The Are Several Historic Sights to See On Selma Day Trips 

One of the numerous Selma Day Trips is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, highlights of an any of the Alabama backroads trips you can make.

The reason for this is very simple; it’s rich, and I mean rich, in Alabama and well as National history, especially when it comes to civil rights.

Downtown Selma AlabamaDowntown Selma Alabama

In fact, perhaps the only city in the country that’s even close to Selma in its rich Civil Rights history is the state capital of Montgomery.

Selma Day Trips

The Selma Alabama Welcome SignThe Entrance Into The Historic City of Selma

However, contrary to what you may have read or been told, Civil Rights are not the only history found in Selma Alabama.

Located along old US highway 80 west, it is only about 50 miles from Montgomery, or about an hour drive.

If you are coming from Tuscaloosa, it is 77 miles along old US highways 5 South and 219 South, and if you are coming from Birmingham, it is 86 miles.

From Birmingham you would take Interstate 20 for about 10 miles and then get off on Old US highway 234 South to US highway 22 South.

All three of these trips makes it less than a 2 hour one way drive, making it one of the most popular day trips of all the Alabama backroads.

With this cities ties to the State’s and the Nation’s Civil Rights movements, as well as its deep ties to the civil war, its hold an honored pace in American history.

Selma was first incorporated along the banks of the Alabama River in the year 1820, and was planned and laid out by a future Vice President of the United Sates, William R. King.

Because of its strategic location sitting atop a very prominent bluff overlooking the river; it assured its future as a very important in-state port as well as a commercial center.

However, this also forced it into a very dominant role in the Civil War.

Here are some of its most important roles and historic sites of the Civil War, and one of the reasons why Selma day trips are so fun and educational

  • The Battle of Selma
  • The Battle of Ebenezer Church
  • The Gun from the USS Tennessee
  • Cahaba (Castle Morgan) Civil War Prison
  • The Grave of Confederate General William Hardee
  • Wilson's Raid Through Alabama and Georgia

During the Civil war, the town of Selma was considered one of the most important manufactures of all the various Confederate materials.

The reason for this was simple, its close location to the iron furnaces of Central Alabama.

These furnaces were connected to most all of the other key points in the confederacy by rail, and they had a very large work force.

The city's proximity to the Alabama River also played a major role.

During the civil war the Southern Navy built its most famous ship, the Ironclad C.S.S Tennessee.

One of its amazing guns is on display at city hall, and this along with the other civil war attractions make the Selma day trips completely worthwhile.

The City’s Main Claim to Fame Is One of The Best of The Selma Day Trips

The Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge is a Must See on your Selma Day TripsThe Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge is a Must See on your Selma Day Trips

However, the following sites are the city’s main claim to fame and some of the best of the Selma Day Trips, and they include the following.

  • The Edmund Pettus Bridge
  • The Selma Movement
  • The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
  • Old Depot Museum
  • Old Live Oak Cemetery

The above events not only defined and changed the civil Rights laws of the State Of Alabama, the changed them for the entire country.

The Events surrounding the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Selma Movement, as well as the most famous march in Civil Rights history, the Selma to Montgomery March, set the stage for the entire movement.

In fact, if it was not for these events, the Civil Rights Movement may have been delayed for several years.

Other historic sites in or near this historic city include the Foundry Building, The Grave of Vice President Rufus King, and The National Bedford Forrest Monument. 

The Old Cahawba Archaeological Site and Sturdivant Hall round out the list of historic sites to visit in the quaint little southern town.

All of this history makes the Selma Day Trips on of the best of all the Alabama backroads adventures.

References

Gen. James H. Wilson's Raid 

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Brown Chapel AME Church

The Brown Chapel AME Church was the starting point for the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965. 

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Edmund Pettus Bridge

The Edmund Pettus Bridge is the highlight of one of the best day trips of the Alabama backroads on old highway 80 from Montgomery to Selma.  

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Old Cahawba Archeological Park 

Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, 9518 Cahaba Road, is located off of Old Country Road 40 in Selma Alabama.

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The Selma to Montgomery March happened for one major reason; the white supremacist trying and succeeding in keeping African Americans from voting. 

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Sturdivant Hall

Sturdivant Hall, which is also known as the Witt-Parkman-Gillman House is located at 713 Mabry street, just  south of the Jeff Davis Highway, which is the old highway 40 in Selma Alabama.

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