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Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
Address: 11288 Horseshoe Bend Rd
Daviston, AL 36256-9751
Phone: 256-234-7111
Fax: 256-329-9905
Overview. This was the site of the Creek Indians' last stand against the United States Army. Their tragic defeat in this bloodiest of battles led to the cession of tribal lands in Alabama and Georgia. The area is located on forested land surrounded on three sides by the muddy Tallapoosa River that winds around it in the shape of a horseshoe. Conflict began here in 1813 among warring factions within the Creek or Muskogee tribe, with one side adopting white customs and the other side (the Red Sticks) fighting to preserve native culture. Their skirmishes were ignored by the U.S. government until 250 settlers were massacred by the Red Sticks at Fort Mims near Mobile, AL. Andrew Jackson, who was then a major general in the Tennessee militia, was sent in with 3,000 troops to subdue the Red Sticks. The American forces succeeded with the help of Cherokee allies. The Red Sticks' chief, Menawa, and 15 of his warriors escaped, but almost 90 percent of the 1,000 Creek warriors died in battle. As Jackson himself observed, "the carnage was dreadful." The battle essentially launched Jackson's political career and was a turning point on his road to the presidency. After the brutal battle, the Creeks were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). This difficult journey cost many more Indian lives and became known as the Trail of Tears. What to see and do. A visitor center contains a museum with a diorama of the battle, as well as exhibits of maps and weapons. The center provides a short slide presentation, "The Creek War and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend." Living history presentations are offered monthly and rangers give frequent musket demonstrations. The anniversary of the battle is commemorated annually in March with special events. You can take self-guided tours along the ten miles of hiking trails within the park, and rangers are on hand for guided tours and nature walks. Call in advance to make arrangements. A three-mile auto tour of the battlefield is also available. The park is at its best in the spring when dogwood and wildflowers are in bloom. The surrounding area is forested with pine and hardwood trees. Picnic facilities are offered, as well as a launching ramp for boats. You are also permitted to fish for bass and bluegill in the Tallapoosa River, but an Alabama fishing license is required. Dress casually for outdoor activities and be prepared to do a lot of walking. The park is located on Alabama Highway 49, 18 miles east of Alexander City.
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Address: 2141 Gault Ave N Superintendent's Office
Fort Payne, AL 35967
Phone: 256-845-9605
Fax: 256-997-9129
Overview. Where the Little River flows along the spine of Alabama's Lookout Mountain, it has carved the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi. This canyon harbors a wealth of scenic beauty, and the river, as it tumbles across and down the mountain, offers some of the best whitewater paddling available anywhere.
What to see and do. Drive along the winding Canyon Rim Road (County Road 176) and stop at the overlooks to drink in the beauty of the canyon. Little River Falls, another scenic spot, is accessible from Alabama Highway 35. If you like adventure, try the Little River's rapids, but please note that some of these runs go by names such as "Avalanche" and "Suicide" and are class III to VI. Make sure you're up to the challenge! You must bring your own equipment, for there are no outfitters or guides available. Often the river course is too narrow for rafts, so kayaks or canoes are your only options. The river is not recommended for beginners.
Camping in designated areas, rock climbing, picnicking, and hiking are all allowed. Fishing, hunting, and trapping are permitted in certain areas with the proper licenses; contact the superintendent of the preserve for more information. DeSoto State Park, located within the preserve, has both a lodge and campgrounds. The park is open every day of the year.
