Mountains

Archaeologists say it was the hunt for a food source–abundant wildlife–that brought humans to Alabama 12,000 years ago. Whatever the reason they came, the people who lived here have achieved greatness and left an indelible mark on the landscape and the history.

Among the many reasons to visit North Alabama this year is the 75th anniversary of the Ave Maria Grotto. Located in Cullman on the grounds of Alabama’s first and only Benedictine Abbey, the Grotto consists of more than 125 miniature reproductions of famous churches, shrines and buildings.

A visit to Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport and the Indian Mound and Museum in Florence reveals prehistoric lifestyles of Native Americans, while Lawrence County’s Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center provides a more recent glimpse into their culture. Nearby is Jesse Owens Museum Park in Moulton, which pays homage to one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.

Huntsville has several museums that interpret different time periods, from the early 1800s when Alabama became a state to the age of American space exploration in the mid-20th century. The newest addition to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is the Saturn V Center housing the rocket that took man to the moon.

Alabama Constitution Village, Earlyworks and Burritt on the Mountain teach various Alabama history lessons. The State Black Archives Research Center and Museum is a repository of African-American history.

Follow the Civil War Walking Trail to Decatur where the Blue & Gray Museum offers a glimpse into early military life. A must-visit in nearby Hillsboro is Pond Spring, home of General Joe Wheeler, and historic Belle Mont Mansion in Florence.

Northwest Alabama has given birth to several remarkable figures in American history. Visit Helen Keller’s Birthplace in Tuscumbia and hear the triumphant story of how Keller overcame deafness and blindness to become an inspiration to the world. Follow the Alabama Music Trail to the little log cabin in Florence which is the birthplace of the “Father of the Blues,” W.C. Handy, and see some of the many artists who have contributed to the world of music at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia.

At the very edge of the region, heading southward toward Gadsden, is the Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, Imagination Place Children’s Museum and beautiful Nocallula Falls Park.