Obscurity in the Middle of Alabama

Cullman was founded shortly after the Civil War by Germans seeking to escape the wars in that country. Per capita, there are more churches in Cullman then anywhere else in the country.

Some of the most obscure things that you will ever see will be in the relatively small town of Cullman, Alabama. Somethings, such as a miniature replica of Jerusalem, are obscure in and of themselves. Other things, such as a wonderfully decorated monastery, are obscure when placed in the middle of the deep south, or northern Alabama; it just seems out of place. Being from the city, when I go to the country and see not one or two, but three covered bridges, I can't help but think that this is the most backward thing I have ever seen; I get nervous just driving through them. In the modern age, this is an obscure landmark on the old country roads. Finally, the world's largest natural bridge is located just outside of the city. For a town this size in the middle of the deep South, there is sure a lot of obscure stuff to see in Cullman, Alabama.

I had the opportunity to spend a week in northern Alabama including a day in Cullman. I saw all the major attractions and was able to move to my next destination before going to sleep. If you plan a visit, plan it on a weekday. The two most significant are religious based, and not good on Sunday, and the Cullman County Museum is closed on Saturday. During the week, you should be able to see all the sites in 1 day.

Quick Tips:

If you spend just a few hours in Alabama, you should see the two best attractions; Ave Maria Grotto, and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

I recommend a trip to Cullman for anyone interested in Civil War history. I also recommend a trip to Cullman as a getaway for the weekend, or for families as an educational trip. Traditional theme park and thrill ride junkies will not find much to do here, but the slower pace will suit many others.

One final note: before examining the individual attractions of this area, remember that if you are traveling to Cullman on your free time, you should spend it doing things that you enjoy. Whether you are on vacation or traveling through your retirement, you should do things that you like, not necessarily what I or any reviewer says is fun. If you enjoy golfing, you should spend a day of your trip golfing on one of the courses; Cullman is right on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and has several renowned courses. Spend some time doing the things that you enjoy the most and you will get more out of your experience to this (or any) area.

Best Way To Get Around:

Downtown Cullman is all within walking distance. The shops, the warehouse district, and the local diners are all within walking distance. However, the various attractions are all located outside of town. You really have to have a car to get around to everything you will want to see.

About 20 minutes outside of Cullman, just around the city Oneonta in Blount County, you will find some historic landmarks in the form of the covered bridges that are still in use today.

There are three in this area. First is The Horton Mill Covered Bridge, located north of Oneonto. This bridge is 220 feet long and stands 70 feet above the canyon that it spans. Given the height and distance, this is the most impressive of the three.

Second, is the Easley Covered Bridge. Built in 1927, this covered bridge is the oldest in the county. Located just west of the town, this bridge is 95 feet long.

Third, the Swann Covered bridge is the longest of the three at 324 feet. It stands 27 feet above the Warior River.

If you have never seen a covered bridge before you won't understand why I consider this an attraction worth reviewing, until you get here and see them for yourself. They are majestic to look at, and scary to drive across. They add character to a country road, and go into my journal as one of the obscure things I saw on this trip.

I recommend a trip to see the covered bridges for anyone who hasn't seen one before. They are impressive. If these are common place to you, it wouldn't be worth the drive to see them. If you bring a picnic lunch, there are park tables set up around the Horton Mill Covered Bridge.

Website: www.coveredbridge.org

Palisades Park offers a wide variety of activities and amenities.

The first thing that you'll notice is the view. Located atop Ebell Mountain, the park is 1,300 feet high. There is even a lookout cabin that takes you to the edge of the cliff without any fear of falling over. From here, you can see miles to all the surrounding hills and mountains. The view is absolutely beautiful.

Second, there are a couple of trails that run through the park. These trails are paved, so they will appeal to those seeking exercise. Hikers and wilderness seekers can find better trails at other sites in the area.

There are also a large selection of pavilions and park tables for groups and families to have an outing in the park. There is even a reception hall that is available for rent for large get-togethers.

In the center of the park is the children's area. There is a small selection of playground equipment, like swings, see-saws, etc. There is also a handful of historic buildings, including the Murphee family pioneer home built in 1820, a pioneer farm house and stable, and a one-room school house.

Overall, the variety of activities make this an interesting stop, but it doesn't adequately cover anything well enough to capture the imagination. The view is outstanding, but you can find an equally impressive view at other attractions in the area. The nature trails, historic park, and playground are just too little to make a lasting impression. Therefore, I recommend this attraction only for those passing through the area looking for a nice place to stop to stretch the legs, let the kids release some energy, or take a quick picnic. This is not a attraction you should drive out of your way to see.

