Alabama
Alabama is a state in the United States. Most people know it as a hub for college football—American football, that is[1]. Beyond sports, Alabama has seen pivotal moments in the civil rights movement. Precolonial mounds from Indigenous Mississippian settlements still survive even after centuries of colonialism, serving as a glimpse of life on Turtle Island as it was prior to arrival of Europeans.
Things to do in Alabama
- On one November Saturday, virtually the entire state tunes in to one event—the Iron Bowl, Alabama's big derby between the University of Alabama and Auburn University, whose teams are the Crimson Tide and the Tigers respectively.
- Keep an eye out for yellowhammers (the state bird). However, you should note that they aren't actually those yellow birds, but rather northern flickers, which are a type of woodpecker.
- Also keep an eye out for a Boeing AH-64 Apache, one of the most widespread attack helicopters in the world.
Notable communities and places
Auburn
Bibb County
Home to some calcareous glades, where mysterious plants grow from Cambrian rock.
Birmingham
Very industrial. One of the more notable sites is a pig iron blast furnace. Not to be confused with the English city of the same name.
Florence
It has a museum focusing on the area's Indigenous cultures.
Gulf Shores
It's got beaches and stuff. For a little side trip, you can check out the diverse ecosystems of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Or maybe catch a marlin.
Huntsville
You can go to space camp and look at rockets up close.
Mobile
It has the oldest Mardi Gras in the United States. Sorry, New Orleans.
Montgomery
The capital.
Muscle Shoals
I think I should record a song there!
Selma
It saw a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, where police clashed with protestors at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Tuscaloosa
Roll Tide, and run, Forrest, run. For a meaty treat, go to Dreamland BBQ.
