Bombingham.
I've come to a conclusion about Alabama, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it has a really sad history and really awesome outdoor things to do. Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips, but I can't only see civil rights monuments and museums on my way. Don't mishear me when I say that, they're important and shouldn't be missed, but kind of rough after a while. I swear, by the time I leave this state I am going to be really sad and really motivated.
I got to Birmingham, Alabama later in the day on Wednesday. It was too late to go to any museums but early enough that it was still light out. I decided to walk around a bit and I found Kelly Ingram Park. A small park with a circular "freedom walk" lined with statues of Birmingham's tragic history. It's across the street from the Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church; both of which I explored Thursday. At the park entrance was a statue, The Four Spirits. Beautifully done, it certainly had an impact on me, but I wouldn't know what it meant until the next day while going through the Civil Rights Institute. On September 15, 1963, at 10:22am, a member of the KKK set a bomb off under the side steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church and ended up killing four young girls in his wake. The church is still active today and was, most importantly, the rallying point for everyone protesting segregation. In case you were wondering, it took 14 years, but three men were convicted of the bombing even though they never confessed. Two died in prison and one is still rotting in his cell. I was reading about all of this when kids on their class field trip came up next to me and started commenting on the event. I overheard them say "oh my gosh, she was our age!" Denise McNair was eleven years old. I guess that's what they mean when they call Birmingham "the tragic city" instead of the real nickname "the magic city". Non-fun fact; the reason it is called "Bombingham" is because there are at least 50 documented bombs that went off in the city during the civil rights movement.
Thursday morning came and went and I spent the rest of the day walking around Five Points South, a really cool area with a record shop I promptly got lost in and award winning restaurants everywhere you look. Birmingham is actually a cool place, even when you're visiting for something other than just the historical aspects, although It's hard not to be. Little tip, go to Vulcan Park. The world's largest cast iron statue is there on top of the observation tower, but nevermind that because the view of the magic city is far more impressive.
Lately I've found that when I go to new places I want to see unique things that aren't in my book or that I wouldn't necessarily know are there. My strategy is to go the cheesy route and type in 'best 10 things to see in ____' on google and see what I come up with. This time it paid off. The 18th street underpass in Birmingham used to be dark and uninviting, who wants to walk under that at night? Seeing this, artist Bill FitzGibbons decided to do something about it. The tunnel is lit with thousands of LEDs and the colors are constantly changing as you drive, bike, or walk through it. LightRails is a rainbow tunnel and one of the coolest art installations I've ever seen, I'm so glad I found out about this! I definitely recommend checking this out if you find yourself in Birmingham.
On my way out of town en route to Montgomery I hiked 5.6 miles at Ruffner Mountain, where I saw mine ruins, and I made one more stop off my "must see in Alabama" list. Just north of Montgomery is Jackson Lake Island in Millbrook, where you can find the fictional town of Spectre from the movie The Big Fish. The film was shot there and the one street town was never taken down, so there it remains. If you're taking note, the island has a gated entrance, a $3 fee, and is only open during the day unless you're camping. The island's dirt road is a scenic drive and is very narrow. Looking to my left and right, I could see the eerie lake where tall narrow trees stuck out of the water a far as I could see and black birds covered their branches. When I got to Spectre I discovered there are six or seven homes that are falling apart and, since it was used as a set, some only have three walls with detail; the fourth was forgotten. Some of the faux bricks are starting to peel and the paint has chipped almost completely off. Why am I telling you this? I'm getting there. While standing in the entryway of one of the buildings, unsure if it was structurally sound, a man who worked there drove up to me and asked if I wanted to take a great picture. I obviously said yes and he showed me the baby goat he was holding. It was three weeks old and cute as a button; then he handed him to me. He was so soft and all he wanted to do was cuddle. I named him Buddy and he nuzzled in closer, I think he liked that. The island has goats roaming about and the one who had this little guy hadn't quite figured out motherhood yet. That's where the caretakers of the island come in. Even if you don't get to hold a baby goat, this place is really interesting and fun to explore. Best $3 I've spent in a while, that's for sure.
Time to go see more civil rights history in Montgomery and Selma.
- G.
The Photo:
Birmingham Train Tracks.
Birmingham, Alabama.
2/16/17.
