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History of the Palestine Gardens (formerly the Palestinian Gardens)

[Click on Thumbnails to see Enlarged Pictures. Page will be completed soon!]

By Don Bradley; adapted from the Mississippi
Rural Electric News May 1961, Laurel Leader
Call April14, 1964, Mississippi Power and Light
Vol. XXV No.2 1977, and George County Times:
March, 1960 & October 6, 1994,and some additions
by myself. Used with permission

These words were planted into the mind of a young man-attending Seminary that was to cultivate into a vision, leading to preparation for the next thirty years. before his, and the same dream shared by his wife at his side, was to come to fruition. The year is 1930, Dr. W.T. Ellis, returning from the Mideast, challenged members of his class at Columbia Seminary, Atlanta of which the late Reverend Walter Harvell Jackson and his wife Pellerree where in attendance, " to study the Bible as a 'place book'".

As an ordained Presbyterian minister in 1933, he began to serve churches in Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. Ever mindful to look for available land that would meet the requirements of the right topographical dimensions for "the land of the Bible". A sixteen- year search ended when he was shown the present site in 1953.
With their lifetime savings, the forty- acre land was purchased, just as his years approach retirement.

With limited resources, spade and wheelbarrows (and no shade for most of the pines had been previously cut for lumber) Reverend Jackson began the project to bring the dream to reality. A dam was put in to make the Dead Sea. (Quite an undertaking when you see firsthand the area developed and upkeep required). Telephone service was yet to come. A dirt road led to the Gardens for many years after.

Having no or limited masonry experience, using ordinary concrete, and corner concrete and half concrete blocks, and a lot of imagination, the cities of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, and others took shape. Seven years later that dream experienced 3,200 visitors with it's opening the first year in 1960. Visitors today see very same buildings except the early years the buildings were painted white. Today they are colored the beige color of the limestone of the land in Israel.

Visitors at first where local folks. However, the Guest Registry recorded in the first year guest from states reaching to New York, California, Michigan, and Canada. Today many return because they had visited with their parents as children and now are returning again with their children. It is not uncommon to receive as many people outside the tri-state area as within. This includes the other five World Continents. (No one from Antarctic as of yet.) The registry even records a little boy (at the age of eight) on June 13, 1965 coming with his mother, brother, and grandmother. (Who I can tell you remembers a nice lady who loved kids.) Although the boy knew of Jesus, a livid memory of a place "where the Bible comes alive" would later influence his desire to bring others to have more than a knowledge in Christ but to have a living relationship with Him.

With the retirement of Master Sargent Jim Kirkpatrick; U.S. Airforce, having over twenty years of service to our country: He returned with his wife, Jackie (Rev. and Mrs. Jackson's daughter) to the site to aid and be a part of the ministry of Palestinian Gardens. With this help in 1971, the site continued to be expanded with the addition of the Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Galilee, and additional cities until the expansion of 200 miles were represented; whereas one yard equates to one mile. Some changes had been made over the years. The entrance path no longer takes you down a long hill, something like the Jericho Road. For it is much easier to go down from Jerusalem to Jericho than from Jericho up to Jerusalem. The old path can still be seen with abandoned fountains and Azaleas no longer tended but growing and still flowering.

As the ministry flourished and continued even in spite of the storm of Hurricane Fredrick. Eventually the years of life came to failing health for Reverend Jackson and his wife. They in passing this life to be in the presence of Jesus for eternally coming in June1992 and June 1993 respectively. Though heartbroken, the Kirkpatricks continued in faith what was started by the Jacksons. They themselves a vibrant part of the ministry for twenty-three years. Expectantly and with due understanding to the stringent physical labor associated with the daily tasks, they made the decision their health would not allow for them to continue. In 1994 it was time to seek someone or a church organization to pass the torch to.

Just as Jim and Jackie, my good friends whom I have come to know and love would take no honor for themselves. To give Jesus only the glory, so shall I. Visiting the Gardens in April 1991 with my family and church, that day I silently voiced a prayer "that the Lord would give me a ministry like Palestine Gardens". Three years later he answered that prayer: A miniscule part of "a Great Plan", that had begun from the foundation of the World.

The events leading in both the Kirkpatricks lives and within my own were nothing less than our Heavenly Fathers' intervention demonstrating His desire and loving care. The events were orchestrated to prepare them to release so important a responsibility and yet give me the assurance I needed to know He was leading those steps of faith. My wife and I have been bless more than words can express these pass nine years given the stewardship of Palestine Gardens.

The name was changed in 1995 for simplicity and to prevent any misconception that we may be of the Islam religion. Actually the Romans gave the region of Judea the name Province Judea (Latin, Provinca Ivdea) in BC 63. Under govern of Roman Syria it was to change to Province Palestine, (the English version of the Latin Provinca Palestina) in 135 AD. The Roman authority gave the name to include the entire region, even though the name was derived from only a small portion of the coastal area once controlled by the ancient Philistines (OT Philistia, the land of the sea peoples). The Palestinians of today cannot trace their ancestry to the Philistines.

In closing, I would venture to say only God knows the sum of the affects "the Replica of the Holy Land" has had towards those who visited. This ordained land in the peaceful rural Mississippi woods has with certainly brought some people nearer to God, who came searching or seeking.

A life long project that continues to be fulfilled even if the man and his loving companion is no longer physically with us today. When Reverend Jackson was asked by Charles Dawkins, journalist for the George County Times in 1960,"How did he find time to keep everything so orderly,' he answered," When you love a work the way we love ours the strain is not so great." Dear Reader, this is true for you too if it is for our Lord Jesus, Amen?

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