In MEMORY of John R. Bell

The family of John R. Bell apparently MEMORIALIZED him as

 the victim of a murder when he and his son, John A. Bell,

 were killed in a shootout on the streets of Cahawba in 1856.

 The three other  men involved were exonerated in court,

 but the Bell Family declared via the inscription on his tombstone:

 "No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."

Linking to ABC Wednesday depicting the letter M

Old Cahawba Collage

Visitors aren't just visitors at Old Cahawba. 

They're explorers!

The archaeological park located at the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama 

rivers was best known as Alabama's first state capital (1819-1826),

 but in the 16th Century, it served as an Indian village. Then, in the 1800s,

 Cahawba became a wealthy town with some 3,000 residents.

 During the War Between the States, a federal prison housed Union soldiers,

 and after the war, emancipated slaves took refuge there. 

Now a ghost town, St. Luke's Episcopal Church (recently moved back

 to Old Cahawba) greets guests as they enter the park.

  At right above stand brick pillars that are all that remain of the Crocheron home

 and store that overlooked the rivers. Below at right sits the Perine

 artesian well which furnished air conditioning to the Perine mansion.  

Linking to Mosaic Monday

164 Miles to Go

It's 164 miles from Selma to Alabama's oldest city of Mobile,

 and there is a lot to see along the way...if you make the time! 

 This route takes you through rural towns along Alabama Highways 22, 5 and 43.

 Just 10 miles down the road, take a side trip to Old Cahawba Park,

 the state's first permanent capital. 

Then, head back through Orrville and have lunch at The Hungry Fisherman

 in Safford, where you really shouldn't miss shopping for things 

you haven't seen in years at Safford Hardware. 

Another great lunch spot is David's Catfish in Thomasville.

 Order catfish with cheese grits, one of our state's dishes chosen

 to eat before you die!

 Stop at Alabama Southern Community College and tour

the Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum. Alabama's "Ghost Lady"

 and nationally known storyteller was born in Thomasville, then lived 

and wrote her many ghost story books and more in Selma.

The arts are alive in Grove Hill, so you might like to stop by 

the Grove Hill Arts Council gallery downtown.

If you enjoy hiking, birdwatching or wildlife photography, take a bit more time

 to visit the Fred T. Stimpson Wildlife Sanctuary 12 miles south of Jackson. 

On to Mobile!

Linking to Signs, Signs and City Daily Photo Blogs

Back to Cahaba

After a 130 year absence, St. Luke's Episcopal Church has returned to Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, and its reconstruction is almost finished.

The church, designed by the famous architect Richard Upjohn, was built in 1854 and moved to nearby Martin's Station in 1880. Now, thanks to the Auburn Rural Studio, Alabama Historical Commission and Cahawba Advisory Committee, the church will once again belong to Cahawba.

Upjohn, who was known for his Gothic Revival designs and Italianate style, also designed Trinity Church in New York City, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Selma and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Prairieville.

To read more about the church, please see a feature in the local paper HERE.

Thanks to guest photographer Christine Weerts.

Cahaba River in November

I know, I know. It's December, and here I am posting a picture that I took in November!

But, I thought you'd like to see Dallas County's other river...the Cahaba. It's a free-flowing river and considered among the most biologically diverse in America. It is home to the famous Cahaba Lily and a number of rare plant and aquatic animal species.

The Cahaba meets the better-known Alabama River at Old Cahawba, Alabama's first state capital.

Sorry this photo is a bit blurred. I snapped it from through the window of our truck as we traveled across the river bridge.

Haunted History Tours

Beware! The "ghosts" of Selma and Cahawba are everywhere, busily readying their haunts for this weekend's Haunted History Tours. On Friday night, the ghost town of Cahawba will host four treks for the very, very brave into its very (un)consciousness, and the Central Alabama Paranormal Investigators will conduct on-site tests. Ghosts from the past will appear at Cahawba on Saturday as well, and Old Live Oak Cemetery comes alive with famous inhabitants on Saturday evening. Then, that night, get ready for a tour of Sturdivant Hall and find out about the spirit that lives within...it's a story fit for a Stephen King novel...a banker, an "evil" regime, a former flooded prison, an escape, a "murder," or so the locals say. It is rumored that John Parkman just might show himself and finally tell his side of the story!

Artesian Air Conditioning

HOT! It is hot here with temps hovering around 100 degrees F. and heat indexes in the 110- degree range. Our air conditioner is running nonstop, still unable to keep up with the heat and humidity by mid-afternoon. So, how did people survive this weather in the 19th Century in a sticky, swampy environment?

At Cahawba, E.M. Perine pumped cold water from an artesian well through pipes in his mansion, creating the first air-conditioned house in Alabama. The house is long gone, but the well is still there, and this sign at Old Cahawba Archealogical Park marks the spot.

Alabama's First Capital

Alabama's first permanent capital was at Cahawba, a town on the Alabama River about 10 miles downstream from Selma. The photo is of a poster inside the visitor center of Cahawba Archaeological Park, managed by the Alabama Historical Commission. Now a ghost town, Cahawba was devastated by repeated floods and other calamities. Its demise after the Civil War contributed to the rise of Selma. The poster shows our state's original capitol. The cupola on top was salvaged and today sits atop a church in Lowndesboro.
The park offers exploration of ruins, hiking and picnicking,