One final note: I should also mention the monument to the Confederacy. Right next to one of the pavilions is a marble monument that reads, "This monument is dedicated to the memory of the brave and courageous men from Blount County Alabama who unselfishly fought for the Confederacy during the war between the states." I've seen a couple similar to this in Mississippi and other parts of Georgia, but I thought it was worth mentioning for those of us from outside the area.

Website: www.coveredbridge.org

Just south of Cullman in a small town called Hanceville, you will find the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is a Catholic monastery, which has opened its doors to people of all faiths.

First, let me say that I am not Catholic, and not the most religious person in my personal faith; however, I do consider myself a spiritual person. Having said that, going to the Shrine does give a deeply spiritual experience.

When you enter the monastery, the first thing you will notice is the castle San Miguel. This is setup to honor the valor of knights and saints who fought for the church in the past. The castle also houses a gift shop which sells various religious books, symbols, and other items.

Perpendicular to the castle is the Creche, or the Holy Cave. The Creche contains a life-sized nativity scene.

As you leave the Creche and walk up the seven steps to the shrine, you see the Monument to the Divine Child Jesus. In the middle of the plaza, the statue is the focus as you approach the shrine.

Before entering the shrine itself, on the right of the plaza, you will find the Stations of the Cross. These wood carvings show the progression as Jesus was put to trial, forced to carry the cross, and eventually crucified.

Also, before entering the shrine, you might take notice of the architecture. You might also note the cross on top of the temple. It was originally a Roman cross, but the top broke off after being hit by lightning. Seeing this as Divine intervention, this cross was left as it currently stands.

Entering the church, there is no other way to describe it except as totally breathtaking. Like I said before, I am not Catholic, and my church does not put a lot of money into the decorating of our churches. The stained glass windows shining in the sunlight, the golden altars, and the marble floors is so much more glamorous then my church that it literally takes my breath away. I've been to other Catholic churches, but this blows them all away.

In the lower church, there is a shroud of Turin exhibit. For those that don't know the name. This is the shroud that contains the image of a man, which is believed to be the one that covered Jesus when he was buried after his crucifixion. Anyway, there are x-rays of the shroud and life-size pictures.

I've read other reviews by people who felt out of place here, but I could not disagree more. I am probably the last one you'd expect to see at a Catholic monastery, but I really enjoyed my visit. All the nuns and other visitors were extremely friendly; I thoroughly enjoyed it and left feeling very spiritual, despite being a different faith.

I recommend a visit to the Shrine for everyone.

Website: www.olamshrine.com

The Ave Maria Grotto was built by Brother Joseph Zoetti, a native of Landshul, Bavaria. A priest serving at the Saint Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama, started this site as a hobby. He wanted to build miniature recreations of some of the world's greatest churches and altars out of the trinkets, stones, and shells that he could find in the area.

Over the 50 years that Brother Joseph worked on this site, he built miniature replicas of more then 125 famous scenes, shrines, and buildings from all over the world. There are miniature replicas of Jerusalem and Rome. There are missions from San Antonio, Mexico, France, and Italy.

What is more interesting is to note that all these miniature scenes are made out of trinkets, shells, rocks, and other ordinary stuff. If Brother Joseph was given something special, he would include it in his work, but the vast majority of the sculptures are made of ordinary material.

I recommend a trip to Ave Maria Grotto for everyone.

Website: www.avemariagrotto.com

In the late 1860s, the United States had just gone through a Civil War, and in this antebellum period, the South was opened to those interested in taking advantage of the land previously used as plantations.

In Europe, Guy de Bismarck was going through what we now know as Germany, combining the loosely connected districts into one solid country. As he did this, the influential people from these areas would either secede power or be eliminated. Some of the more influential people fled to what was still considered the frontier in America.

Colonel John Cullman led a group of German immigrants to what is now Cullman County. The Cullman County Museum chronicles the life in this county and in northern Alabama, from the days when Indians traveled in this area to the impact of the Civil War here to the founding of the county by Cullman to modern celebrities from this area.

When I took a tour of northern Alabama, I went to see a lot of the local museums. Most of the counties have them; most are in the old railroad depots. Anyway, this is the only one that I am recommending, because it covers the history of the area as well as the county itself.

I recommend this site for anyone interested history, and for families with children, who will be educated by the museum. Also, the museum will be of interest to anyone interested in pioneer life and Civil War history.

