Old Alabama Town - Montgomery, Alabama
Posted by: 
xptwo
N 32° 22.935 W 086° 18.303
16S E 565368 N 3583018
On four blocks of Montgomery one can find both 19th-century houses on their original locations and buildings moved to the site and restored to create a museum of life in central Alabama in that century.
Waymark Code: WMDQK7
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 02/15/2012
Views: 3
Although one can see photos and 360 degree virtual tours on the Internet, there is something about stepping into history as one views 19th-century houses and businesses in a realistic setting. Old Alabama Town features many types of buildings from cottages to elegant houses. All one needs is a ticket and good walking shoes.
The Landmarks Foundation runs Old Alabama Town for the City of Montgomery. They have tours for individuals and groups. As one might expect, there are many school tours during the school year, but tagging along with one of these groups can be a fun addition to the experience as one of the tour guides explained. They also have more people doing demonstrations when the student groups come by during the week.
The coordinates are for the Reception Center where one can get information about Old Alabama Town and purchase tour tickets. The Reception Center is located at 301 Columbus Street, Montgomery, AL 36104. One can call 334-240-4500 for more information.
The following description of Old Alabama Town comes from the back cover of Old Alabama Town: An Illustrated Guide by Mary Ann Neeley (ISBN 0-8173-1179-3):
"Old Alabama Town is a visual and historical chronicle of one of the South's important architectural landmarks - four blocks of 19th-century buildings restored to their original condition, collectively forming an educational village that preserves and displays life as it was lived in Alabama from the 1830s through the 1890s. A creation of the Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery, Old Alabama Town displays the lifestyles and environment of the period through architecture, decorative arts, and living history. The "town" has been made available for students, secondary school educators for field trips, and to tourists for entertainment and family excursions.
More than 50 historic structures, all formerly in danger of demolition, have been transported from around central Alabama and restored on-site. The Living Block of the village allows visitors to explore a log cabin, dogtrot house, carriage house, "shotgun" house, pole barn, schoolhouse, tavern, grange hall, and grocery. The Working Block allows patrons to visit a blacksmith's shop, drugstore, grist mill, cotton gin, woodcrafter's shop, print shop, and cookhouse. Additional regions of the village present some of the most significant historic homes to be preserved in the state: the Cram-Lakin House, Thompson Mansion, and the Ordeman-Mitchell-Shaw House, among others."
The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]
The attraction’s own URL: [Web Link]
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The last tickets are sold at 3:00 p.m.
Closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Admission Prices:
Adults, $10
Children ages 6-18, $5.
Free to ages 5 and younger.
A 10 percent discount is offered to AAA, military and seniors.
Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Half of a day (2-5 hours)
Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle or Public Transportation
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