Tour of Homes 2023

The Tour of Homes will be held Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 10 am – 5 pm and will feature ten homes, two churches and other historic sites in Pine Apple!

The homes featured this year include Oak Hall – the Purifoy-Melton-Norred home, c. 1840, moved to Pine Apple in 1937, Hawthorne House, c. 1852 (pictured above), Greenleaves – the Powell-Grimes home, c. 1854, Four Oaks Bend, the Luckie-Williamson-Bennett home, c. 1882, Melton Hotel – the Melton-Jenkins-Santamore-Lamkin home, c. 1885, Mockingbird House – the Feagin-Weitzel-Robinson home, c. 1887, Thirty Columns – the Adams-Stone home, c. 1900, Sears Catalog, Magnolia Kit, the Chapman-Pugh home, c. 1912, the Pine Apple Bungalow, c. 1920, and Camellia Manor – the Stallworth-Norred-Shierling home, c. 1930.

Churches and other buildings on tour include Friendship Baptist Church, founded 1825 – current building, 1948, Pine Apple Methodist Church, founded 1872 – current building c. 1890, Moore Academy, founded 1882, current building 1923, Old Barn Museum, c. 1854, Roberts Log Cabin, c. 1860, moved to Pine Apple Town Park in 2008 and Matheson Library, c. 1927. Cemeteries included are Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery, established 1847, Pine Apple Methodist Church Cemetery, established 1880 and the Christian Church Cemetery, established 1886.

We are excited to welcome the Right Honorable Countess of Carnarvon of Downton Abbey’s unforgettable Highclere Castle as the Guest Speaker of our 2023 Tour of Homes in Pine Apple!

Watch Lady Carnarvon’s recently recorded video to help promote our Tour here!

For our Royal, Golden, and Highclere Ticket Holders, the weekend starts Friday, March 24th, with our 2023 Guest Speaker, the Right Honorable Countess of Carnarvon of Highclere Castle, site of the hit series “Downton Abbey.” The Wilcox Historical Society and Lady Carnarvon offer a day full of royal experiences March 24. From a lovely luncheon to an exclusive champagne adorned conversation at Wakefield, you’ll spend the day sharing and celebrating with Lady Carnarvon during her first visit to Alabama.

2023 TICKET PACKAGES

THE ROYAL PACKAGE $400 per person SOLD OUT

Our most exclusive option. Lady Carnarvon will share a glass of champagne and conversation at historic Wakefield Plantation, with Royal Guests prior to Friday Evening’s Welcome Reception. In addition, you will receive a personalized, signed copy of her book. Cocktail Attire Required. Valet parking will be provided. The Royal Package includes:

Exclusive, Private Cocktail Party Friday 3/24 – 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Welcome Reception, The Highclere Experience Friday 3/24 – 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Ticket to Tour of Homes, Pine Apple, AL Saturday 3/25 – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Personalized, Signed Copy of Seasons at Highclere

* The Royal Package does not include Friday Morning’s Luncheon with Lady Carnarvon.

THE GOLDEN PACKAGE $300 per person 100 tickets available – ONLY 10 available as of February 24th!

Start your day with an exclusive luncheon where you will meet and have a photo opportunity with our guest of honor, The Right Honorable Countess of Carnarvon. She will open Tour Weekend with welcome remarks followed by a traditional Southern Luncheon at historic Wakefield Plantation. Golden Guests will receive a signed copy of her book Seasons at Highclere as well. The Golden Package includes:

Private luncheon and photo opportunity w/ Lady Carnarvon Friday 3/24 – 11:00 am – 1:00pm

Ticket to Tour of Homes, Pine Apple, AL Saturday 3/25-10:00 am-5:00pm

Signed Copy of Seasons at Highclere

* The Golden Package does not include Friday Evening’s Welcome Reception with Lady Carnarvon.

THE HIGHCLERE PACKAGE $200 per person 240 tickets available – ONLY 20 available as of February 24th!

Join us for our Tour of Homes Welcome Reception at historic Wakefield Plantation, the Highclere Experience, featuring our guest speaker the Right Honorable Countess of Carnarvon. She will share her experiences preserving her home Highclere Castle with a visual presentation followed by a question and answer session with Lady Carnarvon. Live music, wine, and heavy hor d’oeuvres as well as a Highclere Gin Station will add to the festivities as we toast the start of our Tour. Cocktail Attire. Valet parking will be provided. The Highclere Package includes:

Welcome Reception, The Highclere Experience Friday 3/24 – 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Ticket to the Tour of Homes, Pine Apple, AL Saturday 3/25 – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

THE TOUR PACKAGE $50 per person ONLY 200 available as of February 24th!

