Osyka 250th Celebration: A Historic Evening Tour A Triumph

It was a triumph for the Osyka 250th Celebration Committee as they hosted their first historical tour on the evening of September 12, 2026 at 5:30pm in Osyka, MS.

Over 165 people were in attendance on Saturday evening to tour the historical Elder Milton Shirk home and the historical Osyka Cemetery. The crowd gathered on the grounds of the Elder Shirk home, now owned by Rip and Debbie Alleman, surrounded by century old oaks, azaleas and camellias. A large American flag loomed over the crowd that had been draped from the upstairs gallery, showcasing that the event was not only to spark local pride but also an American pride.

Upon entering the house from the large lower gallery you are greeted by a series of warm and inviting volunteers, the majority of which were in costume. As you leave the center hall and enter the formal parlor, you are greeted by current owner Debbie Alleman who appears in full costume and portraying Rev. Milton Shirk's wife, Mary Ross Shirk. Shirk had originally prepared the house as a Christian Girls' school and then it later became the private home for him and his wife, Mary Ross Shirk.

Going through the expansive house you find your way into the kitchen where you are offered refreshments you can then enjoy outside under the pavilion located in the back of the home.

After touring the beautiful Elder Milton Shirk house, it was then time to be shuttled nearby to the Osyka Cemetery.

Established in 1852, this very well maintained and manicured cemetery boasts rolling hills that is the final resting place for its founder and the original settler, Jesse Redmond, among other of Osyka's notable citizens. It was also in this cemetery that several victims of the yellow fever epidemic that spread through Mississippi were laid to rest in the 1800's. There are now small stones that mark where it is thought victims of the yellow fever were buried, some graves even holding more than one family member.

When you walk through the cemetery you are then directed towards the center portion that holds the graves of town members of the past. Actors were then positioned to recount the stories of their lives near the actual corresponding tombstones.

The actors gave great portrayals and were as follows: Lee Wilson as Jesse Redmond (founder of Osyka), Osyka Mayor Jamie Harrell as Pharoah Carter, Tammy Strickland as Carter's wife (Susanna Griffin Carter), Tommy Jones as (Jacob Turner Moore,) Kim Wall as a grieving mother who had lost her children during the Yellow Fever epidemic, and Osyka Baptist Church Pastor Jacob Williams as (Rev. Milton Shirk.)

It was a successful event put on by the America's 250th Celebration Committee with Linda Elarton Williams as Event Director for this Historic Evening tour, along with fellow members, and numerous volunteers.

Chairman Linda Elarton Williams would like to extend an enormous thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make this event a success. It is said an enormous gratitude goes to Rip and Debbie Alleman for allowing everyone to visit and tour their home, to the Gillsburg Baptist Church for the use of their van, and also to Tommy Smith for chauffeuring the shuttle between locations.