One of the best preserved historical military sites here in the United States. The movie in Hanger…read more2 is awesome. When you visit the airfield and its buildings, it feels like you're stepping back in time. I visited on a Saturday and there was only two other families there. Every room I walked into I was the only one in there so I was able to really immerse myself in the settings, sounds, and smells. You can not only go into all the different offices in the hangars, but you can also climb the old control tower. The staff are helpful and friendly. It's free to visit but I would recommend leaving a donation. The site also has a nice little gift shop.

Whenever we travel, we try to stop by local National Parks or Historic Sites and stopped at the…read moreTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site during our latest family trip. This was an amazing stop! The main part of the site is made up of two historic hangars, one set up to look similar to the time it was in use (including no A/C, but it had large fans) while the other held a modern museum with a few artifacts and living history testimonials from some of the airmen and personnel. There wasn't a lot of foot traffic while we were there, which made it very easy for my kid to complete the junior ranger booklet. And we were surprised when she earned three different badges while we were there! The rangers were very nice and accommodating to allow access to a closed exhibit so my kid could complete the booklet. I would definitely recommend a visit here!

MONTGOMERY'S CONFEDERATE MONUMENT ON CAPITOL HILL…read more The Confederate monument is not located on Bainbridge, it is actually located on the left side of the capitol on Monroe. You will have to climb steps to actually reach this monstrosity. It has a huge presence with its very wide base and soaring height, (88 feet tall). It was built to recognize the 122,000 Alabamians who fought in the Civil War. Surrounding the structure are four statures representing the four branches: artillery, infantry, calvary and navy. There are also battle scenes depicted along with the words " "Alabama honors her sons who died in her service." I found it interesting that this was the one monument (that I've noticed), that was not commissioned by the Daughters of the Confederacy. It was actually a very involved process, (starting in 1865) that included fundraising, soliciting the government and requesting private donations. In 1866, appeals from the state of Virginia to help bury Alabama's dead soldiers halted fundraising efforts and did not resume until 1882. The monument was finally competed and dedicated in 1898, seventeen years after the initial fund raising started. This monument originally featured four Confederate flags, but they were removed in 2015.

This is an amazing monument on the grounds of the Capitol which honors those who fought for the…read moreConfederacy and died during the Civil War. It stands 88 feet high. The detail of this monument is incredible. We just finished a tour of the Capitol, so just had to walk around the building to see this monument. Well worth the stop. A great piece of history.

I read about these amazing men who volunteered to become pilots during WW2. When I toured Moton…read moreAirfield where the training occurred I was dismayed at the fact that weeds were growing and nothing was being maintained. What was worse is that the facilities were closed on Sunday for this west coaster I was excited to see this, I guess no one visits on the weekends? It was a ghost town, when I walked around...in some ways good for me, in others how sad and pathetic are we that we can run air condition in empty buildings, but not staff it with any park rangers.

Great place to go back in time. So much fun to explore. The people that work here make the…read moreexperience. It's easy to tell they love to teach and care about this place. You get to go back in time to see how the blacksmith and woodworker functioned, tour the old buildings and learn their stories. It's just a great time.

My granddaughter and I visited Historic Westville and enjoyed it very much. You step into the 19th…read morecentury and see living history. There's a blacksmith shop, a boot shop, a medical office and a wood shop to list a few of the exhibits. Our favorite was Jeremy, the Native American interpreter. He is amazing! He has interesting examples of basket weaving. His knowledge of his cultural heritage was so interesting. The interpreters made it real. Definitely worth the trip!

Beautiful fountain with a a deep history!! It's in a beautiful part of the town. The city is just…read moreenriched in history and is a must see. It is gorgeous and you can tell the city keeps this well maintained. To park, you'd have to find street parking or a lot a walk over but it absolutely worth it and view the Capital from the fountain. There are also shopping and lunch spots are within walking distance. No matter what your ancestry is, you should see this and learn about the history of Montgomery, Alabama.

My daughter did a report on Rosa Parks in school and on a road trip down to Gulf Shores we decided…read moreto come see her bus stop. In getting a photo with Rosa, we were in awe of the cast iron Court Square Fountain-- which is directly in front of the stop. There's a gorgeous Greek goddess on top of it. Birds at the base. I'm told there are others like it in Memphis and Bowling Green. We met a local as we were sightseeing and he said the fountain was the center of slave trade. Slaves, livestock and land were auctioned at this spot. Overall there is so much history involved with Court Square Fountain! Very cool, worth a see.

