The Shoals of Alabama

Historically, this area is significant as a stopping point on the Trail of Tears, the forced march that the government made Native Americans take to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma). This was called the Trail of Tears as a high percent of the Indians that started it did not make it to Oklahoma. Here, Indians from further east were joined by those from the south and were taken west. Prior to the Trail, there was a large population of Native Americans living in this area, demonstrated by the artifacts and mounds.

Florence is the economic center for a group of small cities, which are collectively called "the Shoals." Comprised of Lauderdale and Colbert counties, the Shoals consists of Florence, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals, and Tuscumbia.

I had the opportunity to spend a week in northern Alabama, including 2 days in the Shoals. I saw all the major attractions; Belle Mont was closed indefinitely, as it had lost its funding. When planning your visit, you should check each attraction's availability, as many are closed or have very limited hours on Sunday and Monday.

Quick Tips:

I recommend a trip to Florence and the surrounding area for anyone interested in history. Traditional theme park and thrill-ride junkies will not find much to do here, but the slower pace will suit many others. I would, also, recommend this trip for anyone interested in getting away to a slower pace.

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 and 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; Florence 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:

The area is not very large, but you will find it neccessary to have a car.

I am  really not a huge music fan. I listen while in my car and seldom around the house. Having said that I almost skipped the Alabama Music Hall of Fame while visiting this area. I'm really glad that I didn't.

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is the first hall of fame that I've visited. As such, it has set the bar pretty high as to what I would expect in similar museums.

The first exhibit is a tribute to Sun Records, the label behind Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash; while the artists themselves where not from Alabama, the two men that founded the record label were therefore Alabama's impact on the music industry is much wider then just the singers. A recreation of the Sun Studio recording stage is on exhibit here as well as numerous newspaper clippings and information about the groups that the record label published.

The next room shows classic rock and roll. The Temptations and the Commodores; there are pictures and brief histories of the two groups as well as memorabilia and a set of each groups clothes. There is a separate exhibit for Lionel Ritchie, which documents the career of Lionel Ritchie after he split with the others.

The next section featured is the country music section. The God-father of country music Hank Williams, Sr and his son, the renegade of country music, Hank Williams, Jr. were both born here in Alabama. The first lady of country music, Tammy Wynette, was also born in Alabama. Each of the artists is tributized with pictures, mementoes from their careers and some of their show clothes. There are even two automobiles on display here. One is a tour bus from the band Alabama; you can walk through the bus and see what life on the road meant even for one of the eighties largest bands.

The last section is jazz and blues. It features artists such as W.C.Handy and Nat King Cole. There is a huge selection of media here. There are golden records, clothing used during performances, souvenirs picked up by the performers as they traveled, and many other forms of memorabilia to celebrate these artists and their careers.

At the end of the museum, there is a recording studio, where you can record your own version of one of the songs sung or written by an Alabama native. The museum also hosts a yearly induction ceremony and occasionally sponsors local music events.

This museum is well decorated and well organized. While it doesn't go deeply into any artist, it does cover them all briefly. With interactive exhibits and a multitude of exhibits, this museum covers Alabama's diverse musical past. Who knew Alabama has had this kind of impact on this wide a variety of music?

I recommend this exhibit for anyone traveling through the area. Children of all ages will enjoy this site.

Website: www.alamhof.org

This is a one of it's kind place to visit! There is no where else in the world that you will see a Coon Dog cemetery. Unlike other pet cemeteries, the Key Underwood Coon Dog Cemetery is a burial ground for pure breed coon dogs only. Only pure breed coon dogs are allowed to be buried here.

Almost 200 coon dogs are buried here. The oldest dates back to 1937. There is also a monument at the entrance to all coon dogs.

The gravestones range from the wooden crosses made of tree branches, like those that you would expect a young boy to make for their dog after it dies, to sophisticated granite grave stones, similar to those on human grave sites. One man in Birmingham has buried four dogs here over five years and each has a matching marble gravestone which would not be out of place in a human cemetery.

