A gorgeous waterfall, walking trails, train, petting zoo and mini golf are just a few of the many activities you can find at Noccalula Falls. Located in Gadsden, AL it makes a great day-trip destination.
Originally known as Black Creek Falls, it is now named after a Cherokee Indian Chief’s daughter whose tribe lived along Black Creek near the great falls. You see, the majestic falls got their name from a plunging princess who died in the name of love.
According to legend, the young girl fell in love with a local villager. Even though he was a strong courageous warrior, Noccalula’s father did not think the man was worthy to marry his daughter. Instead, there was an arranged marriage for Noccalula to the wealthy chief of a nearby village. To help ensure his daughter’s cooperation, the Chief banished Noccalula’s true love from the village so that the two would no longer see each other.
Noccalula was distraught, but at her father’s insistence, she continued preparations for the upcoming wedding.
Finally, the day of the wedding came. When Noccalula had a few minutes to herself, she snuck away from the celebration and toward the falls. When her father and the crowd noticed her at the falls, she leaped from the top for all to see.
The wedding guests were horrified, and Noccalula’s father was filled with remorse, believing he had driven his daughter to her death. In his grief, he proclaimed that the falls would forever be known as Noccalula Falls in honor of his daughter who died for love.
When the Cherokee were forced off their land, the settlers who assumed ownership of the land promised to keep the falls named after the Indian princess.
If you visit the falls today, you will find a bronze statue honoring the legendary Princess Noccalula. The statue was built from pennies collected by local school kids in the mid-1960s.
When the statue was erected, it was the first statue depicting someone jumping off of a cliff.
There are also legends that the spirit of young Noccalula haunts the falls, with many visitors reporting seeing a young girl in the mist among the rocks.
The story of Princess Noccalula has never been historically proven. Like many histories from early settlements, this story has been passed down by word of mouth over the ages, and adopted by Noccalula Falls Park for the enjoyment of visitors.
This does not mean the story isn’t true; even the tallest of tales have a basis in reality.
Wil Elrick hails from Guntersville, Alabama where at an early age he developed a love for both trivia and history. He has spent the last 20 odd years, fine tuning the art of communication while working in law enforcement, writing, television media, historical research, and public speaking. He lives in North Alabama with his two boys, and a neurotic German Shepherd Dog. He one day hopes that Bigfoot is proven real. Wil’s new book Alabama Scoundrels is available from History Press.
