It seems self-evident today, but the most interesting aspect of the 181-year-old Friendship Cemetery is not the headstones and grave markers but what lies beneath them.
Granted, there are some graves whose unique design make them noteworthy, but most of the 22,000-plus burial sites at the historic cemetery are indistinguishable from one another. The same can be said of historic Sandfield Cemetery. The real attraction, which makes each grave site unique, are the people buried in these plots and their stories, something history students at Mississippi School for Math and Science have been telling for 34 years now through their annual Tales from the Crypt program.
Tales of the Crypt is one of the more popular features of Columbus’ Pilgrimage season, but it’s just one of many examples of historic stories coming alive.
Like those grave markers, most of the homes available for tour are notable mainly because of their age. A few have truly notable architectural features, but most are simply a reflection of their time.
The houses are like those grave markers. They are an invitation to explore the people who lived there, their lives and the story of their times. Those stories are infinitely more interesting than a design feature in an old home. They connect us to history in a way we can relate.
It’s those shared stories that help give Columbus such a rich history and a sense of shared pride.
In recent years, the springtime tours and events have become more inclusive, making sure the stories of the African American community are better represented as well.
Take for example, the old Merchants and Farmers Bank on Fifth Street South. During the Depression era, bank robbers roamed the county, many becoming counter-culture heroes, people like John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Bonnie and Clyde and a former student of what is now Mississippi State by the name of George Barnes, aka “Machine Gun” Kelly.
After Kelly robbed a bank in Tupelo on Nov. 19, 1932, the bank president at the Columbus Merchants and Farmers Bank asked World War I veteran Sam Kaye to allow the bank to borrow the German machine gun Kaye had brought home as a souvenir. It was placed on the bank’s mezzanine pointed down, trained at the front entrance. The bank hired another World War I veteran, John Perry, to stand guard and man the gun.
Fortunately for the bank – and the robbers – the M&F was not a part of that crime spree.
That story is far more interesting than the architectural features of the old building, interesting as they may be.
That’s just one story connected to Columbus’ historic buildings. It’s likely that every home and building regularly featured in historic home tours has many more stories about the people who lived in those homes or worked in those buildings or worshiped in those churches. While many may have gone untold, perhaps forgotten, the stories we share with each other connect the present with the past and give Pilgrimage relevance.
The possibilities are exciting.
You’ve got a little more time to tour area historic properties and hear the stories of people connected to them.
n Final performance of Tales from the Crypt at Friendship Cemetery on Apr. 12, 7-9 p.m.
n Preservation Society: Home tours and events now through Apr. 21. More info: preservecolumbus.com
n Historic Home Tours: Home tours and events now through the weekend. More info: historichomes.tours
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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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