I recommend this site to anyone visiting the area. You can visit the site at sun up and still make it to your next attraction before it opens. The uniqueness of this site makes it worth the 40 minute round-trip drive to see it.

About 25-miles south of Florence in Phil Campbell (that's a town not a person), you will find Dismals Canyon. This is a nature canyon which provides some of the most scenic areas that you will find.

The first that you will see as you enter the canyon is Rainbow Falls, so called as you can see a rainbow in the mist that the falls create. The falls are only a little more then 50-feet tall, but it is beautiful to see with the landscaping of the canyon on all sides of it.

Next, you will see the Pulpit Rock. These rocks are over 60-feet tall rock walls. These were created by an earthquake 10,000 years ago. From the top you can see a view of the entire canyon.

Another interesting point is the Temple Cave. This small cave was home to some Paleo Indians, the first men to inhabit this area. From the Paleozoic era to historic area, this canyon was used by traveling Indians as a place of refuge.

There is another cavern where supposedly Vice President Aaron Burr hid out for several months after killing Alexander Hamilton in that famous duel in 1804.

Finally, the real treasure to the site is nature. Flora and geology combine to form a beautiful combination. The path takes you ¾ mile in and back out, so the round trip is a mile and a half.

I recommend a trip to Dismals Canyon for anyone interested in natural sciences, such as botany or geology. I, also, recommend this attraction for anyone desiring a brisk hike in the outdoors. The path is worn, but will be difficult for some in poor shape. Families, people walking for health, and begining hikers will love this site.

Website: www.dismalscanyon.com

This is one of the domiciliary Indian mound in the Tennessee Valley area. It measures 43 feet high, with a summit that is almost 1500 feet². The mound was created by a pre-historic tribe of Indians before the Cherokees, Chickasaws and the Creek Indians came to Alabama.

The great mound, called "Wawmanona" by the Indians, was the home to the local chief or spiritual man. It is believed that the Indian chief / wise man would have been the only one living on the mound with occasional visitors who were seeking his counsel. His children would have lived in a village below the mound, but only one without blood stained hands could eventually take his place. Anyone who fought in a war could not live on the hill.

Dating back to about 500AD, the artifacts in the museum consist of a wide variety of tools used throughout that time are the discovery of this area by Europeans. There is a brief slide show that shows the different tools used by the early settlers in this area. Also, take a little time to speak to the attendant. The lady that was working on the day that I went to the museum went on and on about the Indian culture and what various people had told her about the mound. While she went on a little too long, that was the most interesting part of this attraction.

I recommend a visit to this attraction for anyone interested in history, especially Native American history or pre-Colombian history. I also recommend this attraction for all families with children who would be interested in this site.

Website: www.flo-tour.org/indianmound.html

There are few stories that can inspire as much as that of Helen Keller. Helen Keller was born a healthy child in 1880. Before she turned 2-years-old she was hit with an illness that left her blind and deaf. Being both blind and deaf, the young Keller struggled for her first years until Anne Sullivan came to be her teacher.

It was at this home in Tuscumbia, that Keller's story first spiked as she learned to communicate. With Anne Sullivan pumping the well and tapping the letters W-A-T-E-R into her side, something clicked in Helen's 7-year-old mind and she began to understand language. Before that day ended she knew 30 words.

By the age of 10, she could read the "finger-tip language" and could write at an adult level. Of course, she went on to become the spokesperson for not only the blind and deaf, or the handicapped, but for all of America as an ambassador to the world.

While the plantation lands that surrounded the house have long since been sold off and developed by other families, the main house at Ivy Green is still in its original location. The house is decorated as it would have been during Helen's childhood. The pump where she learned her first word, as well as the nursery where she worked with Anne Sullivan is still an out-building to the main house. There is also a large collection of Keller artifacts and news clippings.

A guided tour takes you through the house and tells the Helen Keller story as well as some anecdotes about Helen as a child. The tour lasts about thirty minutes and it will take you another thirty minutes to see the out-buildings and the pumping station. Once a year, they host a play that documents Helen's childhood.

