Growing up learning about the history of Edmund Pettus Bridge and its relationship to Civil Rights,…read moresegregation and racism made my visit experience solemn and sobering. To freely walk about a bridge that people were prohibited from crossing invoked feelings I cannot describe. The bridge is well maintained and had a historical marker at its base for visitors to read.

Last time I went to see my sister in Brundidge Alabama. I drove over this amazing bridge. If you…read morenever been highly recommend going to see it. Its historical and it shows just how years ago bridges were made. If I get to go back again I be traveling back this way again. Thabk you

Live Oak Cemetery is a potent example of the complex history of Selma…read more The final resting place of Benjamin Turner, he was Alabama's first African American representative in 1870. The plaque that honors him was installed by the Society of the Order of the Southern Cross so, of course, it implies that Turner was a Confederate sympathizer. The cemetery also features the mausoleum of William Rufus King, a vice-president who was pro-slavery (and may have had a long-standing homosexual relationship with President Buchanan). This long slim cemetery is filled with tall twisting trees from which faded green Spanish Moss hangs like garland. I meandered through the site until I came upon Confederate Circle. Atop a tall monument stands a soldier looking down ominously. Confederate flags are unwelcoming and chilling yet here were a number of freshly-planted ones sprouting like sprigs next to individual graves. Eight newly-installed metal plaques on a stone platform tell a story that clearly frames Selma as the victim during the Civil War. Referring to Abraham Lincoln as being 'avowedly hostile to the domestic institutions and to the peace and security of the people of the State of Alabama,' reference to yankees abound. Just a few minutes away is the Pettus Bridge. It's hard to reconcile that momentous civil rights history with the narrow romanticized southern vision of the Civil War that, obviously, still remains fresh in the minds of at least some here even after 150 years.

On June 26, 2013, while touring some wonderful towns of the South on our roadtrip vacation we…read morest0pped at this gorgeous lovely historical cemetery..The tombstones are gorgeous. The trees and gates are gorgeous. I love the spanish moss in trees. Some history information:

This is a must-stop. If you're traveling to Selma from the east going west you will see this park…read morejust before the Edmund Pettis Bridge. It is a great memorial to the Civil Rights movement, specifically in the Selma and surrounding communities.

Beautiful spot where they honor those who should be honored!…read more It's right after you cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

We we touring Selma on a Saturday morning and after walking the Pettus Bridge, we looked over at…read morethe museum and saw that they were open. It is located at the bottom of the bridge. Normally, it is only opened by reservation. Luckily for us, some group had it reserved for that morning and the museum historian, Sam Walker, graciously let us piggy back on the group. Mr. Walker was amazing and showed a lot pride in the museum. He was very friendly and helpful and pointed out a few key highlights of the museum to us before we really got into it. The museum has a decent sized parking lot and a small gift shop that was not open while I was there. The museum is a lot larger than it looks. It just kept going and going. It provides not only a background on voting rights history, it has a display of photos from Bloody Sunday, a President Obama Gallery, a jail cell exhibit, a church exhibit, a lot of information about the Foot Soldiers, a Ku Klux Klan display, White only and Black drinking fountains, early Black elected officials, MLK and Ghandi comparison, and bogus voting test. Mr Walker came out from the front desk and told us the story of the Bloody Sunday pictures on the wall. They were never seen before then and were donated by a police photographer after he heard of the opening of the museum. The photographer was living in Montgomery at the time and hooked them up with who to request the pictures from. He then showed us a photo and pointed out the window and told us that certain picture occurred outside of the window "right there". That is when it dawned on me that the horrible events of that fateful day occurred right out front of the museum. Outside you will find a bus, which I think they use to help people register and vote. There are also some nice murals on garage doors out there that I really liked and tie into the city, and voting rights. This museum does not have the huge funding that others get. They still do a wonderful job presenting the information. The museum is well organized and has lots of displays and artifacts. It took me about 45 minutes to go through the museum. I know it is difficult to get into the museum. I have been to Selma a few times and was unable to make it happen prior to this trip. And I just lucked out on this go around. It is however, worth the effort and I highly recommend checking this museum out.

