‘PICKENS — Confederate Memorial Day will be celebrated this Saturday, May 18, at the Hagood-Mauldin House/Irma Morris Museum of Fine Arts, located at 104 N. Lewis St. in Pickens.

Jack Marlar will speak at the 11 a.m. event, which will continue a tradition started by “Miss Queen” Mauldin more than 100 years ago. Judge and Mrs. T.J. (Queen) Mauldin invited the veterans of the Confederacy to the lawns of their home to honor them and their families on the day chosen by the Ladies of the UDC in 1903 — June 3, Jefferson Davis’ birthday.

Honoring the veterans and the institution lasted for more than 40 years, until every old soldier in Pickens County had died. In 1935, only three Confederate veterans, all of them over 90 years old, were able to make it to the reunion. After a program on the front porch, dinner was served under some shade trees on the back lawn with about 75 UDC members, as well as the wives and widows of veterans attending the event.

The Pickens County Historical Society has continued the tradition of celebrating Confederate Memorial Day each May at “Miss Queen’s” home.

The house and gardens will be open all day from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for tours.