Another Columbus Spring Pilgrimage has passed and once again we pause to thank all of those who helped ensure the success of one of our city’s most anticipated annual events.
The Pilgrimage, which celebrated its 75th year ended Sunday, is a joint effort by the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation and Visit Columbus, the tourism wing of the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Over the years, organizers have expanded the event to go beyond the tour of homes that is common in other cities. Events such as “Tales from the Crypt,” staged for the past 25 years by the history students at Mississippi School for Math and Science, tell the wonderful stories of those interred as historic Friendship Cemetery. “Catfish in the Alley” celebrates the story of an emerging black business community in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Events such as the 5K run and half marathon, Artisans Alley and programs at the Tennessee Williams birthplace greatly enhance the Pilgrimage experience for visitors from many states and countries.
We especially want to thank those homeowners, who have so graciously opened their homes as part of the Pilgrimage. We recognize that it is far more than the simple matter of just allowing visitors to “come on in.”
Preparing these old homes for the event is a commitment of time and talent, not to mention expense.
The homeowners serve not only as hosts, but as guides who tell the story behind the homes, which are often the most interesting parts of the tour.
Many of the homeowners have been a part of the Pilgrimage for years, including Dixie Butler, for whom this year’s Pilgrimage will be her last. Butler, owner of Temple Heights (built in 1837), has participated in 46 consecutive Pilgrimages, something that has been a labor of love, with an emphasis on “labor.”
Like the other homeowners, Butler has been a most informative and gracious host, regaling visitors with stories about the history of Temple Heights, including the role played by blacks, whose contributions might otherwise be neglected even though black slave labor was used to build the wonderful antebellum homes that are a part of the tour.
We feel omitting any mention of the shameful institution of slavery or the story of the black community’s contribution and role in this part of Columbus history is an unfortunate oversight and makes for an incomplete history. One cannot truly appreciate the splendid craftsmanship and careful attention to detail without pausing to acknowledge the skilled hands of those who performed these wonders, many of them black artisans and craftsman.
We are grateful to Butler and many other homeowners are careful to include this essential aspect of the history of our city.
By doing so, the Columbus Spring Pilgrimage tells the story of an entire community and all those who contributed to make our city a historical and cultural gem.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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