Discover the beauty of Pine Apple, Alabama, Saturday, March 25th, 2023, as you explore nine beautiful homes, two historic churches, and its impressive school building, Moore Academy. During your visit you will experience stunning architecture, rich history, and quintessential Southern hospitality.

* All ticket packages include a Tour of Homes Ticket, Saturday, March 25, and a complimentary Southern Breakfast Served at The Brittany House Antiques in Oak Hill, Alabama from 8:30 am – 10:00 am Saturday Morning, 3/25.

SIGNED BOOK OPTION $50 per book Only 100 available

Lady Carnarvon will personally sign a copy of her latest book Seasons at Highclere. Take home an autographed copy as a keepsake of this special weekend. One signed book comes with the Royal & Golden Packages.

***Eventbrite Ticket link here!***

MUSIC FOR FRIDAY’S WELCOME RECEPTION

We are very excited to welcome back music from Tommy Ward at the Welcome Reception on Friday night. Mr. Ward has been compared to Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble. He is a singer and musician with a classic sound and silky voice. Read more about Tommy Ward below :

“Tommy Ward is a critically acclaimed singer and entertainer from Las Vegas who has a deep love and appreciation for legendary musicians and crooners. At only 25 years old, he has already made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, and his videos on social media have racked up millions of views. Ward’s newly released EP “From This Moment On,” (2022) produced by LeCoq Records, showcases his stunning vocal abilities and features truly unique arrangements played by some of the world’s most respected musicians, including Bill Cunliffe, John Pattitucci, Vinny Colaiuta, and others. His previous EPs “Forget Me Not” and “Merry Christmas” both reached the Top 10 on iTunes jazz charts on the first day of their release.

Ward’s most recent recording, “Home” with GRAMMY nominated country artist Mark Winston Kirk, is currently in the Top 100 on regional radio and is being played in more than 15 states across the United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina.

Since the age of 16, Ward has had the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans and legends. At 17, he and his band were one of the youngest opening acts in Las Vegas history, completing 90 shows for Billboard #1 artist and Las Vegas headliner of the year, Frankie Moreno. Ward has also had a widely celebrated opening act run for comedy legend Louie Anderson during his tenure at the Plaza Hotel.

In addition to his impressive performances, Ward has a true passion for music and the arts. He often uses his platform to raise awareness for various charitable causes and uses his talents to give back to his community. Ward is a hardworking and dedicated artist who continues to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry.”

LUNCH OPTIONS FOR TOUR DAY, SATURDAY

Several options for lunch will be available in Pine Apple on Saturday with vendors set up at the Moore Academy Gymnasium. More information coming soon!

LODGING SUGGESTIONS – We strongly suggest you make reservations EARLY as lodging options are limited.

GREENVILLE, ALABAMA – 30 minutes from Pine Apple

1. Hampton Inn, Greenville, AL

219 Interstate Dr, Greenville, AL 36037

334-382-9631

2. Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Greenville, AL

100 Paul Stabler Dr, Greenville, AL 36037

334-382-2444

3. Comfort Inn, Greenville, AL

1029 Fort Dale Rd, Greenville, AL 36037

334-383-9595

CAMDEN, ALABAMA – 25 minutes from Pine Apple

1. Liberty Hall Bed & Breakfast – SOLD OUT

2. Capell House Bed & Breakfast – SOLD OUT

3. Pleasant Ridge Bed & Breakfast – SOLD OUT

4. Roland Cooper State Park -Only 5 cabins left as of February 7th!

Roland Cooper State Park in Camden, Alabama, offers mini cabins that have been popular with Tour of Homes guests for several years.

Cabins 10, 11, 24, 31, & 40 are est. 400 sq. ft., two bedrooms, with a queen bed in one room and two sets of bunk beds in the other room. There is a full bath, kitchen, living room, and exterior deck. These cabins are located within the camping loop.

