vendredi 19 avril 2019

Discovering Antebellum Home History Tours Columbus MS

By Henry Cox


When most people think of vacations, Columbus, Mississippi rarely comes to mind. For, what most people do not know is that area is rich in history. As such, there are a number of Antebellum Home and other history tours Columbus MS which take place throughout the year. In addition, there are quaint antique shops, restaurants, annual festivals and the unforgettable Tennessee-Tomigbee Waterway which is a favorite among tourists and locals.

Originally founded in 1819, and originally believed to be in Alabama, the town was first recognized by the Alabama Legislative Act as the town of Columbus on December 6, 1819. Originally known as Possum Town, a name provided by the local Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes before becoming incorporated. To this day, Possum Town remains the nickname for the city among local townies and the few Native Americans which reside in the area.

Not long after founding the city, the townspeople established Franklin's Academy. The school remains open and operating and is known as being the first public school in Mississippi. Originally having sat on the other side of the border in Alabama, a boundary had to be moved in order for the school to receive this honor.

As the Civil War took place in this area, American history is alive and well in Columbus. For, the town provided services including cannons, handguns and was the arsenal for gun powder manufactured in the city. Whereas, the city also served as a hospital town for wounded civilians and soldiers.

While there was an order for the Union Army to invade the town, Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate General stopped the attempted invasion. The event has been well documented in a book by the title, The Battle of West Point, written by John McBride. The book includes several stories related to the many casualties as well as the thousands which would be buried in the local cemetery during and after the war.

If anyone has ever wondered where the American holiday known as Memorial Day was born, it was in Columbus. For, a group of women from the town decided to decorate the Confederate and Union gravesites with flowers on April 25, 1866. More recently, Bellware and Gardiner noted this as the first official observance of the holiday in The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America, published in 2014.

Only due to the actions of Forrest were the beautiful architecture and historic Antebellum homes spared during the fighting. For, if not for the actions of stopping the invasion, those structures would most likely not be standing today. Fortunately, the historic Antebellum homes are still standing and can be visited during a pilgrimage event in which residents open these gorgeous homes to tourists each year.

One of the towns most historic figures is that of Attorney Jacob H. Sharp. For, Sharp served as Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. The attorney also owned the local independent newspaper and was elected to the State House twice, representing the city in the State House of Representatives.




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