Cleveland.

There was also a livery stable and wagonyard located near Elm Street.

A moving picture show occupied the Cansler building during the late 1910's and 1920's.  A cotton warehouse, located across the railroad West of the current home of George Sizemore, was destroyed by a tornado around 1920.  the tornado also destroyed several other buildings, including the Baptist Church.

   

 
      First Christian Church, built circa 1905.