


The Cullman Times




- State Name: Alabama
- Abbreviation: AL
- Capital: Montgomery
- Largest City: Birmingham
- Population: ~5.1 million (2024 estimate)
- Statehood: December 14, 1819 (22nd state)
- Nickname: The Yellowhammer State
- Motto: Audemus jura nostra defendere (We Dare Defend Our Rights)
- Time Zone: Central Time (CT)
- Bordering States: Tennessee (N), Georgia (E), Florida (S), Mississippi (W)
- Highest Point: Cheaha Mountain – 2,413 ft (735 m)
- Lowest Point: Gulf of Mexico – Sea level
- Major Rivers: Alabama River, Tennessee River, Tombigbee River
- Major Lakes: Lake Martin, Guntersville Lake, Wheeler Lake
- State Bird: Yellowhammer (Northern Flicker)
- State Flower: Camellia
- State Tree: Longleaf Pine
- State Insect: Monarch Butterfly
- State Mammal: Black Bear
- State Reptile: Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle
- State Amphibian: Red Hills Salamander
- State Freshwater Fish: Largemouth Bass
- State Saltwater Fish: Fighting Tarpon
- State Nut: Pecan
- State Gemstone: Star Blue Quartz
- Climate: Humid subtropical
- Region: Southeastern United States
- Notable Landmarks: U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Gulf Shores, Civil Rights Memorial, etc.
- Major Industries: Aerospace, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Automotive, Steel
- Famous For: Civil Rights Movement, Southern culture, college football
Alabama Tourist Attractions:
- U.S. Space & Rocket Center – Huntsville — Aerospace & space museum: http://www.rocketcenter.com
- USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park – Mobile — WWII battleship, submarine, aircraft & military exhibits: https://www.ussalabama.com
- Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum – Birmingham / Leeds — Motorcycle & motorsports museum: https://www.barbermuseum.org
- Cheaha State Park – Near Delta — Highest point in Alabama, hiking, scenic views: https://www.alapark.com/parks/cheaha-state-park
- Gulf State Park – Gulf Shores — Beaches, trails, camping, nature center: https://www.alapark.com/gulf-state-park
- Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo – Gulf Shores — Family zoo & animal encounters: https://www.algulfcoastzoo.org
- Moundville Archaeological Park – Moundville — Native American mounds & museum: http://moundville.ua.edu
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens – Birmingham — Public gardens & outdoor exhibits: https://bbgardens.org
- EarlyWorks Children’s Museum – Huntsville — Interactive history & children’s exhibits: https://earlyworks.com
- Huntsville Botanical Garden – Huntsville — Botanical garden with varied plant collections & nature trails: https://hsvbg.org
- Birmingham Civil Rights District – Birmingham — Historic sites & museums related to the Civil Rights Movement: https://birminghamcivilrights.com
- OWA Parks & Resort – Foley — Theme park & resort including water park, rides, shopping & entertainment: https://visitowa.com OWA
- Alabama Safari Park – Hope Hull — Safari drive-thru, animal encounters & conservation exhibits: https://www.alabamasafaripark.com
Alabama FYI:
- Birmingham is home to Vulcan, the world’s largest cast iron statue. It is made of 100,000 pounds of iron and is 56 feet tall.
- Alabama is the only state with a State Quilt: Pine Burr Quilt.
- The Unclaimed Baggage Center is located in Scottsboro. The inventory of this store are the lost luggages from airlines.
- The Saturn boosters, which were the rockets to put humans on the moon, were built in NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Huntsville is known as “The Rocket City.” Some call it the “Rocket Capital of the World.”
- On February 16, 1968, the first 911 call in the United States was made in Haleyville, Alabama.
- In Magnolia Springs, Alabama, mail is delivered by boat. This is the only city in the United States with all-water mail routes.
- Alabama is the only state to have an alcoholic beverage as its official drink.
- In 1703, Mobile became the first city in the American Continent to celebrate Mardi Gras, 15 years before New Orleans did so.
- In 1886, the world’s first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery.
- In 1836 Alabama became the first state in the United States to declare Christmas a legal holiday.