Montgomery, Alabama was the first capital city of the Confederacy and served as a vital connection to the Cotton Belt. Currently, the city is popular for its function as the involuntary host of many marches years ago that aimed to uphold civil rights. The civil rights movements in the area was triggered by Rosa Parks, a seamstress who was simply too tired to surrender her seat on the bus she rode from work to her house. Her quiet but brave action in December 1955 garnered the attention of a certain Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luther proceeded to create the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which started the national Civil Rights movement.
Montgomery is located at the south bank of the Alabama River. The place is familiar to the many clashes during the 1860s during the war between states. It also participated in the Civil Rights movement a century later. When you visit the city, you will still find a number of structures and monuments that refer back to the battles fought and the rights earned.
Some of the things to find in Montgomery:
The State Capitol. The structure was built in 1850 and was well-known for two events in particular. In February 1861, the Greek Revival Capitol’s front portico featured Jefferson Davis as the President of the Confederate States. He was inaugurated by the Southern Confederacy, which was newly formed at the time. The Capitol was also the venue of the end of the Civil Rights march, which spanned from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. When you enter the Capitol, there is a foyer with two white spiral staircases on each side. The stairs lead up three stories up.
The Capitol also features a pink and gold rotunda with a beautiful stained glass skylight. There are eight huge murals made by Roderick MacKenzie, a local artist during the 1920s. The artworks feature various occasions throughout the history of Alabama. Some of the presented murals show antebellum life, the arrival of de Soto, early pioneers and the Confederacy.
On the first floor are the original “Governor’s Suite” as well as the suite of the Secretary of State. The rooms still keep documents and furniture from the late 1800s. On the Capitol grounds, there are 50 flagpoles that feature each state. These form a semi-circle path dubbed the “Walk of States”. There is a stone at the base of each flag. The stones actually come from each state represented by the flag. Some of the stones are even semi-precious.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History was the first agency in the nation that functioned as a state archive. There are galleries, white marble structures and exhibits showing the rich history of Alabama. On the second floor of the Capitol, there are various unique items such as jewelry, antebellum quilts and the Alabama State Bible. There is a room made for former Vice President William Rufus King. Going inside the Capitol will reveal to you various great people in the history of the United States that became a part of Alabama.Labels: Alabama flag, custom flag, custom flag maker, custom flag. personalized flag
by:
The Flagman
