ALL Alabama State Parks remain open.

Cheaha State Park

I've been receiving quite a few questions about the status of Alabama State Parks as we approach the Fall leaf change.

ALL Alabama State Parks are open and ready for visitors!  This includes Cheaha State Park and DeSoto State Park, both of which adjoin Federal lands.  All state park roads, trails and amenities (lodges, cabins, restaurants, etc.) are open.

Federal lands in Alabama, however, have been closed due to the Government Shutdown.  Areas that are closed include:

• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
• Little River Canyon National Preserve
• Natchez Trace National Parkway
• Russell Cave National Monument
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
• Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

Little River Falls

In addition, all offices, recreation areas and trails in the Talladega and Bankhead National Monument are closed due to the federal shutdown. Even the National Park Service website is shut down.

ALL Alabama state historic sites are open as usual. These include Fort Morgan, Fort Toulouse/Jackson, etc.

There is no plan to close state operated parks and historic sites and no definite reopening date for national park and forest areas in Alabama.

Since you can't visit national park areas, feel free to look at photos and read about them (as well as Alabama state parks and historic sites) at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

Columbia, Alabama - Historic Sites & Points of Interest

Purcell-Killingsworth House in Columbia

A charming and historic community nestled along the Chattahoochee River in the Wiregrass region of Southeast Alabama, Columbia is an often overlooked heritage destination that is well worth a visit.

Founded in 1820 as settlement spread across lands taken from the Creek Nation by the Treaty of Fort Jackson, Columbia was an important river crossing and port community even from its earliest days. The arrival of steamboat traffic on the Chattahoochee River just a few years later, however, spurred a boom that made the town one of the most prosperous on the river between Eufaula, Alabama and Apalachicola, Florida.

Old Columbia Jail

The cotton and other commerce for a significant area of the Wiregrass region (named for a tough, wire-like grass that grows in the pine woods) passed through Columbia, where it was loaded aboard paddlewheel riverboats for transport up to Columbus or down to Apalachicola on the Gulf. This spurred a strong commercial district with stores, warehouses and other businesses. The town for a time was even the county seat, although that status was lost as the vast expanse of the original Henry County was carved up into numerous other counties as the population of the region grew.

Columbia remained a vital river port until the railroad was finally extended into South Alabama during the last decades of the 19th century. The town on the river was bypassed in favor of a new community - Dothan - and Columbia's commercial interests slowly faded.

Summer House at Columbia Cemetery

The town survived, however, and today is the center of a unique, picturesque and historic area with many points of interest. The historic Old Columbia Jail, for example, dates from the Civil War and is one of the last surviving original wooden jails in the Deep South. The unique summer house that serves as an entrance way to Columbia Cemetery is more than 100 years old.

There are charming historic homes and churches, including the architecturally unique Purcell-Killingsworth House. Just four miles or so away across the river in Early County, Georgia, stands the beautiful Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge. The southernmost 19th century covered bridge in the nation, it spans a charming little waterfall.

To learn more about Columbia and the surrounding area, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/columbia.

Savannah, Georgia - Historic Sites & Points of Interest

Mercer House in Savannah

Savannah is quite simply one of the most beautiful historic destinations in the world.

Established in 1733 by Gen. James Oglethorpe, the city was laid out by the general himself on Yamacraw Bluff, an elevation on the south bank of the Savannah River just inland from the river's mouth. With impressive foresight, Oglethorpe created a settlement plan that called for a city to grow around 24 public squares.

Almost all of the squares survive today and grow even more beautiful with each passing year, each an oasis of peace and beauty in the center of a thriving and historic city.

Savannah quickly became one of the most important cities in the South and by the time of the American Revolution was a major seaport and commercial center. One of the earliest engagements of the war, the Battle of Rice Boats, took place at Savannah. Although the Patriots initially forced the British to relinquish the city, they returned with a vengeance and captured Savannah in 1778. The following year, a large allied army of American and French troops - including 500 black French soldiers from Haiti - tried to take it back.

Forsyth Park in Savannah

The Siege or Second Battle of Savannah ended in disaster for the allied forces after the British threw back an attempt to storm a section of the city's fortifications at the Spring Hill Redoubt adjacent to today's Savannah History Museum.