This memorial is located on the outside of the Legacy Museum in a small plaza. It is located behind…read morewhere the shuttle picks up to take visitors to the memorial park. This is a very nice memorial that is intended to honor the thousands of Black people lynched in the years immediately following emancipation, whose names may never be known. The memorial has bench seating on its permitter and features a fountain that lists 560 names of lynching victims, a small representation of the thousands killed between 1865 and 1876. You will find sculptures of 3 African heads of different ages coming out from the center of the water fountain. They are very detailed and almost look real. I can feel their pain. At the end of the fountain you will see a wall that reads a follow: "May we never forget all those who suffered and died because they asserted their basic human right to be free". It is very somber memorial and is respectfully done. It educated me as well. I really did not think about the mass lynchings that were conducted post emancipation by white mobs. The fact that everyone was not happy and did not approve of emancipation is commonly overlooked. Many of those people resorted to violence to express their disapproval and maintain supremacy. I like this mural. It is a one of a kind and honors a somewhat forgotten group. The fountain/water table, sculptures and wall and masterfully done and look awesome. You just have to see it for yourself. Anyway, as with most memorials that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. More than likely you will stop here while visiting the Legacy Museum, but if not, you should at least make this part of a larger itinerary.

As an artist and art educator I appreciate a well designed and curated museum and this one is…read moreperhaps one of the best I've ever been in. Really powerful stuff here, I think every adult in America needs to experience it. I would caution that I think it would take a well prepared and mature child to visit here, it really drives home America's ugly racial past.

THE FORGOTTEN LANDMARK, DON'T MISS IT!!…read more The Montgomery Union Station and Trainshed is a historic building that tends to fall in the shadow of all of the great historical buildings and monuments in the city. However, I really think that it deserves to be mentioned along with the city's other landmarks as it is a truly beautiful building. This train station was first opened in 1898 and saw its last passenger in 1979. It has had a number of tenants since that time and is now the home of the Montgomery Area Visitor Center, and a number of other commercial tenants including a Thai restaurant with a very clever name: Railroad Thai. Several passenger trains used the station until the 50's and 60's when service began to decrease. It wasn't until 1973 that this building was placed on the historic registry and it took another three years for it to be recognized as a historic landmark. This building is located at 300 Water Street, (along the Riverwalk), just steps away from the Alabama River. Before you dart into the Visitor's Center to quickly grab information, take a long look at this building from every angle. As you face the building, you will have a great view of the approaching train, (which seems to run about every 20 minutes), from the left side of the building. You also get a great view of the shed from this side. Now go across the street to the hotel parking lot and take it ALL in. You will then want to come back over and focus on the details. Once you enter the Visitor's Center, look up down and all around. Check out the architectural details and the stained glass window. Look at that floor! Cool Huh? Wait a minute!! You forgot to walk outside to experience the cool and shade of the shed. You will notice an old yellow electric streetcar that rests behind gates. The city's streetcars were discontinued in 1936 in favor of buses. This shed the perfect space to have private and community events because there are restrooms outside and it provides great privacy. During the weekend that we visited, firemen were using the space for a cooking challenge and it was also being used to escape the heat, rest a bit and grab something to eat. This is one of the city's landmarks that is not to be missed so make sure that you take time to enjoy it when visiting!

I am a huge fan of these historical signs that are strewn about the landscape of our country…read more This one explains the naming of Victory Drive, which was to commemorate the ending of World War II. We must remember that the days past have led to where we stand today.

I'm not a huge Hank Williams fan, but I can appreciate any city that wants to memorialize a member…read moreof their city. And let me tell you, Montgomery has a few that are notable in the city. This one is notable because of where it is located. Right outside Riverfront Park, near multiple hotels, and not far from a major downtown eatery alley. It is hard to miss it as it is prominently displayed at the intersection. I am sure that when you see the statue while you are driving by you really don't understand what you are seeing. But seeing it by foot, you get a little more information. I also have to mention that this sits about a half block from the Hank Williams Museum which pays homage to the late singer. It also sits on what I would consider to be a celebrity walk. Behind the statue, in the sidewalk, are quotes of famous Alabamans.

Hank Williams, Senior was one of the most significant country music artists in history, recording…read more35 singles that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one. Among the hits he wrote were "Your Cheatin' Heart", "Hey, Good Lookin'", and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". A personal tie to Montgomery, living here in his early years and also hosting a radio show, his funeral was held here. The marker next to the statue and fountain reads "The death of songwriter and singer Hank Williams on January 1, 1953 stunned his legion of devoted fans. On Sunday, January 4, family members viewed the body at his mother's boarding house at 217 McDonough Street. The casket was then brought four blocks to the Municipal Auditorium. Some 2,750 mourners crowded inside for the service while another 20,000 stood vigil outside int he cold. Many of country music's headliners, including the reunited Drifting Cowboys, sang at the funeral. In 1991, Hank Williams, Jr. commissioned Texas sculptors Doug and Sandra McDonald to create the life-sied statue of his father that faces the auditorium." If you're a fan of country music, or you just like the covers of his songs done by great artists including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and more, then stop here and pay tribute to "Luke the Drifter."