I recommend a trip to Ivy Green for anyone interested in history. I also recommend this attraction for all families, as Helen Keller is someone all children will have heard of. Finally, I would recommend this attraction to all those in the area, as this is one of the most inspiring stories in American history.

Website: www.helenkellerbirthplace.org

Seeing an art museum in a small town just doesn't compare to the larger counterparts. An art in museum in a small town compares to a museum in a large city the same way community theater compares to a Broadway production. It is pleasant in the same way that Little League is pleasant in baseball; nice to see but for the real thing I go to Yankee Stadium.

Anyway, the Kennedy Douglas Center for the Arts is absolutely not an exception to that rule. Located just off the campus of the University of North Alabama. The Center for the Arts is comprised of two different buildings housing two different galleries.

The first gallery was provided by a local artist from the southern part of Tennessee. This was a professional painter and some were very nice pieces of work. Not someone I have heard of before, I cannot remember the artists name even now as I review my notes from this visit.

The second gallery contained (surprise) a contest of local art students. The talent here ranged from something you'd only put on your refrigerator if that was your kid to really promising. One in particular (a portrait of a little girl) really looked like Van Gogh. There was even a couple that I would have purchased if they were for sale.

I recommend a trip to the Kennedy Douglas Center for the Arts for anyone interested in art or for anyone with free time after other attractions are closed. If you are looking for a serious exhibit of art arranged in a meaningful manor, you will find this to be a waste of time.

Website: www.flo-tour.org/kdartcenter.html

Alabama's first chartered college, LaGrange College and Military Academy was established in 1830. Known as the West Point of the South, the college was left virtually deserted in 1862 as its students had enlisted to fight in the war. In April 1863, Colonel Florence Cornyn and his "Destroying Angels" swept through this area and left only rubble in their wake.

Today, the pre-Civil War Cemetery still remains. There is also replica buildings that show how buildings in the pre-Civil War era would have looked.

I recommend this site for anyone deeply interested in the Civil War.

Website: http://recall-lagrange.00me.com/

Pope's Tavern is significant because it was once a stage coach stop, an inn, and a tavern. This is one of the oldest buildings in Florence. It was used as a hospital by both the Union and Confederate soldiers.

Now, owned by the city of Florence, the tavern has been converted into a museum with artifacts from the pioneer days, to the Civil War, to the end of the 19th century. There is a lot of Civil War material here, as well as some antiques from the pioneer days. The museum is led by a guided tour, which is just barely better than a self guided tour, as the tour guide cannot really answer many questions.

I recommend this site for anyone interested in history, especially Civil War history or local history.

Website: http://www.flo-tour.org/popes.html

I was skeptical of this attraction before I ever went to it. I looked at all the websites before I started my vacation and I thought that this one was obviously overrated. I think to myself that this is just a house, a middle class house. Sure, Frank Lloyd Wright was a great architect, but honestly, it's just a house.

Once I visited the site, I was impressed with the design. This is a very nicely designed and built middle-class home from 1939. The house is beautifully decorated; most of the furniture and decorations are a part of the design by Wright.

Having said all that, it is still just a middle-class home built in 1939. If this same home was built next to mine in 2006, it would sell for $50,000 less then mine as it doesn't have the features that we value today.

The site is now owned and maintained by the city of Florence. The guided tour is nice and walks you through the biggest features of the home.

I recommend this attraction for anyone interested in architecture. I also found this interesting as one who is designing the building of my own home.

Website: www.wrightinalabama.com

This park is really the center of activity outside of Florence. I went twice on my tour here and the place was packed both times. It really feels like a nice place to just unwind for a couple of hours between attractions or at the end of the day.

The first thing that you notice as you enter the park is Cold Water Falls. This is a man-made cascading water fall that stretches 80 feet wide and 45 feet tall. Beautifully landscaped, this is the focal point for the park.