Savannah rebounded from the Revolution to become one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Much of the architecture in today's massive historic district dates from the antebellum era. The city was captured by Sherman at the end of his March to the Sea in 1864, but remarkably escaped the widespread devastation inflicted by his army on such cities as Atlanta and Columbia. Perhaps this was because he presented Savannah to President Abraham Lincoln as a "Christmas gift."

Savannah today is a beautiful city with one of the largest restored historic areas to be found anywhere. It has hundreds of historic sites and landmarks, preserved 19th century forts, a stunning riverfront area, 22 of Oglethorpe's original squares, tree-shaded streets and parks and some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

To learn more, please visit our new Savannah page at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/savannah.

St. Augustine, Florida - New Section Now Online!

St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest city in the continental United States. Founded by the Spanish in 1565, it has been occupied ever since.

In fact, St. Augustine residents had a public park before the first settlers waded ashore at either Jamestown, Virginia, or Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. The city also boasts a long list of other "oldest" or "first" distinctions. It is home to the oldest house, the oldest religious site, the oldest masonry fort, the first settlement for free blacks and many others.

Because of its importance to Southern and U.S. history, I've added an expanded section on St. Augustine to the main website at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/. It features directories to a variety of historic sites and points of interest in the nation's oldest city and as it expands will include hotel and other information of use to visitors.To visit the new St. Augustine section, please go to www.exploresouthernhistory.com/staugustine1.

The section will be expanding with the addition of other new pages over the coming week, so check back and feel free to drop a comment and let me know what you think or if there is another site in St. Augustine you would like to see added!

Greenwood Florida - Historic Antebellum Town in Northwest Florida

Founded in 1824, the charming little Florida Panhandle town of Greenwood is home to one of the finest collections of antebellum homes and structures in the interior counties of Florida.

Greenwood has retained much of its original character through the years and remains today a small trading community surrounded by vast tracts of farm land. That is largely the role it has played for 196 years.

The community came into existance at an important crossroads just three years after Florida became a U.S. territory and grew in prosperity as the farms being carved from the surrounding wilderness grew into large plantations. By the time of the Civil War, Greenwood was an important trading community surrounded by one of the most prosperous plantation districts in the Deep South.

The town attracted national attention in 1853 when the abolitionist movement in the North seized on the spectacular suicide in Greenwood of a slave who threw himself down a well rather than submit to a whipping.

A drive or walk through the small town today provides a fascinating climpse of the grandeur that once marked such rural trading communities during the antebellum era. Although none of Greenwood's historic homes are open to the public, many have been beautifully restored and are treasured parts of the community. Historical markers dot the front lawns, telling the stories of both magnificent and simple structures, some of which date back to the 1830s.

Greenwood is located on State Highway 71 just 7.1 miles north of U.S. Highway 90 in Marianna, Florida. Also of interest in the area are Marianna's historic sites, the site of the Battle of Marianna and Florida Caverns State Park. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/greenwood.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas - Romance in the Ozarks

With St. Valentine's Day just two weeks away, I thought it might be interesting to spend some time exploring some of the most romantic historic places in the South.

My personal favorite is Eureka Springs, the beautifully preserved Victorian community in the Ozarks of Arkansas. On a per capita basis, Eureka Springs is the wedding capital of the United States. More people get married there each year per capita than in any other city in the country (including Las Vegas!).

There is a reason. With its charming scenery, inns, restaurants and beautiful Victorian architecture, Eureka Springs is one of the most beautiful places not just in the South, but in the world. Even the town's funnel cake stand is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Established as a health resort during the late 1800s, Eureka Springs developed as a place where people came to "take the waters" of the city's numerous mineral springs. It was thought in those days that the spring water held curative properties for a variety of ailments and people from across the nation came in by train in hopes of finding better health and happiness in the spas of Eureka Springs.