Cabins 21-1 and 22 are ADA accessible. Cabin 22 is one bedroom with two queen beds, a full bath, kitchen, and living room. Cabin 21-1 is one bedroom with one queen bed, a full bath, kitchen, and living room.

The 408 square foot cabins, sleep 4-6 people and rent for $125.00 per day and $700.00 weekly.

TWO FLOOR PLANS

There are two floor plans available. Some of the cabins have two bedrooms and can sleep up to six people. There is a master bedroom with a queen bed. The other bedroom has two sets of bunks and sleeps four people.

One of the “tiny house” cabins is ADA compliant. It has one bedroom with two queen beds and has a wheelchair friendly bathroom and shower. All of the doorways are wide enough for wheelchair mobility. This cabin also has a wheelchair ramp to the main entrance.

All of the cabins have a full kitchen with a gas range, microwave oven, coffee maker and fridge with an ice maker. The kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, pots and pans and utensils. Each have a dinette area with TV and all of the units have central heat and AC.

Reservations can be made online or by calling the office at 334-682-4838.

5. Lakeside Cabins

Lakeside RV & Cabin Rentals is located on the Camden Bypass, 25 minutes from Pine Apple. This 7 cabin/9 RV park has just added “The Hank,” a 2 bedroom (queen), 2 bath, with kitchen, WIFI & cable TV.

The “Sadie”, “Kaleb”, “Brett”, & “Avery” are 1-bedroom (2 full), 1 bath cabins.

The “Sophie” is a 2 bedroom (1 queen/1 king) 1 bath with kitchen.

There are also 9 RV sites with full hook-up & WIFI, plus excellent cell service.

For reservation or information call 334-740-2005.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Lady Carnarvon’s visit and the 2023 WHS Tour of Homes in lovely Pine Apple please contact us at wilcoxhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

General Info for the 2021 Tour of Homes

TOUR OF HOMES GENERAL INFORMATION:
Our Tour includes seven homes, two churches, and several sites downtown.
Everyone must bring their ticket to registration either Friday afternoon or Saturday to the Wilcox
Female Institute, our tour headquarters, 301 Broad Street, Camden, AL.
REGISTRATION HOURS:
Friday, March 26th – 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Saturday, March 27th – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
• When you register you will exchange your ticket for an arm band that will get you into the
Welcome Reception and Tour of Homes. The Benefit Ball requires a separate ticket.
• We will you provide you with our 2021 Tour Brochure and Map at registration.
We will hold all events rain or shine. However, in the event of rain or saturated ground, we will
require you to either remove your shoes or wear shoe covers while in our Tour Homes. Each home will
have shoe covers available for your use.
The Tour of Homes Saturday, March 27th, hours are 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
We will be following a number of safety protocols this year. At registration everyone will have their
temperature taken before receiving their arm band. If someone has a temperature they will receive a
full refund and will not be allowed entry. Masks must be worn properly inside at all times. Sanitation
stations will be set-up at each home with hand sanitizer, extra masks, etc.
Entry into the homes will be limited to small groups. Where possible there will be one entrance and one
exit. The Reception at RiverBend and Breakfast at the Brittany House are outdoor events (under tents),
but proper table spacing and food distribution protocols will be used. By taking these extra measures
we are doing all we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone.
There is no parking at RiverBend on Friday night. You must park in downtown Camden and ride
one of our courtesy shuttle buses to and from the Reception. They will run from 5:15 pm – 9:00 pm
except during Mr. Farmer’s talk at 7:00 pm.
RiverBend and Wakefield are not open for tours on Saturday. You can only see them by attending the
Welcome Reception or the Ball.
You do not have to register at the Female Institute to attend the Breakfast at The Brittany House
Antiques in Oak Hill. Simply show your ticket or Eventbrite printout for admission.
BREAKFAST, SATURDAY MORNING 3/27
The complimentary breakfast at Brittany House Antiques in Oak Hill (5921 AL Highway 21, Oak Hill,
Alabama – 15 miles from Camden) is Saturday morning from 8:30 am – 10:00 am. Please use proper
social distancing throughout the morning. This is a self-serve breakfast. There will be tables and
chairs for your use and you will be provided individual utensils to pick-up your food. The menu
includes: Homemade biscuits, ham, fresh fruit, breakfast pastries, coffee, and orange juice.
Here is the complete Tour of Homes Weekend Schedule:
Friday, March 26
4:30 pm – Registration opens at the Female Institute, 301 Broad Street, Camden, AL
5:15 pm – Shuttle Buses start running. There is no parking at RiverBend.
6:00 pm – Cocktail Party Begins at RiverBend
7:00 pm – James Farmer’s talk begins
9:00 pm – Last shuttle returns to Camden
Saturday, March 27
8:30 am – 10:00 am – Breakfast at The Brittany House – 5931 AL Hwy 21, Oak Hill, AL
9:00 am – Registration opens at the Female Institute – 301 Broad Street, Camden, AL
10:00 am – 5:00 pm – The 2021 Tour of Homes
7:30 pm – The Inaugural Pilgrimage Benefit Ball at Wakefield begins
Lunch locations Saturday, Saturday, 3/27 – 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Pecan on Broad – 110 Broad Street – Stand alone restaurant and gift shop, large menu
Masonic Lodge – 201 Broad Street -The Masons will be offering a Bar-B-Que lunch on the grounds of
their historic building.
Wilcox Female Institute – 301 Broad Street – Blue Spoon Catering is offering a sit-down lunch inside
the historic building. They will be offering Chicken Salad or Pimento Cheese Sandwiches and sides.
Gaines Ridge Supper Club – 933 AL Hwy 10 – Historic Gaines Ridge will be offering lunch from 11am
– 2pm. Dinner service will start at 4 pm. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.

