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Alabama
More About Alabama State
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nfederacy." The red iron ore in the northern mountains was neglected, except for isolated forges operated by individuals, until just before the Civil War.
Alabama's troops fought with every active Southern force, the state contributing between 65,000 and 100,000 men from a white population of 500,000. At least 2,500 white soldiers and 10,000 black soldiers went north to support the Union. When Huntsville, Decatur, and Tuscumbia fell to Union forces in 1862, every male from 16 to 60 was ordered to the state's defense. Little fighting took place on Alabama's soil and water again until Admiral Farragut's Union fleet won the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, though the city of Mobile did not fall. Full-scale invasions by Wilson's Raiders occupied several important cities in the spring of 1865.
Historic attractions are plentiful. There is the birthplace of Helen Keller at Tuscumbia (see SHEFFIELD); the unusual Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman (see), an inspiring work of faith by one Benedictine monk who built scores of miniature religious buildings; and the museum and laboratory of the great black educator and scientist, George Washington Carver, at the Tuskegee Institute (see TUSKEGEE).
On Alabama's Gulf Coast, the port city of Mobile makes a splendid entry to the whole Gulf strip between Florida and New Orleans. Mobile is famous for the Bellingrath Gardens and Home, the annual Azalea Trail and Festival, and its own Mardi Gras celebration.
For golf enthusiasts, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has 18 championship golf courses offering a total of 324 holes located at 7 sites: Anniston/Gadsden, Auburn/Opelika, Birmingham, Dothan, Greenville, Huntsville, and Mobile (phone 800/949-4444 for more information).
Reconstruction days were made bitter by carpetbaggers who supported the Republican Party. The state refused to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, and military law was reinstated. But by the 1880s, recovery was beginning. Birmingham had weathered the national panic of 1873 successfully and was producing steel in earnest.
On January 11, 1861, Alabama became the fourth state to secede from the Union. Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president of the Confederacy in Montgomery the following month, and on April 12 he ordered General P. G. T. Beauregard to fire on Fort Sumter. The Confederate capital was moved to Richmond on May 21, 1861.
From the Confederacy's first capital at Montgomery to America's first "space capital" at Huntsville, Alabama has successfully spanned a century that began in sectional conflict but ended in a dedication to man's quest to bridge the universe. The drive from the business center of Birmingham to the heart of the Cotton Kingdom surrounding Montgomery and Selma is less than 100 miles, but these miles mark one of the transitions between the 19th and 20th centuries.
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Alabama
Statistics & Vital Data |  |
| Population: | 4447100 |
| Area: | 50,750 square miles |
| Timezone: | Central |
| Elevation: | 0-2,407 feet |
| High
point: | Cheaha Mountain (Cleburne County) |
| Joined
Union: | December 14, 1819 (22nd state) |
| State
Capital: | Montgomery |
| State
Motto: | "We dare defend our rights" |
| State
Flower: | Camellia |
| State
Bird: | Yellowhammer |
| State
Tree: | Southern Pine |
| State
Fair: | October, 2003, in Birmingham |
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Alabama Attractions >> |
Alabama Parks, Recreation Areas, & Historical Landmarks:
State Parks - Water-related activities, hiking, riding, various sports, picnicking, camping, and visitor centers are available in many of Alabama's state parks. Nominal entrance fees are collected at some parks. The state parks accept telephone reservations for motel rooms, cabins, and improved campsites; primitive campsites are on a no-reservation basis. Fees for improved campsites are $10-$25/site per night. No pets at motels and cabins; pets on leash only at campgrounds. There are many state park fishing lakes and 12 parks that offer boat rentals and water-recreational equipment. Bait, tackle, and freshwater fishing permits are $2/day; under 13, 75¢/day. For details, contact the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama State Parks Division, 64 N Union St, Montgomery 36130; phone 334/242-3334. For reservations, call 800/252-7275 or 334/242-3333.
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list of all parks in Alabama >> | |
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Alabama
Weather and Climate:
Alabama's climate is mild almost year-round, although the extreme northern part of the state can experience cold weather and even some snow in winter. The southern part of the state can be extremely hot beginning as early as March. Fall is usually comfortable throughout the state and is generally a good time to visit. | |
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Fishing/Hunting
Opportunities in Alabama:
More than 50,000 small ponds and lakes, including 22 public lakes and more than half a million acres of public impounded waters, provide ample freshwater fishing. Crappie, striped and white bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish can be caught statewide. State and national forests and state parks cater to anglers. White sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast are good for surf casting; trolling farther out in Gulf waters can net tarpon, snapper, king mackerel, and other game fish. Largemouth bass abound from the Tennessee River to Mobile Bay. The Lewis Smith and Martin reservoirs have both largemouth and spotted bass; the Wilson and Wheeler Dam tailwaters have smallmouth bass; the east central Alabama streams have redeye bass. Alabama has no closed season on freshwater game fish. Sport fishing licenses, nonresident: annual, $31; 7-day, $11 (includes issuance fee). The fees for reciprocal licenses for the residents of adjoining states and Louisiana vary. Waterfowl, small game, turkey, and deer are found in the state, with state-managed and national forest wildlife areas providing hunting in season. Deer and turkey hunting require an all-game hunting license for nonresidents. Federal and State Waterfowl Stamps are required in addition to a regular hunting license when hunting waterfowl. Because nearly all lands in Alabama are under private ownership and state law requires written permission from the owner before hunting, persons desiring to hunt should make arrangements accordingly. Hunting licenses, nonresident: annual all-game, $252; annual small game, $77; 10-day all-game, $127; 7-day small game, $47; 3-day all-game, $77; 3-day small game, $32. Management area deer and turkey licenses ($4) are required in the management areas in addition to the regular hunting license. A reciprocal agreement among Alabama and the state of Florida may alter the license fees charged residents of Florida. License costs for nonresident hunting licenses include a $2 issuance fee. For detailed information about seasons and other regulations, contact the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division, 64 N Union St, Montgomery 36130; phone 334/242-3467. For information about fishing and hunting licenses, call 334/242-3829. | |
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| | Additional Alabama Visitor Information:
Travel and vacation information is offered toll-free, phone 800/ALABAMA (Mon-Fri). For additional information, travelers may contact the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel, 401 Adams Ave, PO Box 4927, Montgomery 36103; phone 334/242-4169.
There are eight welcome centers in Alabama; there visitors will find information and brochures that will help plan stops at points of interest: Alabama (I-59 S), Ardmore (I-65 S), Baldwin (I-10 W), Grand Bay (I-10 E), Hardy (I-20 W, near Heflin), Houston (US 231 N), Lanett (I-85 S), and Sumter (I-59 N/20 E). Inquire locally for further information about these centers. |
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