100 Years of the National Park System – Alabama’s National Parks

Now that we have fully (if begrudgingly) entered 2016, it is time to start looking at trips to plan for the coming year. It was during my planning process that a little bit of history came fluttering back into my mind. This year, our National Park System will celebrate its 100th birthday. Granted the actual date is not until August, but it’s never too early to plan, so a good way to start is with all seven of Alabama’s National Parks.

 

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National Historic Sites

Tuskegee Institute

This private university started in 1881 by Booker T. Washington has always attracted the best and brightest of teachers, but the most famous was George Washington Carver. During World War II, the University became the home of the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee University campus is the only school campus in the Unites States to be designated a historic site.

Tuskegee Airmen – Starting in 1941 and housed at the famous Tuskegee Institute, the Tuskegee Airmen trained at Moton Field in Tuskegee. Here they honed their flying skills in the Army’s PT-17 biplanes before gaining worldwide attention and acceptance during World War II where they became known as “The Red Tails.”

National Historic Trails

Trail of Tears – When the Cherokee people were forcefully removed from their homelands, they travelled what has now become known as The Trail of Tears. The Trail winds through nine states, including Alabama.

Selma to Montgomery – This 54-mile-long trail retraces the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his supporters as they fought for the right to vote in central Alabama. In addition to the trail, many interpretive centers connect these people’s stories throughout the route.

National Monument

Russell Cave – This archaeological wonder is considered one of the most complete records of prehistoric culture in the Southeast. The cave provides clues to the daily life of early North American inhabitants dating from 10,000 B.C. to 1650 A.D.

National Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway – a 444-mile road closely following the route known as “The Old Trace,” which was used by Native Americans and early settlers to traverse and settle the Deep South. Today, The Trace offers a beautiful drive with stops and destinations spread across its length.

National Heritage Area

Muscle Shoals – The area around the “Quad-Cities” of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia and Sheffield played an important role in the settlement of the South, and their location around the Tennessee River created a culture unique to that area. This culture is being preserved by the National Park Service through their cultural area program.

National Preserve

Little River Canyon – The preserve was designated along the Little River, which is the longest mountaintop river in the United States. The preserve also encompasses the canyon formed by the river, said to be the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi River. The park itself brings a unique blend of culture and nature together for visitors.

National Military Park

Horseshoe Bend – During the Creek Indian War, General Andrew Jackson led more than three thousand men against one thousand Creek warriors fortified in a bend of the Tallapoosa River. The battle that ended the war with the Creek Indians became famously known as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and resulted in the U.S. receiving more than 23 million acres from the Creek Indian Nation. The battle also turned Andrew Jackson into a national hero and helped propel him to the Presidency.