Visit historic Old Claiborne

 

The Old Claiborne Pilgrimage, scheduled for Oct. 13-14, 2018, promises a unique glimpse into the settlement of the forgotten town of Claiborne and of Monroe County, which was founded four years before the State of Alabama.

“Claiborne’s ferries, steamboats, and bustling commercial center made it our nation’s gateway to the “old southwest” in the early 1800’s,” said pilgrimage chairman Gail Deas. “We are excited to share our rich history of pioneers, planters and paddlewheelers through this event, and to showcase a number of true antebellum treasures.”

The two-day event will include docent tours of several rarely-seen, private antebellum plantation homes, early churches, and sites of historic significance along the Alabama River in Monroe County and in neighboring Clarke County.

Other highlights will include the site of Fort Claiborne; the home of William Barrett Travis, who commanded at the Battle of the Alamo; and the oldest standing public building in the state, the Masonic Lodge where the Marquis de LaFayette was entertained in 1825.

Historian Tom McGehee will entertain ticketholders with stories and legends of life along the river at a 6:30 pm gathering Saturday in the courtroom of the Old Courthouse Museum in Monroeville, followed by a wine and cheese reception on the courthouse lawn.

The pilgrimage is presented by the Monroe County Museum Endowment, to generate financial support for maintenance of the historic Old Courthouse Museum in Monroeville, and by the Perdue Hill-Claiborne Foundation, Inc., which works to support and maintain sites of historic significance in Perdue Hill and the Claiborne area.

Ticket information is available through the Old Courthouse Museum in Monroeville at 251-575-7433, or through the museum’s website: www.monroecountymuseum.org.