Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama is the state capital as well as the second largest city by population. Locals and visitors know and love Montgomery as a state that is rich is history and saturated with manufacturing plants, art and culture venues and national landmarks. Walking through the streets of Montgomery will teach you about the former Confederacy, how to appreciate art and how to love a city that is being renewed through various renovation projects. In 1861, the Confederate states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana convened with Montgomery, which was the confederate capital at the time. Montgomery remained a mainstage for events that changed the world. Recall hearing about the 1886 introduction to a city-wide electric street car system or the 1955 bus incident with Rosa Parks that forever changed the current state of suppression that eventually led to the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Later on, the Montgomery Improvement Association was formed by black ministers the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and Martin Luther King Jr. The group put a national spotlight on Montgomery and the issue at hand—racial segregation in the South.
Economy:
The economy of the city of Montgomery, Alabama is heavily based on the presence of manufacturing plants, local schools, biotech companies and the national Air Force base. The top five employers remain to be Maxwell Air Force Base, the state of Alabama, Montgomery public schools, Baptist Health Systems and the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing plant located right in Montgomery. All this industry drives interests for people moving to Montgomery. Here is an old city that is building on its historic past new ideals for the future. The manufacturing of cotton, metal and wood has decreased – but other industries have grown to fill the gaps. Industries like automotive and aerospace parts manufacturing has thrived in recent years. Montgomery also boasts seven research schools in the area including 90 biotech companies where students can put their education to the test. Cancer drugs, medical initiatives for the Flu, general vaccines and the NIH roadmap have all come out of the state of Alabama. It is no surprise that people are moving to Montgomery because of the innovation and growth bringing lots of business to Montgomery moving companies. In recent years, the city has also begun projects that will restore live into the downtown area and the riverfront.
History:
Montgomery, Alabama was formed with the formation of Montgomery County in 1816. The area making up Montgomery County was sold to a federal land office in Milledgeville, Georgia. Settlers came to live in Alabama Town near the current-day Downtown Montgomery, and another group started living in the eastern part of downtown, which later became East Alabama Town. These two towns fought over everything, that is, until they incorporated together into the city of Montgomery in 1819. This new city prospered because of the cotton industry, and grew significant enough to become the state capital in 1861. Visitors these days can visit the Alabama Confederate Prison that held hundreds of Union soldiers in the 1860s. Other visits on the historical route may include the St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Montgomery Area Visitor Center.
Tourism:
There is history on every corner in Montgomery, Alabama. The Rosa Parks Library and Museum and Children’s Wing is located on Montgomery Street. The new landmark is a step towards the final revitalization of Downtown Montgomery, which has faced dilapidation in recent years. The museum refers a bus replica of the one that Rosa Parks stood her ground in March of 1955 when she would not give her seat for a white man when he got on after her. There is live video footage and multi-media presentations in presentation of research, artifacts, oral histories and historical documents that are amongst the most important in this country. Montgomery is more than just a walk through history if need be.
There are facilities for family fun which feature bowling, recreational as well as competitive team sports, and golf courses throughout the city. Many visitors and locals also rave about the city’s extensive art scene that includes the nation’s largest yearlong Shakespeare Festival. There’s the Society of Arts and Crafts galleries, shopping in the Mulberry Street shopping district, Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, Blount Cultural Park and more.
Colleges/Universities:
• Troy University
• Alabama State University
• Huntington University
• South University
• Faulkner University
Interesting Facts:
• There were three state capitals of Alabama before it was Montgomery. They were Tuscaloosa, Cahaba and Huntsville.
• Notable Montgomery residents include: Martin Luther King Jr., Nat King Cole, F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Denver.
• The city of Montgomery, Alabama boasts about 201,998 people and 361,748 in the metropolitan area.
Helpful Links:
• Montgomery Visitors Bureau
• Montgomery Insurance
• Montgomery Moving Guide
• Montgomery Storage Facilities
• Montgomery Real Estate