Russell Cave National Monument
Address: 3729 County Rd 98
Bridgeport, AL 35740
Phone: 256-495-2672
Fax: 256-495-9220
Overview. This national monument is the oldest recorded inhabited cave in the U.S., with evidence of human occupation dating back 10,000 years. Archaeologists discovered the limestone chamber, measuring 210 feet long and 107 feet wide, in 1953. Since the discovery, hundreds of thousands of Native American artifacts have been excavated, including charcoal remains of campfires and human bones buried more than 20 feet below the cave floor. Archaeologists believe that the cave was used as a refuge by ancient tribes in autumn and winter, when food supplies were less plentiful. Through the many layers of artifacts that were unearthed within the cave, archaeologists were also able to trace the development of the culture as it changed from a nomadic lifestyle to an agrarian one. It is believed that by A.D. 500, the tribes no longer needed to use the cave as a shelter because they had established more permanent villages. The monument is located in the city of Bridgeport, so named for a railroad bridge that was used as a Confederate supply route during the Civil War. At the site today, a modern bridge spans the width of the Tennessee River. What to see and do. You can tour the cave or explore 310 acres of surrounding countryside on many hiking and nature trails. Either way, be prepared to stay at least one or two hours. When time and staffing allow, staff members offer demonstrations of prehistoric tools and weapons for larger tour groups. Education programs are also available for school groups; call for reservations. Slide shows, films, and a display of ancient relics are offered in the visitor center and the cave shelter area. In addition to guided tours, visitors can attend presentations about the site's history. Visitor facilities include the information center, and "archaic man," "woodland man," and "Mississippian man" exhibits. The monument is located eight miles outside of Bridgeport. Turn north on County Road 75 to Mount Carmel and turn right on County Road 98 to the Monument entrance.
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
Address: 1212 Old Montgomery Rd PO Drawer 10 Tuskegee University
Tuskegee Institute, AL 36088
Phone: 334-727-3200 or 334-727-6390
Fax: 334-727-1448
Overview. Booker T. Washington, a former slave from Virginia, was emancipated at the age of nine after the Civil War ended in 1865. He endured poverty to become a self-educated and self-made man; he later worked his way through Hampton Institute in Virginia to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Education. Washington's success at Hampton won him recognition among his peers, and he was recommended to head the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881. He literally built the Institute from the ground up; it began in an abandoned shanty on A.M.E. church property, and Washington and his students built 26 other buildings with red and brown bricks they created out of Alabama clay, mud and straw by hand. Robert Robertson Taylor, the first black graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Tuskegee faculty member, directed the construction process. The first two buildings, Porter Hall and Alabama Hall, were finished in 1882 and 1884, respectively. The Institute's science building, Thrasher Hall, was constructed in 1893. Today, the accredited school consists of 161 buildings and is home to over 5,000 students and faculty. The school was originally funded by a meager $2,000 grant from the Alabama State Legislature. Washington's philosophy was that his students should learn through experience, become self-reliant, live with dignity, and eventually go out to teach others. The students grew and prepared their own food and were given donations of eggs, livestock, and sometimes money, by local African American families who were themselves struggling. In 1895 Washington delivered a speech at the Cotton States Exposition that is now known as the Atlanta Compromise. It was a double-edged sword for the educator. On one hand, he became nationally known and was invited into elite social circles, which led to large financial donations to the Institute. On the other hand, other African Americans were opposed to the ideas in Washington's speech, and this opposition gave birth to the NAACP, led by W.E.B. DuBois. The NAACP's efforts influenced Washington to add academic excellence as one of his curricular goals. One year after his speech in Atlanta, Washington hired George Washington Carver as a professor and scientist. Carver was also a former slave who grew up on a small farm in Missouri, and his achievements are the focal point of the Institute. In his makeshift laboratory he discovered hundreds of uses for vegetables, like sweet potatoes and peanuts, and he discovered crop rotation, which helped farmers to replenish their soil. What to see and do. Visitors can spend time studying exhibits of Carver's life and work at the site's Visitor Center. Included are samples of his watercolors and knitting, as well as artifacts from his library. Carver created face creams and massage oils from sweet potatoes and peanuts, which are also on display in the museum. The George Washington Carver Craft Festival is held every May and is sponsored by the National Park Service. Call the park service at 334-727-3200 for further information. You can also tour The Oaks, which was one of the site's original buildings and Washington's personal residence. It has been restored to look as it did at the turn of the century and is furnished with original as well as period pieces. Booker T. Washington's office within his residence has all of the original furnishings. Other notable buildings are White, Tomkins, and Huntington Halls, as well as the Carnegie Library. Informal interpretive talks are given about the site's history throughout the year; call ahead to check availability (800-831-8812). The site's headquarters is located on Old Montgomery Road, on the campus of Tuskegee University.
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