Very disappointed with attempt to visit museum on a Thursday. Website clearly states that the…read moremuseum should've been open from 10-4, but we arrived to find a sign taped to the door saying "Sorry the Museum will open by appointments only until further notice." Since we were only passing through Selma for the day, trying to make an appointment at THAT point was pointless; not sure why the info on the website wasn't updated so that we could've planned appropriately.

Half standing structures. Old abandoned buildings that look creepily intact. Bricks and windows…read moreready to fall apart. Out of nowhere some random stones and monuments. All 200 years old. Right away, I'm already engineering ideas and solutions in my mind to make this place more worth your time. Because it's an anthropologist's dream come true. A real ghost town. Legit eery looking stuff. But unless you are watching Nick Cage track down the treasure 'round here you are faced with too many things that frustrate your experience. It's not worth the drive. I get that Alabama's first state capital was carved out of the wilderness. BUT now that it's a present day state park they could do a better job carving out the roadways and walking paths. With map in hand, I drove halfway down to see several sites but the road was just too littered with big branches and rocks and who knows what else. Did a storm just blow through here? Unless you roll in with your 350 this road just doesn't work for visitors to pass through. I'm bummed that I had to turn around and miss more creepy stuff. Fix that. You have to stay off the grass. And there's so much of it. Is there a way to manage it a little bit? Well.. Ecologists celebrate ....because yes of course I stayed off the grass. But now how am I supposed to approach and see the speck of an image that is advertised. Bring binoculars. Don't harm the environment..but I wish there was some sort of path to see the old church (the one you CAN'T really see) and industrial towers (the ones that are the size of your thumb). Come here during halloween, folks. Shivering right now. When it gets into your head..it can be real creepy. Oh, and bring cash. Unless you carry checks any more the entrance fee is cash-only.

Wow! So glad that I found this place! I came here with my boyfriend and I am so glad that I did…read more This place is super creepy! So awesome though! We got here a little late due to the distance that we did not realize we had to drive. Make sure you allot yourself at least two hours to roam the quarters if you are an inquisitive bunch like we are! There is a lot to see and you have to drive around in order to get to each spot. The houses that have been preserved are so cool to look at! We spent a significant amount of time viewing each home and seeing how they were built while reading the placards outside of each point. Note: The lake behind or in between the park is really beautiful. Don't miss it! Tip: get here well before dark because when it gets dark, IT GETS PITCH DARK! Even our headlights were not as helpful as they could've been had we not been in those thick woods so late. Would I recommend? Absolutely! I already have. Will I be back? I plan to! I didn't get to see everything.

Most places/museums in Selma are closed on normal days, mostly due to COVID. So, I was surprised…read morethat this place was open on a Sunday afternoon. They guy working there was so helpful and friendly. He allowed me to go back to the small museum area in the back that was open and then provided me with maps and information about the events surrounding the bridge. The museum area is small (only a small section of the first floor is opened, the other two floors are currently closed due to COVID) but it is still powerful, educational, informative and has pictures/exhibits from that Bloody Sunday and Turnaround Tuesday. The guy working there also provided with a map and pamphlets so I could do a self guided tour and directed my to the Brown Chapel AME Church, where the marchers started. The place is easy to get to and is part of the US Park Service. It is located right before you cross the bridge and has free parking right out front. They also have a small gift shop in the front, where the proceeds help support the Center. In the museum is a power voting display that is definitely worth a few photos. So, if you are touring Selma, this is a must stop. It is FREE and I recommend going here first to get your itinerary laid out. This place is simply awesome. A diamond in the rough.

We arrived in Selma on good Friday so many places were closed. Luckily this superb Center was not…read more The entire building is clean, modern and educational. There are immaculate bathrooms on every floor, safe stairs and an elevator. The film on the third floor is the perfect start, it moved me to tears. In addition, the chairs are so comfortable. There are superb photographs and quotes everywhere. You can see the Edmund Pettus Bridge from the windows and will want to continue your tour there. This is a must see!

A great history museum for Selma and the surrounding Dallas County. A great many interesting…read moreartifacts with much provided information. I can honestly say that we were blessed by our visit. Low cost admission. The museum's curator is an extremely knowledgeable and very entertaining woman! Highly recommended.