GET TICKETS TO THE TOUR!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wilcox-historical-society-pilgrimage-tickets-88612435179

GET TICKETS TO THE BALL!
There are a limited number of tickets remaining to this year’s Benefit Ball at Wakefield, Circa 1847. It
is the only opportunity to see this beautiful home during the weekend. To get tickets to go:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/89193884309

We would like to thank our Platinum Sponsors for their generous support!
The Pecan on Broad
Global Medical Products
UB Community Development, a community development partner with United Bank
Bailey Dunagan Properties & Investments
We look forward to seeing all of you this weekend!

WHS Tour of Homes 2022

WELCOME TO THE TOUR OF HOMES!

Please read all of the following information. If you still have questions, please email us wilcoxhistoricalsociety@gmail.com. We would also love for you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Set on the Eastern Side of Wilcox County, Historic Furman, Alabama, is the site of the Wilcox Historical Society’s Tour of Homes, Saturday, March 26, 2022. This year’s tour includes nine homes and two historic churches. Registration will be at Furman Methodist Church both Friday and Saturday. All ticket holders will need to register at the church to receive an arm band, brochure and map. Your arm band is needed for all events!

The Tour this year will include the Purifoy-Lipscomb Home, c 1840; Moore-Burson-Rushing Home, c 1885; Wakefield Plantation, c 1840s; Magnolia Glen – the Palmer-Barlow-Britt Home, c 1833; Laura Ann – the Watson-Moorer-Tabor Home, c 1860; Rockwood – the Cox-Robbins-Kennedy-Snyder Home, c 1855; Deerfield – the Perdue-Williams-Estes-Suggs Home, c 1895, Fox Hill, c 1840s and Patience Plantation, c 1841. The two churches on the Tour will be Bethsaida Baptist Church, c 1858 and Furman Methodist Church, c 1882. Also on tour is the original Alabama Baptist Newspaper building – first published in 1843.

All tickets holders will be provided breakfast Saturday Morning at The Brittany House Antiques in Oak Hill. Breakfast will be offered from 8:30 am to 10:00 am. Brittany House is located at 5931 Highway 21 in Oak Hill – about 15 minutes from Furman.

For our VIP Guests, the weekend starts with a Welcome Reception Friday Night, March 25, 2022, at 6:00 pm, on the grounds of Historic Wakefield Plantation in Furman. This special event will feature wine and hor d’oeuvres provided by one of our Platinum Sponsors, The Pecan on Broad in Camden, Alabama. Valet parking will be provided. Cocktail attire.

Our special guest speaker at the reception will be P. Allen Smith. Mr. Smith is often described as one of America’s most talented garden designers. Read more about him below.

Also at the reception enjoy music from Tommy Ward. Mr. Ward has been compared to Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble. He is a singer and musician with a classic sound and silky voice. See below to listen to one of his recent YouTube videos.

