The Cullman County Museum is one the best day trips on the Backroads of Alabama, as it is not very well known.
However, it offers the visitor 10 very nice and interesting exhibits, and because it not well known, it is considered to be one of Alabama’s best kept secrets.
Located in city of Cullman, it is a historical museum that does a very good job at illustrating what life was like in this area in the very early days.
These early day exhibits focus on the areas of Natural history, as well its German and Native American heritage.
It is located at the corner of Arnold Street and 2nd Avenue N. E.in Cullman Alabama and is open Monday through Saturday to the public.
The Cullman County Museum was founded by the Cullman Historical Association, and is located at the replicated home of the cities founder.
Officially founded in the year 1973, this very interesting museum sets in the replicated home of Col. Johann Cullmann.
Its major focus to the community and its visitors is to show four major aspects about the area.
They include the areas natural beauty and history, its diverse culture, its social life through time, as well as its military history.
The idea to build and develop it took form in the early 1970’s, as part of the upcoming 100 year celebration of the city’s history.
The city was original founded in 1873 by Mr. Cullman, a German immigrant, who was seeking a better life in the United States.
The Association finally formulated their plans, and the first step was building the replica of his home to house the museum.
His original home was destroyed by a fire in 1912, but the Association thought that it was fitting to house a museum as well as the Chamber of Commerce in the building.
The construction began in 1974 but was not completed in 1975, and in August of that year the Cullman County Museum was dedicated.
There are 10 exhibits at the museum, but there are 8 that are considered as the major ones.
The Archaeology and Native Heritage Gallery
The first major exhibit at the Cullman County Museum is the Archaeology and Native Heritage Gallery.
Sponsored by the Cullman County Archaeology Society, the main focuses of this exhibit are Native American Artifacts.
It includes arrowheads that are thousands of years old, as well as shards of pottery that dates to the Woodland period.
There is also a very rare pot that is still fully constructed, from the same time period.
The pot was found in a bluff shelter that was used by Native Americas, and is believed to date back to about 400 AD.
The Native American tribes in this area of Alabama included the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, as well as the Choctaws.
This exhibit has a table set up that that has arrowheads in it, and the museum allows children to rub paper over them to make a replica to take home.
It also features a timeline that shows the visitor how these arrowheads were made.
The Pioneer Room
The Pioneer Room is the next exhibit, and it has several artifacts from Alabama’s days as a territory.
It includes early tools the pioneers used, farm equipment, lanterns, plows, as well as several household items.
It also includes wood and rope beds that were used during those times, as well as churning equipment that was used to make butter.
The Civil War Room
The next exhibit at the Cullman County Museum is the Civil War room, which features several artifacts from that deadly war.
It includes Union and Confederate Uniforms, bullets, as well as cannon balls which were made in Selma Alabama during the war.
It is the newest exhibit room at the museum, and also features a video in documentary format.
This video features the raid and destruction by the Union Army through North Alabama, which was led by Union Colonel Abel Streight.
What makes this video so neat is that the screen it is projected on is a map, showing where several Civil War battles occurred.
The Clothing Store
Next is the Clothing Store which features Union army cavalryman’s uniforms, as well as weapons from the Union Army.
This display is significant because most people think everyone from Alabama joined the Confederate army.
However, it is estimated that over 2600 men from Alabama actually joined the Union army.
There are also Confederate army infantry uniforms on display, as well as a dress believed to have been made in 1849 by a young 14-year-old girl.
The Main Street Exhibit
The next major exhibit at the Cullman County Museum is the Main Street Exhibit, which showcases the life in the area from the late 19th through the 20th century.
There is a simulated general store that features how goods looked during this era, as well as an old-fashioned doctor’s office.
The doctor’s office includes tools as well as medicines.
This display also features a bell from the town’s first schoolhouse, items from the first saloon, as well as children’s clothing.
Also displayed here is the towns first lighted advertising sign, and a mural showing early life in the city.
The Children’s Playroom
Next is the Children’s Playroom, which has several early period toys featured.
There is also a doll on display that belonged to the daughter of Cullman’s mayor in the early 1900’s, George Beyer.
There are also several early paintings showing children playing.
The Parlor Gallery
The next major display is the Parlor Gallery, also referred to as the Music and Photo Gallery.
It features the three types of music that were in the area in its very early days, and includes German hymns, fiddle playing, as well as Sacred Harp singing.
There is also a piano on display that was owned by another of the former mayors, William Nesmith.
There are also old instruments displayed that include a pump organ, a zither, a mandolin, as well as a German stringed instrument.
The Colonel Cullmann Room
The final of the major exhibits at the Cullman County Museum is the Colonel Cullmann room, which has several artifacts on display that used to be owned by the city’s founder.
Mr. Cullmann was a German businessman, who also made a name for himself as a political activist.
The re-created room contains his original bed, his favorite rocking chair, as well as the family’s sofa.
There are also several old photographs of him and his family.
The Cullman County Museum also highlights the Natural history exhibit, which features Lewis Smith Lake.
There are several woodland scenes displayed that include mammals, birds, butterflies, as well as several insects.
There are also rotating exhibits at the museum.
This not so well-known local museum makes one of the best day trips for you are your family to see what larger museums do not have.
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