Next to the falls is Sacred Tears, a twelve foot tall Indian statue. This statue commemorates the American Indians who were relocated to the west following the following the passage of the Indian Removal Act that led to the Trail of Tears. When you visit, notice the area around the chest; there is a red stain. It took an elderly man pointing it out to me before I realized it was the Indian's broken heart.

The center of the park is a Spring Park Pond. In the middle of the pond are 51 jets that shoot water over 150 feet into the air. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the park hosts a water show at sundown that features these jets choreographed to lights and music.

There are also a couple of rides in the park; a children's coaster, a train that goes around the park and a carousel. There is also free transportation on a trolley from the park to historic downtown Tuscumbia; you should take a half hour to walk down Main Street and see the shops here. While downtown try the Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop, it's like Dairy Queen circa 1830.

I recommend a trip to Spring Park for anyone with spare time between other attractions or after other attractions close in the afternoon. I also recommend this attraction for families with children who might need to release unspent energy from some of the area's historic sights. Finally, I recommend a night trip to the park to see the water show for anyone in the area at night.

William Christopher Handy was born in this log cabin, not too far from its current location, on November 16, 1873. Now known as the "Father of the Blues," Handy, born in poverty, went on to be a big band leader and wrote some of the first examples of the blues with "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues." Handy died at the age of 84 in New York City. "If my serenade of song and story should serve as a pillow for some composer's head, as yet perhaps unborn, to dream and build on our folk melodies in his tomorrow, I have not labored in vain."

Prior to this trip, I had never heard of W. C. Handy. I am limited on my musical knowledge and have never followed the Blues. As such, I went to this attraction only because I had enough time before departing the area.

I was overall surprised with the quality of the museum. It is full of artifacts from Handy's life. The guided tour was nice; she adequately covered the material, pointed out the significant artifacts, and answered all the questions that I asked.

I recommend this attraction for anyone interested in music, especially those interested in the history of music and those interested in the blues. I would also recommend this attraction to families with small children, who will learn a lot about the turn of the 19th century.

Website: http://www.flo-tour.org/handymus.html

Created by the Tennessee Valley Authority during the post-World War II reconstruction era, the Wilson dam is one of five on the Tennessee River within this area.

Here you will find a large day use facility that overlooks the dam and the river. There are also some nature trails here, but they are close to roads and not far enough to the interior to feel like real nature trails. From the overlook above the dam, you can watch ships passing through the locks. Due to 9/11 security risks, the visitors center and tours of the dam are temporarily closed.

I like to visit art museums; I generally see a couple of museums on every vacation that I take. Overall, I am critical of smaller cities' art museum as they are unorganized and typically feature either local artists or school kids competitions; see my review of the Kennedy Douglas Center for the Arts in this same journal.

Anyway, when I visited the Tennessee Valley Art Center, I found it to be much better then the average small town art center.

First off, the presentation that they were featuring when I arrived was Japanese block printing. This didn't impress me as I've seen it plenty of times before. However, in the presentation room, they had a complete set of blocks with carvings on both sides of the plates. They had the prints in various stages of completion, showing how each block is applied to the print to eventually make a painting. That is a nice way to start this presentation; they show how these prints are made before actually showing the prints.

When you enter the main exhibit, the center focus is the Samurai sword. Sure, this is not necessarily an artistic piece, but it does set the mood. It tells the time period and the original for all the other art that you will see.

Examining the art independently is not impressive. I've seen the similar block prints before and these are not as detailed as others that I've seen. I think that is where the small town lack of pull is unable to assemble a really good collection.

The curator was on-hand when I visited the sight. I listened as he explained the parts of Japanese society to a couple of older ladies that were in front of me. That's impressive. I didn't go on a special occasion or on a particularly busy day, but the curator was out there talking to the people. I'm judging from one visit, but that independently helps my opinion of the center.

Finally, the exhibit shows the effects of ancient Japanese art on modern society. They go as far as to say that Darth Vader's suit is based on a Samurai's armor. It gets a little sketchy there.

