The House Next Door: Selma’s 45th Annual Historic Pilgrimage returns with slight changes due to pandemic

The Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society hosted its first day of the 45th Annual Historic Selma Pilgrimage on Friday. The Pilgrimage began in 1976 to share the city’s variety of architectural styles and rich history.

Sheryl Smedley, Director of the Selma/Dallas County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Information, said this year there is one major change in the tour.

“Due to Covid it was the homeowners decision to not open up the homes at this time, but they were agreeable for the people to come and hear about the architectural history of the homes,” Smedley said.

She said the public has responded well to only being able to view the outside of the homes.

Marsha Carmichael, owner of the Haralson-Carmichael House, said the family affectionately named the house The House Next Door. 

“When Martha told her kids she had bought the house next door, they said  ‘Mom that’s the name so we’ll christening it,’” Carmichael said. “So it was christened the House Next Door.”

Carmichael said the house has been in her husband’s family for years and she and her husband later move in to it. They have now owned the 19th Century home for 21 years.

Only Sturdivant Hall, Brownstone Manor, Selma Art Guild, Miss Minnie Sue’s Cottage and Heritage Village will have interior tours.

Most sites are on tour from 9 am until 4 pm both days and the cemetery is on tour from 5 until 7 pm.

The package ticket is $25. One cemetery ticket is included in the package. If you decide to tour an additional evening, you may purchase an additional cemetery tour ticket at $10 each. Tickets are available atEventBrite.com or from 8:30 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. at the Pilgrimage headquarters, 109 Union St., during Pilgrimage. For more information, call 334-412-8550. Find Selma’s Historic Pilgrimage on Facebook or SelmaPilgrimage.com.