2025
The Georgia Black History Trails Statewide Community Session June 21st, 2025
The next statewide meeting will be on zoom at 2:00, August 1, 2025. Please call Cindy Bowden at 404-213-1864 to be added to the list.
Restoring Black Historic Cemetery
Our next Cleaning Day is in August at 8:00 am
The Bethany Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery and the Chipley Historical Center are restoring and improving accessibility to the Church Cemetery. We are clearing the heavy overgrowth from the cemetery and using the National Park recommendations to preserve the markers. The work is conducted by Church members, other church volunteers, community volunteers, and college students.
Oral History Program
We are working with the Bethany Missionary Baptist Church and the Pierce Chapel African Cemetery to collect oral histories and photography to record information about the families in our area. We will digitize copies of photographs and historical records to piece together history.
The oral history interviews will be conducted at the Chipley Historical Center, the Bethany church and City Hall. For older or disabled people we will travel to their homes. The ability to save our history is vitally important for the growth of our community, local, state and national viewers. If you would like to participate please send an email to Cindy Bowden at: bowden.cindy.w@gmail.com
This project is made possible with support from the Georgia Humanities.
2024
Backyard Archeology Program
A lot of people think that archaeology is the study of a special or historical space, but it can also happen right in our own backyard!
The very ground that the Chipley Historical Center sits upon has gone through many changes over the years with various businesses. Our goal is to excavate and examine the remaining portion of our garden area in order to determine whether cultural deposits remain intact. These excavations will be conducted by Patrick Severts and the members of the Chipley Historical Center with assistance from the public. This will be a fun way to learn about archaeology and the science behind it.
The excavation will be open for all to see and participate in. If you want to lend a hand, we will be actively excavating every Saturday from 1-4 pm starting September 9th, weather permitting. In addition to excavation, participants can learn about artifacts and the stories they tell. After the artifacts are excavated and analyzed they will be displayed permanently in the Center for all to see. No reservations are required and there is no cost, but children under 12 must have parental supervision. Please plan to get a little dirty! We look forward to seeing you at our excavation, who knows what exciting finds we will make!
Workshop on Safely Cleaning Cemeteries
The participants learned how to safely clean cemeteries and tombstones in a workshop on August 19th from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Bethany Missionary Baptist Cemetery. Using the National Park standard we will teach you how to clean and preserve the stones and markers. Space is limited, supplies will be provided. The workshop costs $25 per person. Please contact Amy Skinner at: 706-412-7760 to reserve your space.
2023
2022
Chipley Historical Center 