Its early days have much to do with Eureka's emergence as an eclectic community with a major focus on the arts, culture, history and charm. In fact, romance makes for booming business in Eureka Springs. There are wedding chapels, wedding locations, photographers galore, carriages, inns, cottages, cabins and hotels. You can even pick up your marriage license in the morning and get married in the afternoon.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/eurekaindex. Be sure to follow the links at the bottom of the page for information on a variety of historic sites around Eureka as well as for details on wedding services available in the city.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas: Updated Pages Now Online

Eureka Springs, a beautiful Victorian town in the Ozarks of Arkansas, is one of the most popular Spring destinations in the South.

To mark the beginning of Spring, we've updated our Eureka Springs pages and added quite a bit of new information.

Founded and named in 1879 as a resort area for visitors who made their way to the beautiful mountain setting to enjoy the mineral springs that flowed from the Ozarks into a charming valley, Eureka Springs retains much of its original appearance and flavor. The community has earned a reputation as the per capita Wedding Capital of the United States. More people come to Eureka each year to get married than actually live there!

Historic hotels, bed and breakfast inns, cabins, restaurants, wedding chapels, entertainment venues and a wide variety of other attractions are available in Eureka Springs, which may well be the crown jewel of the Ozarks.

Our updated pages include details on the historic Crescent Hotel (America's Most Haunted Hotel), Blue Spring Heritage Center, the Christ of the Ozarks, the Downtown Historic District, ES&NA Railway, the town's historic springs, Pivot Rock Park, Thorncrown Chapel and a new page providing information on getting married in Eureka Springs. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/eurekaindex.

Threatened Florida State Parks will likely remain open!

Outstanding news from Tallahassee today on the future of nineteen Florida State Parks that have been facing threatened closure. Governor Charlie Crist has included funds to keep all of the parks operating in his annual budget proposal.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection had proposed temporarily or permanently closing a number of parks and historic sites due to budget problems, despite the fact that Florida has more than doubled its state budget in just the last ten years.

Among the parks and historic sites being considered for closure were:

• San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park in St. Marks.


• Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park near Tallahassee.


• Constitution Convention Museum State Park in Port St. Joe.


• John Gorrie Museum Historic State Park in Apalachicola.


• Three Rivers State Park in Sneads.


• Forest Capital Museum Historic State Park in Perry.

The announcement that operating funds for keeping the parks open had been included in Governor Crist's new budget is a major step forward in saving the facilities, which include some of the most signficant historic sites in Florida. A spokesperson for the governor indicated that the public outpouring of support for the parks had much to do with the recommendation.

The final decision remains, but the news was a major breakthrough for lovers of Florida's historic sites and state parks.

Fort Gibson Historic Site - Fort Gibson, Oklahoma

Established in 1824 on what was then the far western frontier, Fort Gibson was one of the most important military posts in American history.

Originally established to maintain peace between newly arrived Cherokees and the Osage who already lived in the region, the original Fort Gibson was a log stockade built by Lt. Col. Matthew Arbuckle and the 7th Infantry Regiment. Beginning in 1836, the fort took on a new and sad role as the final stop on the Trail of Tears.

Over the next few years, thousands of Cherokee, Creek and Seminole ended their long and miserable forced migration to the west at Fort Gibson.

Fort Gibson served as a base for troops marching south during the Mexican-American War of the 1840s and then was occupied by Confederate forces early during the Civil War. Seized by Union troops who briefly renamed it Fort Blunt, the fort served as a base for Federal operations in the Indian Territory, including the Battle of Honey Springs and the Fort Smith Campaign.

It remained an active military post until 1890 and is now a historic site maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Visitors can explore the reconstructed stockade of the original fort and view original structures, ruins and earthworks from the later post. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/okfortgibson.

Hurricane Gustav moving through Louisiana

Hurricane Gustav came ashore in Louisiana this morning. Fortunately it weakened some and was a Category 2 storm at landfall. So far it looks like the levees are holding in New Orleans and damage to the city is minimal.

Damage and flooding is taking place in other areas around southern Louisiana and there was video on television of flooding in Grand Isle.

I've been trying to keep track of the status of historic sites in the region while also praying for the best for the residents of Louisiana. So far, Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans has reported that a fire broke out in an antebellum house in the city but was contained by firefighters. I do not know the extent of the damage.

As I see more on the status of historic sites in the area, I'll keep you informed.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Five

This is a view of the bison or buffalo herd at Dogwood Valley Nature Park near Branson, Missouri.

