Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area

02/14/2025

Winter isn’t over yet, but spring is starting to peek out around the mound.

02/13/2025

Some great research & answers on this week's History Mystery clue! We asked you to tell us about two pairs of Alabama governors who called Athens home. Here's the whole story:

First we have two brothers who served consecutively. One was William Bibb, who was elected governor in September, 1819, and inaugurated two months later. When he died in July, 1920, after falling from his horse, his brother became governor. Thomas Bibb was president of the state senate at the time and -- as the state's second-in-command -- served as acting governor. Thomas Bibb did fulfilled his duty & did not run for election on his own.
The second notable governor pairing associated with Athens highlights two "firsts." This pair also includes William Bibb, who was both the state's first elected governor & its first territorial governor. By 1817 Bibb had been both a U.S representative & senator from Georgia, and Pres. James Monroe appointed him over the newly created Alabama territory. He was elected governor by popular vote two years later.
And who was the other gubernatorial "first" from Athens? George S. Houston, Alabama's first post-Reconstruction Democratic governor, who served from 1874 through 1878.
Info from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens,_Alabama
Photos from https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/ -- left, William Bibb, Thomas Bibb & George Houston

Come back next week for another History Mystery

National Park Service University of North Alabama Alliance of National Heritage Areas Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association

02/13/2025

What a treasure northwest Alabama has in our own backyard with Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex! Visit our website at https://msnha.una.edu/ to discover more local places to explore & celebrate nature.

Voting for the Best National Wildlife Refuge is open! Cast your vote daily to help pick the 2025 10Best Readers' Choice Award for Best National Wildlife Refuge.

02/13/2025

These are some of the most popular programs we help support. Make your reservation now!
Pope's Tavern Museum Florence Arts and Museums University of North Alabama Alliance of National Heritage Areas National Park Service

02/12/2025

Ready for this week's History Mystery? OK, let's talk state governors.

Several communities in the MSNHA have ties to the state's highest office. For example, father-and-son governors Edward O'Neal & Emmett O'Neal were from Florence. The city of Athens has similar claims -- there are two governors associated with Limestone County who had a family connection & two governors who were the "firsts" at something. Can you name them? (Clue: They are not necessarily four different people.)
Photo of the state capitol, Montgomery, from the Alabama Tourism Department

Check back tomorrow for the full story!

Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

02/11/2025

We are honored to help support Bear Creek Collaborative!
National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

📚🌿 Fresh new signs just keep coming! 🏕️✨

Exciting updates continue to happen at the Bear Creek Education Center! We’re adding to our brand-new signage, making it easier than ever for visitors to explore, learn, and connect with nature. Whether you’re here for a field trip, outdoor adventure, or hands-on learning experience, these signs will help guide the way!

Come see the improvements for yourself and experience all that Bear Creek Education Center has to offer!

02/11/2025

This past weekend's workshop filled up fast, so here's another opportunity to learn from herbalist Summer McCreless.
Pope's Tavern Museum Florence Arts and Museums National Park Service
Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

Alabama Plants Series: Herbal Medicine Workshop
Florence Arts and Museums is excited to announce its partnership with the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area to launch the Alabama Plants Series. Hosted by Summer McCreless, this workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about herbal medicine. This event will take place on Sunday, February 23rd, 2025, from 1pm to 2pm at Pope’s Tavern, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL.
Summer McCreless is the owner of Mothering Herbs and a second-generation herbalist. Summer has been practicing herbalism for over seventeen years, teaching herbal education and plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over thirty years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States.
The Alabama Plant Series is a set of six free workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum and sponsored by the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. These workshops are meant to draw the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants, and the products created by people that are rooted in early traditions. Tickets for this event are available on Eventbrite, here: https://tinyurl.com/229wudwt.
Pope’s Tavern Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am until 4pm, and is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL 35630. For questions, call : (256) 760-6379 or email: [email protected].

02/11/2025

02/08/2025

Town of Courtland is a treasure! Take a drive off the beaten path & explore its history.
National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

Historic Downtown Courtland (a portion). The town boasts of dozens of antebellum (pre-Civil War) buildings.

