The state capital of Alabama is the second most populous city in the state and named after General Richard Montgomery when Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819. It became capital of the state in 1846, but the general didn’t live long enough to enjoy his eponym as state capital; he was killed during the American Revolutionary War while attempting to conquer what is now the province of Quebec in Canada. The area was populated by the native North American Alibamu tribe; from where the state takes its name, but by 1800 the area had been swamped by pale-faced Europeans.
From its advantageous location along the Alabama River, Montgomery gained its riches through its steamboat port and cotton growing. The city also became the first city to serve as capital of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The city remained relatively untouched and many of its traditional buildings can still be seen today.
The city boasts an impressive list of former residents. The Wright Brothers, the two chaps who managed to become the first ones to get a plane off the ground, owned several airfields around Montgomery, home to the Wright Brothers’ Wright Flying School during the winter season. Dexter Avenue Baptist Church had a rather illustrious pastor from 1954 to 1960 with none other than Rev Dr Martin Luther King holding tenure and herding the flock. Rosa Parks, another hero of the civil rights movement, took her stand here when she denied the authority of segregation when she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger.
Highlights
State Capitol Building: built in 1850, this is a fine example of original architecture of the epoch.
First White House of the Confederacy: a far cry from the current White House in Washington, DC, but an interesting historical monument to this particularly American tradition.
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church: see the pulpit where Dr Martin Luther King addressed his congregation.
Alabama Shakespeare Festival: Alabama may not be the first place you think of when referencing the bard, but this festival pays homage to the master every year.
Civil Rights Memorial: listing the names of 40 black civil rights martyrs murdered by white supremacists, this touching memorial designed by Maya Lin is a must see.
Hank Williams Museum: country fans will not want to miss the change to ogle notorious honky-tonk icon Williams’ 1952 Cadillac.