40th Pilgrimage underway
Published 10:16 pm Friday, March 20, 2015
The Phillips-Hobbs-Joyce-Gamble home served at the reception site for the opening day of the 2015 Pilgrimage. People from all over the country toured the Pilgrimage homes Friday.
The 40th Pilgrimage kicked off Friday with a special viewing of the Phillips, Hobbs, Joyce, Gamble home that evening.
The home, known for its significant role in the Civil War, was the perfect place for visitors to gather for fellowship while learning about Selma’s history.
Many places on the tour were open Friday, but there are still many to see Saturday.
The Vaughan Smitherman Museum serves as the headquarters for the event and is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Ralph Hobbs gives a tour of the Phillips-Hobbs-Joyce-Gamble home during Friday’s Pilgrimage opening reception.
“[Pilgrimage] showcases the pre-antebellum before the Civil War and after the Civil War. [It shows] the way of life that was here in those years,” said Sheryl Smedley, executive director of the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce. “It attracts people from all over. We have folks that are interested in the architecture and the Civil War history.”
But this year’s tour of homes, churches and museums is not just about the Civil War. According to Smedley, this is the first year that the tour will also include houses and churches that played a major role in the voting rights movement.
“It’s truly Civil War and Civil Rights because we’re seeing older homes here that were pre-Civil War and … the churches we’re covering Tabernacle and Reformed Presbyterian [and more],” said Greg Bjelke, the chairman of Pilgrimage. “We’re rolling everything into one.”
Bjelke said Pilgrimage is important for the history and the tourism.
“I’m excited because there’s so many people still in town from two weeks ago, and we want to keep that momentum going,” Bjelke said. “We’re excited. We’re showing off our town [and] I love to show off Selma.”
The annual tour is a major attraction for out of own guests, but Smedley said she is hoping this year even more locals.
“It attracts more out of town visitors than it does in town folks. We just hope that eventually the in town residents will come out and support us, especially this year on the 40th,” Smedley said. “We just invite everyone to come out and see historic Selma.”
Tickets for the tour can be purchased at the Vaughan Smitherman Museum, located at 109 Union St., from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information about Pilgrimage, call (334) 412-8550 or 1-800-45-SELMA.
