WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — Two hundred and fifty years of Salem Academy and College history is hitting the road.

“For me, being a part of something like this, the history, demonstrating the bravery and courage of women and carrying it forward to today, was something I just couldn’t pass up on,” said Lucy Rose, a Salem Academy and College alum.

Rose is one of the hundreds of women who took to the streets to celebrate the college’s anniversary.

“Over the last 29 days, women, and men and friends of Salem College have been making the journey from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Salem Square,” said Deana Bass, the chair for the Journey to Salem committee.

The group is re-creating the journey 19 Moravians made in 1766, walking more than 500 miles to their alma mater, and tracking the journey online.

“As we walk, I think about the women who did this in 1766, and what they went through, and the pain they would have had to go through, and ours is nothing compared to that,” Rose said.

Rose is part of a core group that walked the full 500 miles. They walked anywhere from 10 to 20 miles a day. Hundreds of other alumni joined them for stretches along the way.

“We’ve met a lot of other folks along the way who are interested in our journey, who come out on the porch, wave and say, ‘What in the world are you guys doing?'” Rose said.

On Tuesday, they wrapped up their journey in Winston-Salem, walking from Bethabara to Salem Square.

The group is happy to be off their feet, but even more energized about continuing the legacy of their founders.

“It really is about, now that we’ve honored the past with the ending of this walk, really thinking about how can we use this kind of opportunity to ignite the future, to actually bring women and girls in to leadership roles again for 250 more years,” Rose said.

Mayor Allen Joines was also there to welcome the walkers back to Winston-Salem, and honored their hard work with a proclamation, declaring October 26th to be “Journey to Salem” day.