2009 Official Alabama Vacation Guide - (Page 16) My Home’s in Alabama: famous faces and historic places CARVER INTERPRETIVE MUSEUM, DOTHAN A tribute to Dr. George Washington Carver, this south Alabama museum is a proud symbol of his achievements and those of other African Americans. Major features include the Gallery of Black Scientists, Inventors, and Explorers, and the Gallery of Heroes, which showcases the contributions of blacks in the military. 305 N. Foster St., Dothan. 334-712-0933. www.gwcarvermuseum.org and memorabilia from Aaron’s storied baseball career and showcase his family life in Mobile. 251-479-2327. www.hankaaronstadium.com ALABAMA BOASTS A NUMBER OF MUSEUMS ASSOCIATED WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE HISTORY OF OUR STATE AND NATION. DURING THE YEAR OF ALABAMA HISTORY, YOU ARE INVITED TO DISCOVER SOME OF THESE PLACES AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO INSPIRED THEM. by Marilyn Jones Stamps HANK WILLIAMS MUSEUM, MONTGOMERY AND HANK WILLIAMS BOYHOOD HOME, GEORGIANA Hiram “Hank” Williams, the father of contemporary country music, established the rules for all the country performers that followed him. The Hank Williams Museum in downtown Montgomery houses the singer’s 1952 Cadillac, guitars, albums, and other memorabilia. His childhood home is open as a museum in Georgiana. Each June, Georgiana hosts the Hank Williams Music Festival. 118 Commerce St., Montgomery. 334-262-3600. www.hankwilliamsmuseum.com; 127 Rose St., Georgiana. 334-376-2396. DEXTER AVENUE KING MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH & PARSONAGE, MONTGOMERY The modest church in the heart of downtown Montgomery is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pastored from 1954 to 1960 and began his quest for civil rights. Founded in 1877 in a slave trader’s pen, it became a center point for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A short drive away is Dexter Parsonage Museum, which served as home to 12 pastors of the church from 1920 to 1992. 334-261-3270. www.dexterkingmemorial.org TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, TUSKEGEE In 1881, Booker T. Washington founded what is now Tuskegee University. One of its most famous teachers was George Washington Carver, whose name is synonymous with innovative research in Southern farming and crops. A tour of the site includes the George Washington Carver Museum, The Oaks, home of Booker T. Washington, and other structures located on the campus. 334-727-3200. www.nps.gov/tuin HELEN KELLER’S BIRTHPLACE, TUSCUMBIA Helen Keller, called “America’s First Lady of Courage,” was born in 1880 as a normal child, but an illness at age 19 months left her blind, deaf, and mute. It was a young school teacher named Anne Sullivan who would open up the world to Helen by teaching her how to communicate using a system of touch-spelling. Every June since 1962, “The Miracle Worker” has been performed just yards from where the “miracle” happened. 300 W. N. Commons, Tuscumbia. 888-329-2124. www.helenkellerbirthplace.org FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ROSENBAUM HOUSE, FLORENCE Internationally renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,000 projects, including the Usonian-style Rosenbaum House (1939-40) in northwest Alabama. The house represents the only Wright-designed structure in Alabama. 601 Riverview Dr., Florence. 256-740-8899. www.wrightinalabama.com W.C. HANDY HOME, LIBRARY, AND MUSEUM, FLORENCE Born in a small log cabin in Florence in1873, Handy gave the world the “St. Louis Blues,” “Memphis Blues,” “Beale St. Blues,” and countless other songs. Visitors to the museum honoring his memory can view a wealth of his personal memorabilia, including his trumpet, piano, and handwritten music. Northwest Alabama honors the legacy of the “Father of the Blues” during a weeklong music festival each summer. 620 W. College St. 256-760-6434. www.florenceal.org ROSA PARKS MUSEUM, MONTGOMERY On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks quietly refused to move to the “colored” section of a Montgomery bus. Her simple act of protest ignited the Civil Rights Movement and changed the course of history in America. Her story is told through interactive exhibits at this museum which was built on the very site where she was arrested. 220 Montgomery St. 334-241-8615. www.troy.edu HANK AARON MUSEUM & LEARNING CENTER, MOBILE Walk through history as you walk through the home that Hank and his family grew up in. Opening this year, the home, which was moved to the grounds of Hank Aaron Stadium (home of the Mobile BayBears), restored and converted into a museum, will feature artifacts 16 w w w. a l a b a m a . t r a v e l http://www.hankaaronstadium.com http://www.gwcarvermuseum.org http://www.hankwilliamsmuseum.com http://www.dexterkingmemorial.org http://www.nps.gov/tuin http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org http://www.wrightinalabama.com http://www.florenceal.org http://www.troy.edu http://www.alabama.travel
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.