Website: www.cullman.com/museum

About 30 minutes west of Cullman, you will run into Winston County. Winston County is known for two things.

First, while very loosely populated at the time, when Alabama seceded from the United States, before the Civil War, the citizens of Winston County voted overwhelmingly to secede from the state of Alabama. Since then, this county has been known as the free state of Winston.

Second, Winston County is known for the geological formations in its countryside. Specifically, in this unincorporated area, the natural bridge stands out as a natural wonder. Somewhere between a cave and a canyon, the natural bridge is a unique geological formation.

The arch is 150 feet long and 60 feet high. Surrounded by some of the most scenic land in Alabama, this bridge stands out as a modern wonder.

After months of skirmishes from Gadsden to Cullman, on April 30, 1863, General William Bedford Forrest of the Confederate army surprised Colonel Streight's raiders. As legend has it, Forrest had three horses shot out from under him in the battle before he eventually sent the Union army running with Forrest in relentless pursuit.

Moviegoers will know the name William Bedford Forrest as the name-sake for Forrest Gump. As discretely as they did it, you might have also picked up that he was the founder of what we now call the Klu Klux Klan.

Anyway, while he was here, he was a Confederate soldier, who used guerrilla warfare to harass the Union armies that occupied northern Alabama during the war.

The Forrest-Streight trail with it's climax here at the battle of Hog Mountain represents the only Civil War campaign in northern Alabama. With pro-Union sentiment throughout the area, once the federal army took control of this area, there were no real battles in northern Alabama.

Now commemorated by a covered bridge, the battle of Hog Mountain stands as the states largest contribution to Civil War history.

Except for those that already know the history of the continual skirmishes between Bedford Forrest and Colonel Streight, there is not much for average people to do here. If you are interested in Civil War history, this would be the big site on a tour of northern Alabama. Otherwise, it makes for an interesting stop on the road out of Cullman to Hamilton and Florence.

I recommend this attraction for anyone interested in history, specifically Civil War history. Also, I recommend this as a place for families with children still learning about the Civil War, as the site offers room to play combined with historical value.

One day is plenty of time to see all the attractions in Cullman. The best days to visit are Monday through Friday, as the Cullman County Museum is closed on Saturday, and the Shrine and the Grotto are mostly religious sites which are inappropriate on Sunday.

You should begin your tour just outside of Oneonta in Blount County. Here you can see the covered bridges. Depending on your interest, and how many times you drive back and forth on them, you can see all the bridges in about an hour (free). If you stay the night in Cullman of Gadsden, you can leave either at 6:30am to be at the bridges by 7am.

Next, head to Hanceville, to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (free). If you see the bridges by 7:30am, you should make it to the shrine by 8am. Visit the Castle first to get the guide to the site. Follow the guide around the site to see all of the interesting features. It takes about 2 hours to see, and appreciate this site.

Drive to Cullman and visit the Ave Maria Grotto ($5). Spend a couple of hours exploring the grotto.

Move to the Cullman County Museum ($2). Touring the museum should take about an hour.

Next, drive to downtown Cullman, here you will be able to spend a couple of minutes looking through the many antique shops, or grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants. You might also check out the Historic Warehouse District, which houses a multitude of unique shops. Also, you might want to check out A Touch of German which offers a selection of German wares.

While walking around downtown Cullman, take note of the Weiss cottage (the oldest building in town), the Cullman depot, and the historic district. You should plan on leaving Cullman by 2pm.

Leave Cullman heading west and you will run into the Clarkson Covered Bridge. There is little here except the bridge which serves as memorial for the battle that took place here. Touring this site will take less then half an hour.

Next, head to Double Springs. Here you will find the "Free State of Winston" statue. This memorial is here to celebrate the fact that Winston county actually succeeded from the state of Alabama, right after Alabama succeeded from the Union before the state of the Civil War. Forced to comply by surrounding Confederates, this area was known as a haven for those who were sympathetic to northern issues.

Continue traveling west to the Natural Bridge ($3). Touring this site will take less then half an hour.

Finally, continue traveling west to Hamilton for some shopping, or a nice dinner. You should see Brown's Pottery for some interesting handmade pottery, sculpted in the historic fashion. Be sure to see the face jugs, which are the shops specialty.

You should be complete with all of these attractions by 5pm.

Total cost of the trip is $10, plus food, gas, and lodging.

I recommend a day trip to Cullman for anyone interested in spirituality and for families with children. Also, this trip is nice for frugal travellers as all the attractions combined cost only $10; hotels are cheaper as this is not a major tourist destination.