02/07/2025

People come from around the world to visit Helen Keller's Birthplace-Ivy Green, in Tuscumbia. Learn more about this historic site and Helen Keller's life at our website, https://msnha.una.edu/

If you aren’t familiar with the rich history of Tuscumbia, allow us a moment to share that world-changer Helen Keller was born and raised here. She was a trailblazer in advocacy for the deaf and blind, and her impact continues to shape new opportunities for all. Her work positioned Tuscumbia toward a rich legacy of accessibility advocacy and education.

The AIDB Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind is the world’s most comprehensive education, rehabilitation, and service program for individuals of all ages who are dead, blind, deafblind, and multidisabled. AIDB was founded in 1858 and now serves more than 31,000 Alabamians across the state each year.

Tuscumbia is home to one of the 10 regional AIDB centers, and with its unique proximity to Ivy Green Helen Keller Birth Place, our community is leading the world to achieve equity for all.

02/07/2025

And ask for your free Passport To Your National Parks stamp when you visit. Cook Museum of Natural Science is one of several MSNHA sites where you can add to your cancellation-stamp collection. Learn more at our website, https://msnha.una.edu/visit/passport/

National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

Extreme events wreak havoc on nature, but they also open up opportunities for new life. Come learn all about the disturbances in nature at the Museum! 🌪️

02/07/2025

Visit https://hiddenspaces.org/ for more fascinating stories & photos about northwest Alabama.

National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama Hidden Spaces

02/07/2025

Read more about WZZA Radio's Tori Bailey at our websites https://hiddenspaces.org/ and https://musictrail.una.edu/

WZZA Radio, a division of Muscle Shoals Broadcasting, hit the airwaves on July 4, 1972. Founded by Robert “Bob” Carl and Odessa Bailey, this historic station became a vital voice for the Black community in Northwest Alabama. With a mission to entertain, educate, and empower, WZZA filled a long-overdue need, creating a space for representation and connection that continues to resonate today. Pictured below: Jay Bailey, Swampers David Hood and Jimmy Johnson.

02/07/2025

For more Hidden Spaces stories & photos, visit the website at https://hiddenspaces.org/

National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

02/07/2025

Haven't done the research on this but we're betting that northwest Alabama is one of the few places with a restaurant in a cave. Just sayin'. Want to learn more about things to do in the MSNHA? Visit our website at https://msnha.una.edu

02/07/2025

A property of the Alabama Historical Commission, Belle Mont Mansion tells the story of all who contributed to its place in history. Check out our website at https://msnha.una.edu to learn more about Belle Mont & other historic sites in the MSNHA.

We are excited to announce that we will be having a program on February 28th at 2:00 called "African Customs, Cultures, and Literature"!

This program will be presented by Dr. Felice Green and will be free and open to the public!

Dr. Green will be sharing the culture of Africa, through traditional fashion, musical instruments, and poetry. Her expertise on African customs and literature is well-known throughout the Shoals, where her talent for dramatic expression is unmatched. Much of what is based in African tradition came to the Southern region of the U.S during the period of enslavement that is part of the history of plantations, such as Belle Mont.

Please call 256-381-5052 or email [email protected] with any questions.

02/07/2025

We accepting grant applications! Visit our website at https://msnha.una.edu/resources/community-grants-program/ to learn more.
National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama

02/06/2025

How did you do with yesterday's History Mystery clue? We asked you why the natural-resource numbers 652 and 1.2 million are significant to northwest Alabama. Here's the whole story:

The numbers 652 and 1.2 million describe the Tennessee River, which is 652 miles long and has close to 1.2 million acres of connected outdoor-recreation opportunities. You may have seen “652” as part of the Tennessee RiverLine logo. An initiative of the University of Tennessee Extension Department of Agriculture, Tennessee RiverLine partners with University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Tennessee Valley Authority to be a catalyst for economic, social and environmental impact in the four states and dozens of cities, towns and rural communities along the Tennessee River. Beyond recreational, environmental and economic potential, the project embodies the spirit of innovation and regional collaboration that defines the Tennessee River Valley. It works to reestablish upriver and downriver relationships, reconnect people and communities through regional and watershed-wide partnerships and reclaim the river’s edge across urbanized, rural and natural landscapes for an unprecedented level of public access.
To learn more about MSNHA and its work with the Tennessee RiverLine & Tennessee Valley Authority, visit our website at https://msnha.una.edu/
National Park Service Alliance of National Heritage Areas University of North Alabama