Tickets are available online (see link below) and will be available for purchase the day of the Tour and Friday beginning at 5:00 pm. Members – please note: the $10 discount can only be given on tickets purchased locally.

https://www.eventbrite.com/…/wilcox-historical-society…

GENERAL INFORMATION

–Schedule for Friday, March 25th (for VIP ticket holders only): Registration at Furman Methodist Church opens at 5:00 pm. Welcome Reception at Wakefield begins at 6:00 pm. Reception Guest Speaker, P. Allen Smith begins at 7:00 pm.

–Schedule for Saturday, March 26th: Breakfast at The Brittany House Antiques in Oak Hill from 8:30 -10:00 am. Registration at Furman Methodist Church opens at 9:30 am. The Tour of Homes from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Lunch at the Furman School and KayBri from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

-The Tour of Homes on Saturday, March 26th is from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm central time.

–Lunch locations Saturday, March 26th – 11:00 am – 2:00 pm will be in Furman at KayBri located at 8654 Freedom Farm Road aka County Road 59 in Furman (across from Bethsaida Baptist Church) and at the Furman Community Center located at 8191 County Road 59 in Furman. Lunch at the Community Center will be catered by The Pecan on Broad. Please see below for lunch menus.

–Pop-Up Shops featuring The Pecan on Broad, Fox and Hen, Black Belt Treasures and Coast to Coast Hardware -all from Camden, will be located at the Furman School.

–Restroom locations on Saturday will be at Bethsaida Baptist Church, Furman Methodist Church, KayBri, Little House – Moore-Rushing Home (stop #9 – behind the house in the boot room) and the Furman School.

–Furman is located about 35 miles from Greenville off I-65, about 40 miles from Selma, and 21 miles from Camden. From Mobile via I-65 Furman is 155 miles, from Birmingham – 153 miles, and from Montgomery – 74 miles.

-Hotel availability in nearby Greenville – Best Western, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

Portrait photography of P. Allen Smith on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at Moss Mountain Farm in Roland, Arkansas.

P. Allen Smith, often described as one of America’s most talented garden designers, is the product of five generations of southern nurserymen. His foundational childhood experiences in planting naturally led to an appreciation for horticulture, genetic diversity, plant pairing and for an orderly and holistic approach to work. Later, as a garden and landscape graduate student in England, his design processes were refined to embrace each site’s unique characteristics and the needs of each unique commissioning family. Eschewing fashion, Mr. Smith identifies and sensitively accentuates the natural gifts of the landscape, imparting balance, harmony and beauty in the classic tradition of Palladio, Brown, and Repton. His designs are an expression of his client’s lifestyle and their legacy melding site with living material and improvements to create environments that mature and improve with the seasons. And Mr. Smith’s many esoteric interests and insights allow for a myriad of inclusions such as ornamented aviaries, sheep pastures, walled gardens, fruit orchards, kitchen herb gardens, container gardens, stumperies, rare rose collections, wildflower and pollinator fields, apiaries, ponds, and architecturally appropriate built structures and follies. The result for his clients are timeless gardens and landscapes.

Part of Mr. Smith’s life mission is to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for design and beauty. His generosity of spirit has produced a significant body of accessible work for the public. To date, he is the author of six bestselling books, host and producer of one of PBS’s most successful and award-winning television shows, he runs a media enterprise focused on garden design and health, he is a speaker at many of the country’s important architectural and historic homes (and opens his own home to the public each Spring and Fall). He is regularly quoted in national publications and was a regular garden contributor on the Today Show and Good Morning America. Mr. Smith’s work has been featured in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Architectural Digest, People Magazine, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Southern Living, Southern Accents, Flower Magazine and over 100 additional publication titles. Mr. Smith is deeply passionate and involved with preservation and conservation efforts. In addition to green building and material use in his designs, he is a trustee of Winterthur House, a former board member of the Royal Oak Society (of the British National Trust), is a certified fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society, an honorary member of the Garden Club of America, the Honorary President of the Herb Society of America, and a life member of the Livestock Conservancy, Rare Breeds Trust (UK) and the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities. He is a TEDx speaker and the founder of the Heritage Poultry Conservancy. Mr. Smith makes his permanent home with his partner, two Scottish Terriers, and hundreds of heritage birds in Arkansas, where his voracious appetite for new projects, design challenges and sharing his love of the garden with new friends takes shape at his design studio and farm. His visit is sponsored by The Pecan on Broad, The Fox and Hen in Camden, and Bailey Dunagan Properties & Investments.