In addition to the revolving exhibits, there is a permanent exhibit to the museum. Somewhere amid the dense forests that surround Florence, there is a shelter carved by nature in ages past from a rocky hillside. In that cave, ancient Americans carved elegant images into the the sandstone. These petroglyphs were removed from the cave to the Tennesse Valley Art Center. This is older then any others that I've seen, so it is unique and it is presented very well. Independent of the art museum, the petroglyphs would be a nice attraction by themselves.

I recommend this attraction for anyone in the area. I would especially recommend this attraction for anyone interested in history, especially prehistoric or Native American history. I also recommend this attraction for anyone interested in art, especially visual arts.

Website: http://www.tvaa.net

Two days will give you plenty of time to see all of the Shoals attractions, as well as a little spare time to relax or shop. The best days to visit are Thursday and Friday; as the Indian Mound and Museum, Pope's Tavern, W.C.Handy Birthplace and Museum, and the Rosenbaum Home are all closed on Sunday and Monday. The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is closed on Sunday. Dismals Canyon is open year round on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and seasonally for 7 days a week; the water show at Spring Park is also Friday through Sunday. The Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts is open Monday through Friday. The Tennessee Valley Art Center is closed on Saturday.

Given the various openings and closings of the attractions, you will have to plan your trip accordingly. Assuming you arrive on Thursday and stay through Friday night, you can follow this outline.

Begin your tour at the Coondog Cemetery (free). Located about 20 minutes outside of town, if you leave your hotel at sunrise, you will be able to see the site and return to the city before any of the other attractions open.

Next drive into Florence to the Indian Mound and Museum ($2). This attraction opens at 10am, so if you leave your hotel at 9am, you can see the coon dog cemetery and be at the Indian Mounds when it opens. Watching the video, talking to the attendant, viewing the exhibits, and walking up the mound will take about an hour.

Next, drive to the W.C.Handy Home and Museum ($2). The guided tour takes about 30 minutes; to smooth out some drive time, you can count on this attraction taking an hour.

It is only a short drive to the Rosenbaum House ($8). The guided tour takes about an hour.

Then, drive across town to the Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts (free). Depending on the exhibits, you will spend about an hour at this attraction.

Next, drive to Pope's Tavern ($2).The last tour here begins at 3pm. You will probably be here well before that.

To end the day, move to the Wilson Dam (free) to see the sunset. This is a great place to have a river side picnic supper before going to sleep for the night.

On day two, begin at the LaGrange College Site (free). Spend an hour relaxing in the park or looking at the cemetery before you drive back to the city.

Next drive to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame ($8). The hall of fame opens at 9am, so as long as you leave the LaGrange Site by 8am, you'll be able to make it here for the opening. The self guided tour here will take about an hour and a half.

It's about a 30 minute drive away, but next you should go to Dismals Canyon ($8). You should bring a packed lunch and plan on spending about an hour and a half at this attraction. With a 30 minute drive back to town, you should be back by 1pm.

Proceed to Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller ($6). With a tour that takes 30 minutes and another 30 minutes to see the grounds, you should allocate an hour to see this site.

Right across the street from Ivy Green is the Tennessee Valley Arts Center ($5). Depending on your interest and the subject matter provided, you should plan on an hour at this attraction.

Drive just down the hill to Spring Park (free). From here you can catch a trolley to the historic downtown Tuscumbia, where you can see the stage coach stop and the courthouse, you can stop by the ice-cream parlor for a sundae, or you can spend the afternoon shopping at the many antique shops in the district. Take the trolley back to Spring park at the end of the afternoon to spend a relaxing hour or so in the park. At 7pm, the water show starts. After the show you can retire for the night.

You should be complete with all these attractions by sundown and can head back to your hotel for the night. It is only a short drive to Decatur or Cullman, depending on your next destination.

Total cost of the trip is $41, plus food, gas, and lodging.

I recommend a weekend trip to Florence for anyone interested in a variety of history topics and for families with children. Also, this trip is a nice getaway weekend for those who have never been here before.