Alabama State Capitol—For
the history buff, the first stop in this city should be to the beautiful Capitol Building
of the State of Alabama. This building may be the current center of
state government for Alabama,
but at one time it served as a center of business for another government: The
Confederacy.
It was in this building that Jefferson Davis took the oath
of office for the Confederate States of America. In addition, the steps of this magnificent
building are where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. finished the famous civil
rights march from Selma to Montgomery.
Today, visitors can see the historic chambers of the Senate
and House of Representatives, as well as old Supreme Court Chambers. Walking through this building is truly a walk
back in time.
Rosa Parks Library
and Museum—Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery
bus boycott in 1955 by refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white
passenger. The ensuing boycott literally
brought to the city to its knees.
Today, visitors to the museum can walk back in time to
experience those events firsthand. They
can walk through a recreated scene of the street, as well as view a replica of
the bus that Rose Parks rode on that fateful day. In addition, exhibits and films bring to life
the sights and sounds of a major event in the civil rights era.
Dexter King Memorial
Baptist Church—Another landmark of the civil rights era, and the Montgomery
Bus Boycott, is the Dexter
King Memorial
Baptist Church. Here, you can tour the church where Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. preached some of his famous sermons. In addition, the church was a hub of activity
for the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
First White House of
the Confederacy—Visitors to this home can experience where Jefferson Davis
and his family lived at the beginning of the Confederacy. The historic home gives a feel of life for
Jefferson Davis as he ran the southern states.
Many of the artifacts in the home were actually used by Davis and his
family when they lived here.
Old Alabama Town—For
those history buffs that truly want to experience life in Alabama in the late
19th and early 20th centuries, walking through Old Town
Alabama is the way to do it. Here,
visitors receive guided tours through a 6-block town. They visit over 40 buildings, including a
schoolhouse, cotton gin, and living quarters.
The tour guides are even dressed in costumes reflecting the time period.
Hank Williams Museum—Hank
Williams called Montgomery
home from 1937 to 1953. Inside the
museum, visitors can live or relive the life, times, and music of this
legendary singer. The museum also
features the 1952 Cadillac in which his body was carried to his final resting
place at Oakwood Cemetery about 5 minutes from the
museum.
Alabama Department of
Archives and History—Alabama
has the oldest state-funded archives in the nation. Inside this marble building completed in 1940