Tommy Ward, jazz crooner from Las Vegas, will be our musical guest at the VIP Welcome Reception on Friday night!

Menus for Saturday’s Lunch

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2022 TOUR OF HOME SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsors – The Pecan on Broad, The Brittany House Antiques, Fox and Hen Camden, Bailey Dunagan Properties & Investments, Laura and Schley Rutherford and John and Zoe Hunter

Gold Sponsor – Town-Country United Bank

Silver Sponsors – Coast to Coast Hardware Camden, Handiman Building Supply, Garland and Lathrop Smith and Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center

Bronze Sponsors – Wilcox Progressive Era, Commissioner’s Pit Stop, Whitaker Drugs, Camden Jewelry & Gifts, McGraw-Webb Chevrolet, Urban Cookhouse, Holman Insurance, Community Neighbor Bank, Big Daddy Lawler, Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce and Albritton’s Florist

2021 Wilcox Historical Society Tour of Homes

March 26 – 27, 2021

Due to the continued coronavirus pandemic, the Wilcox Historical Society has rescheduled its Tour of Homes in Camden, Alabama to March 26 – 27, 2021. If you had already purchased a ticket to the Pilgrimage in 2020, it will be honored in 2021.

The entire weekend will operate as originally scheduled with two exciting additions. James Farmer will still be the Guest Speaker at RiverBend Plantation on Friday night, March 26th. However, the expanded Tour now includes seven homes and two churches on Saturday, March 27th. The Brittany House Antiques at Oak Hill will provide ticket holders breakfast that morning as originally planned. In addition, the Inaugural Pilgrimage Ball, sponsored by the Furman Historical Society, will be held at Wakefield in Furman on Saturday Night, March 27th.

If you currently have a reservation at Liberty Hall Bed & Breakfast or the Capell House at Pebble Hill Bed & Breakfast, you will still have your rooms in March unless you call and cancel your reservation. Visitors staying at other hotels/venues must contact your provider to change your reservation.

As a thank you for your patience and support, two historic sites have been added to our Tour of Homes! The first addition is Pleasant Ridge, circa 1844. This tall-columned “big house” is not only the last extant brick antebellum house in Wilcox County, but also one of less that a dozen brick homes of the period to survive in the Black Belt.

We are also adding the historic Antioch Baptist Church. Opened in 1885, it is one of the oldest African-American churches in Wilcox County and was a crossroads of the civil rights movement. In fact, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the church twice in 1965.

Other historic homes on the tour are: Yaupon – the Mathews-Tait-Rutherford House, circa 1840, River Bluff – the Beck-Bryant-Talbot House, circa 1840s, the Beck-Darwin-Coats House, circa 1846, the Strother-Gibbs House, circa 1900, House on the Hill – the Liddell-Phillippi Home, circa 1834, and Liberty Hall – the McDowell-Harris home (hall and formal rooms only).

The Camden Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church will also be open for Tour. The building of the ARP church is almost four decades older than the church founding. The ARP congregation was organized in 1890 and they purchased an antebellum building, constructed in 1849, from the dwindling congregation of the Camden Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Other historic sites on tour are the Old Shoe Shop Museum, the Beck-Miller Law Office, circa 1840s and the Old Wilcox County Jail, constructed 1889 as well as the Tour and WHS headquarters, the Wilcox Female Institute, constructed in 1849 and Dale Lodge No. 25, constructed in 1848.

Please know the decision to move the Tour of Homes again has not been made lightly. We are keenly aware that many of you planned travel months in advance and adjusted those plans to join us for the Tour. Ultimately, the public health and safety of both our guests, homeowners, and our community must be our number one priority.

We will be following strict COVID protocols. Everyone will have a temperature check upon arrival, masks must be worn properly indoors at all times, and admittance to homes will be in small groups. We will also have sanitization stations at each site as well. It is our primary goal to keep everyone safe during a wonderful Tour!

Finally, you can help us immensely by continuing to spread the word about our date change and that tickets are still available. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com and locally at The Pecan on Broad and Black Belt Treasures in Camden and The Brittany House Antiques at Oak Hill.

We hope to see you all in March!

For more information, please contact 256-975-7616.

