Former Atmore resident Don Bell stopped by the office a couple of weeks ago. He was in this area promoting a pilgrimage of homes and a church homecoming.
Don pastors historic Bethsaida Baptist Church in Furman, Ala. and has homecoming set for this Sunday. He is also helping publicize the tour of homes. In fact, his church is on the tour, which is part of the State of Alabama 200 Bicentennial. The Furman Civic Club, the Town of Pine Apple and the Town of Oak Hill in association with the Wilcox Historical Society are sponsoring this event.
The Furman, Pine Apple and Oak Hill Spring Pilgrimage will be held Saturday, March 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tour begins at Furman School, 8181 Highway 59, Pine Apple, or at Moore Academy, 16230 Highway 10 East, Pine Apple. The tour includes Furman Schoolhouse, Wakefield antebellum home, Moore-Burson-Rushing Home, Palmer-Barlow-Britt Home, Bethsaida Baptist Church, Perdue-Williams-Estes Home, Furman Methodist Church, Powell-Grimes Home (“Greenleaves”), Purifoy-Lee-McCoy Home, Moore Academy, Adams-Stone Home (“Thirty Columns), Hawthorne-Childs Home, Roberts Cabin – Pine Apple Town Park, Cotton Boll – Oak Hill, Bethel Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Tour tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for all students, no admission fee for children six and under. Lunch may be purchased from 11 to 2 at Moore Academy.
For more information on the pilgrimage, email wilcoxbicentennialsociety@gmail.com.
Bethsaida Baptist Church is holding homecoming services Sunday, March 25, 11 a.m., with dinner on the grounds immediately after the service.
The historic church is celebrating 187 years. Bethsaida is located at 9025 County Road 59 (corner of Highway 59 and Bogan Road), Furman, Ala.
For more information on the homecoming, contact Don Bell at 251-362-5169.
Note: We didn’t have space to run pictures with this article, but we do have brochures on the church and the pilgrimage at Atmore News, 128 S. Main.
While you’re at the pilgrimage, you may also want to take an audio driving tour of other historical sites in Wilcox County. There is also a tour of the historic Snow Hill Institute.