Aberdeen Pilgrimage brings history to life

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – The popular event is back in Aberdeen after a three-year hiatus.  The Aberdeen Pilgrimage began today and there are lots of activities for this year’s event.

History comes to life as Pilgrimage visitors step onto the front porch of “The Magnolias”.  The antebellum home was built in 1850 and is one of four homes on the 2022 Aberdeen Pilgrimage.

“If we don’t keep up with the history of these homes or buildings, they will be gone and people who come after us will not know anything about them,” said Gail Dalrymple, with the Aberdeen Pilgrimage Association.

The stately homes are just one part of this year’s Pilgrimage.  Aberdeen City Hall, built-in 1912 is also on the tour and when guests stop by the Elkin Theater to buy their pilgrimage tickets, they may hear an old tune and see a jig doll named Buck, in action.

And for the first time, the Black History Trail is part of the popular event.

“Shuttle bus will take you around to the trail here, starts at Blues Mural on Commerce,” Dalrymple said.

The pilgrimage also includes the restored James Creek Chapel, it is the oldest church built by freed slaves in the area.

“It’s amazing, some of these buildings are not being taken care of and they will be gone,” she said.

Tom Logan and his wife came to the Pilgrimage from their home in Lynchburg, Tennessee.   He says the tour is educational and is a fun way to spend a weekend.

“We went to City Hall, and one of the things he pointed out, I made the same comment to him, they don’t build them like that anymore.  You don’t see any cracking or settling in that building, when they constructed it from the ground up, they did it right.,” Logan said.

There are also garden tours, ” Lies and Legends” Saturday evening at the old Aberdeen Cemetery, carriage rides, and a party at the depot Saturday night to wrap it all up.

For a complete list of all the activities, go to aberdeenpilgrimage.org