2019 Wilcox Historical Society Tour of Homes

Enjoy the day in Wilcox County touring historic homes and buildings while celebrating Alabama’s 200th birthday!

Join us Saturday, March 23 in beautiful Camden, Alabama as we celebrate our state and county history through a tour of many of the areas most well preserved, historically significant structures. The tour will be held from 10 AM to 5 PM.

The six historic homes on tour this year include the Bell-Moore Home – RiverBend (built in the late 1840s), St. Mary’s Church – the Hamilton Home (built 1857), the Sterrett-McWilliams Home (built 1851), the Capell House at Pebble Hill (built c. 1850), the Bethea-Strother-Stewart Home – Pleasant Ridge (built c. 1844) and the Jones-McIntosh-Hicks Home (built 1869).

Also on tour will be the Old Shoe Shop Museum in downtown Camden along with the tour headquarters – the Beck-Miller Law Office (built in the late 1840s). As a special feature two buildings downtown that are being renovated will also be open so you can experience the work in progress – The Pecan on Broad (the old Williams Pecan Company building) and the Old Wilcox County Jail (built 1889).

For lunch enjoy BBQ and sides at the Dale Masonic Lodge (built 1848) prepared by local members of the lodge or a chicken salad plate by Jackson’s Chicken at the Wilcox Female Institute (built 1849) from 11 AM – 2 PM.

Tickets to the tour also include admittance to the Welcome Reception on Friday evening, March 22 at 6 PM, at the Wilcox Female Institute featuring live music from harpist Katherine Newman and a presentation from Sarah Duggan on the county’s impact on our statehood. Ms. Newman is a member of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and holds a Master of Music from Auburn University where she studied with the legendary Marjorie Tyre. Guest speaker Ms. Duggan is the Coordinator and Research Curator of the Classical Institute of the South, a project at The Historic New Orleans Collection that documents historic decorative arts made or used in Gulf South. Hor d’oeuvres will be served at the reception.

Tickets are on sale now. They can be bought locally at Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center in Camden or at The Brittany House Antiques at Oak Hill or online at eventbrite.com. Click here for the link to order online. Tickets can be purchased the day of the tour at tour headquarters – the Beck-Miller Law Office in Camden. Ticket prices are $35 for adults, $25 for WHS members, $10 for all students and children 6 and under free. Members please note that in order to receive your $10 discount your ticket must be purchased at Black Belt Treasures.

Before beginning the tour, please remember to pick up your brochure, map and wristband. Items will be available beginning at 5:30 PM at the Wilcox Female Institute on Friday, March 22 or Saturday, March 23 beginning at 9:30 AM at the Beck-Miller Law Office.

Let us know if you have any questions! We can be reached at P O Box 464, Camden, Alabama 36726, wilcoxhistoricalsociety@gmail.com or on the Wilcox Historical Society Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing you in March!

Spring Pilgrimage – March 23, 2019!

WHS Spring Tour 2019 Flyer

Alabama Historical Association Fall Pilgrimage in Camden

AHA Tour

We are very pleased to welcome back the Alabama Historical Association to Camden! Not since 1980 has the AHA held a meeting in Wilcox County.

Friday, October 26 will be the pre-meeting in Furman at 1:30 PM. The tour begins at Bethsaida Baptist Church. The sites to see in Furman will be Wakefield, Bethsaida Baptist Church, Furman Methodist Church, the Moore-Burson-Rushing home and the Palmer-Britt home and the newly restored Deerfield – the Perdue-Estes-Suggs home. Several special presentations are planned for the afternoon.

Also on Friday in Furman, the Britt family is hosting a full reception following the tour of their home for all participants.

The meeting will begin Saturday morning, October 27 in Camden. Registration, coffee and book sales will begin at 9 AM at the Dale Lodge. At 10:30 a program by Camden native, Daniel Fate Brooks will begin at the Camden United Methodist Church. After lunch beginning at 12:30, tours of homes in Camden and other sites will begin. The sites to see in Camden include the Jones-McIntosh-Hicks home, the Bagby-Beck-Horn-Liddell-Burford home, the Thompson-Spurlin-Matthews-Curry home, Old St. Mary’s Church-Hamilton home, the Sterrett-McWilliams home, the Wilcox Female Institute, Camden Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, the First Presbyterian Church, Dale Lodge, the Camden United Methodist Church, the Shoe Shop Museum, and the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center. Tours will end at 5 PM.

