The art of soapmaking in Alabama is older than the state itself. When early settlers started coming to Alabama in the 1700s, they could not ride their horses down to Dollar General or Winn-Dixie and buy a box of Tide.
So those pioneers looked around the land and discovered that certain plants grown in what became the Alabama Territory could be made into soap. Problem solved.
Now, a free workshop on making soap from plants grown in Alabama will be held on Sunday, March 23, at Pope’s Tavern Museum from 1 to 2 p.m.
The art and tradition of soapmaking will be preserved in Alabama. Plus, the natural soap contains no preservatives or harmful chemicals. The only ingredients are natural, God-given, and Alabama-grown.
The workshop leader is Summer McCreless. What a name for someone knowledgeable in turning plants into soap – Summer!
Pope’s Tavern, long a private residence and tavern, opened as a museum in 1968. Visitors explore early Alabama history with exhibits devoted to slavery, Civil War history and medicine, food preparation, and daily life in the 1800s.
The museum is also part of an ongoing archaeological excavation. It hosts frequent workshops and programs to unite people around a shared desire to learn about — and learn from — the past.
In October of 2021, the Museum opened a permanent exhibit, Slavery and Cotton in the Shoals.
While the Alabama soapmaking workshop is free, reservations are required.
The beauty of soapmaking lies not just in the final product but in the alchemy of transforming simple ingredients into something that cleans nourishes, and delights.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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