Located
on the Alabama River in the center of the state, Montgomery is a thriving
city with an impressive amount of history and distinctly southern style of
living. The city is filled with culture and history, but the passage of time
is gracefully slow and easy, in the southern style.
Montgomery
is a cosmopolitan city. From its famous Shakespeare festival to its
symphony orchestra to the F. Scott Fitzgerald Museum, there are activities
of substance that are culturally significant. Visitors should
check with the Arts Council before coming so they can plan ahead as to which
of the many activities they will try to attend.
In
the 1860s, Montgomery was part of the Confederacy and the first
Confederate White House still stands. Montgomery is justifiably proud of its
history, and the many aspects of that history have united to form a strong
cultural identity. Montgomery's Confederate Trail Itinerary covers a
fascinating route from the State Capitol, past many buildings connected with
that time in history, ending at the Confederate prison and cemetery.
Montgomery's
is one of a few state capitol buildings designated a National Historic
Landmark. Known
as the birthplace of the Confederacy and of the Civil Rights movement, The
Alabama State Capitol is where Jefferson Davis took the oath of office as
President of the Confederate States of America and where the
Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights March ended with Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. delivering a moving speech from the bottom of its steps. The historic
Senate and House of Representatives Chambers, the old Supreme Court Chambers
and several official offices have all been restored to their Civil War-era
and turn-of-the-century appearances.
The
Hank Williams Memorial honors the country singer, who is perhaps best known
for his ballad, “Your Cheatin' Heart.” The memorial is downtown in
the Oakwood Cemetery Annex . Weekdays, the W.A. Gayle
Planetarium on Forest Ave., presents sky shows and science programs.
Martin
Luther King, Jr. preached in Montgomery from 1954 to 1960, and there is a
monument to the Civil Rights movement. Completed
in 1989, the Civil Rights Memorial stands in the front plaza of the Southern
Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., as a monument to those who died in
the struggle for racial equality. The memorial features the top of a
circular marble table covered with a thin sheet of flowing water and is
inscribed with dates of key events and names of people involved in the civil
rights movement
In
Old Alabama Town, costumed interpreters
guide visitors through life in the 19th and early 20th centuries in a
fascinating 4-block “town.” There is the opportunity to over
40 buildings from schoolhouses to cotton gins and experience life as an
Alabamian in the state’s infancy.
Maxwell
Air Force Base, where the Wright Brothers' Flight School once stood, is the
site of the Air University, the Air Force's center of professional military
education. Trolleys travel through the downtown area, providing
transportation to Montgomery government buildings, historical sites, the
Riverfront Amphitheatre and Riverwalk Stadium, home to the Class AA
Montgomery Biscuits. The trolleys run continually from 9-6, Monday
through Saturday for ease of transportation in reaching the city
attractions.
Montgomery
offers several parks in which to enjoy a family picnic. Chief among these is
Blount Cultural Park, with its 300 acres of hills, lakes, and culture.
Then take a walk to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts or the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Shakespeare Gardens.
The
highlight of the year in Montgomery is Jubilee CityFest which takes place
during Memorial Day Weekend. CityFest appeals to a diverse crowd
by offering the best of just about every genre of music
including pop, country, alternative, zydeco, blues, jazz, folk, gospel,
oldies and classic rock. Other Jubilee CityFest attractions include KidsFest,
ArtFest, Symphony Pops Concert, Jubilee Run, "Thunder Over The
River" fireworks and a Sunrise Celebration Service. It is easy to
see why Montgomery is such a popular vacation destination at any time of
year!
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