The registration fee is $40 per person which includes lunch on Saturday. Registrations must be received by October 17. Registration is available online using PayPal at www.alabamahistory.net. Or checks payable to Alabama Historical Association can be mailed to: Alabama Historical Association, c/o CMD Center for the Arts & Humanities, Pebble Hill, Auburn University, AL 36849. Questions? Email alabamahistory@gmail.com.

Homes of the River’s Bend Tour

Homes of the River’s Bend Tour – March 25, 2017

Enjoy the Spring Tour of some of our area’s most beloved homes.

This year’s theme is “A Tour of the River’s Bend” as we open up homes in Canton Bend, Possum Bend, Sedan, and Camden.

Tickets are available at the Gee’s Bend Ferry Terminal and Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center.

$20 for adults
$10 for youth.

For advanced tickets/group rates or additional information, please call (334) 682-4929.

Wilcox County Plantation Tour – September 27, 2003

The Wilcox Historical Society is sponsoring a special event on Saturday, September 27, 2003 in which historical homes, churches, and other sites in the Dry Fork, Possum Bend, Canton Bend “Plantation Bend” area of the Alabama River will be open for tour. The pilgrimage will start at 9:00 AM and conclude at 6:00 PM. Tour headquarters will be the Wilcox Female Institute located on Broad Street in the town of Camden. The price will be $15 for adults and $5 for students. Lunch will be available at GainesRidge Dinner Club and the Belleville Restaurant. Funds raised from the event will be used to maintain the Female Institute, Beck-Miller Law Office, and to aid in the restoration of the Dunn-Fairley-Bonner Home which has been donated to the Wilcox Historical Society.

Homes scheduled to be on tour include “Youpon”(shown herein), Dry Fork Plantation, and many others which will announced in the Spring. In addition, the Dunn-Fairley-Bonner Home, the Beck Miller Law Office, Canton Bend Methodist Church and Cemetery, and Camden Cemetery will be available for tour.

Furman Spring Pilgrimage – April 12, 2003

The Furman Civic Club is sponsoring a one day event on Saturday, April 12, 2003 in which historical homes, churches, and sites in the Furman area will be open for tour. The tour will start at 9:00 AM and conclude at 6:00 PM. Tour headquarters will be the Furman Community Center (old school) located on Highway 59. The price will be $10 for adults and $5 for students, and lunch will be available at the school. Funds raised from the event will be used to maintain the Community Center and fund National Historic District signs to be placed on Highway 21.

Homes scheduled to be on tour include “Wakefield”, the classic steamboat gothic house featured in Silent in the Land, Patience Plantation, the Purifoy/Lipscomb home featured in Kathryn Tucker Windham’s Thirteen Ghosts and Jeffrey, “Fox Hill”, recently restored by Don and Katrina Bell, the Stabler Home, the Palmer-Barlow-Britt Home, and several other homes not previously on tour. In addition, Bethsaida Baptist Church, Furman Methodist Church, Palmer Cemetery, Old Snow Hill Cemetery, and Snow Hill Cemetery will be available for tour.

Furman was designated a National Historic District in 1999 and has many antebellum homes and structures still standing. The town has a fascinating history beginning circa 1802 when the first settlers came to the area from South Carolina. Most of the Wilcox County towns were settled by Scotch and English settlers, and Furman also to some degree. However, many of the early settlers of Furman came from the South Carolina low country and were of French ancestry. The Snow family settled on the high hill now the site of Old Snow Hill Cemetery around this date, and thus the present day Furman community was known as Snow Hill. It was renamed Furman at a later date, and a new community was founded a few miles to the west – Snow Hill. Furman Academy was a popular school in the late 1800’s and is the predecessor of present day Huntingdon College in Montgomery.

Some fascinating persons came from this small town, including Elkanah Burson, an attache’ to General Robert E. Lee. Mr. Burson, a original member of the Wilcox True Blues company and later to serve in the Alabama House of Representatives, delivered the Confederacy surrender papers to General Ulysses Grant at Appomattox. He then returned home to Furman. (His great granddaughter is now the owner of Wakefield.) Some direct descendants of these original settlers still own homes and property in Furman, and will be hosts at the pilgrimage.