It is difficult to believe today, but these huge and majestic animals once roamed the Ozarks in great herds. Over hunting and the expansion of the frontier drove them out of the region in just a few decades.

Today, however, they can be seen again grazing in sight of the mountains. Dogwood Valley, owned jointly with nearby Big Cedar Lodge by Bass Pro Shops, preserves thousands of acres of beautiful Ozark scenery. The naturalists there are working to reintroduce a variety of rare native animals to the park, including bison and elk. They can be seen on the guided tram tour that takes visitors through miles of beautiful park terrain.

Our series will continue. To read more before the next post, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Historic Sites of Branson, Missouri - Part Two

Long before the world ever heard of Branson, Missouri, this rough and picturesque mountain setting in the Ozarks was made famous by the talented novelist Harold Bell Wright.

Wright's 1907 book, The Shepherd of the Hills, brought the mountains, valleys and wilderness of the Branson area to life for readers around the world. A remarkable achievement in Southern literature, the book was the first novel in history to sell more than 1,000,000 copies. It also sparked a flood of visitors to the Missouri Ozarks, initiating the tourism industry that would eventually make Branson what it is today.

The Shepherd of the Hills is a haunting story about a man who suddenly appears in the mountains seeking peace and redemption for a dark secret. He endears himself to the people of the area and, in the process, comes to better understand life, love, nature and God. It is a magnificent book that has been enjoyed by millions of readers and is as timeless today as it was when written.

Many of the sites associated with the Shepherd of the Hills can still be seen today at the Ruth and Paul Henning State Conservation Area in Branson. The park offers beautiful Ozarks' vistas that include the valleys, mountains and forests brought to life in the book. Wright based his novel on real places around Branson and in doing so preserved forever the settings of a century ago.

Paul Henning, a native of Missouri and the creator of such classic television shows as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, fell in love with the settings described by Wright and, with his wife Ruth, preserved many of the locations from the book. Thanks to their civic mindedness, much of the land is now incorporated in the Henning State Conservation Area.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1 and look for the link. If you have not read Shepherd of the Hills, it can be read for free online by clicking here. The book is also still in print and available through most bookstores.

Our series on the historic sites of Branson, Missouri, will continue.

New Alabama home page online

Our new Alabama section is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

This page allows you to access information about a wide variety of historic sites in Alabama. Sites on the left hand side of the page are places we have visited. Sites on the right hand side of the page are places that have been recommended to us. We have provided links to official websites until we are able to bring up pages of our own.

I hope you enjoy browsing through it! Please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/Alabama1 to access the page.

Spring Travel Part Eighteen: Branson, Missouri

Continuing our series on some of my favorite Spring travel destinations in the South, no list of great Southern places would be complete without including Branson, Missouri.

Called the "live country music capital of the universe" by the CBS program 60 Minutes, Branson is indeed that and more. A major family resort area, it is home to more live performances than either New York or Las Vegas, amusement parks, museums and a variety of other attractions.

Branson also has a rich history. The town received its first recognition as a tourist destination following the publication of the phenomenal book The Shepherd of the Hills. The first American novel to sell more than 1,000,000 copies, the book was based on the lives of people living in the Ozarks around Branson.

This was also the home of the infamous "Bald Knobbers." So named because they assembled on moonlit nights on the mountain "balds" surrounding the Branson area, these outlaw gangs originated as guerilla bands during the Civil War but continued their predatory ways after the war had ended.

Branson also offers a wide variety of other historic sites and is a center for preservation of Southern music and culture.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/branson1.

Spring Travel Part Two: Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Eureka Springs, a beautiful Victorian community nestled in the rolling Ozark hills of Northwest Arkansas, is one of the most beloved destinations in the South.

Founded during the late 1800s as a health resort, Eureka Springs today offers a wide variety of historic sites, beautiful architecture, restored springs as well as an array of unique restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, historic hotels and more.

The entire downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for good reason. There are few communities from the late 1800s that are as well preserved as Eureka Springs.

To learn more about Eureka Springs, Arkansas, including some of its resident ghosts, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/eurekaindex.