Discover the heart and soul of Alabama through these 20 fun facts that showcase the rich history, vibrant culture, and unique quirks!
From iconic landmarks to fascinating times in history, get ready to explore what makes the Yellowhammer State a truly special place. Whether you’re a local or just curious, these tidbits will entertain and enlighten you!
1. Alabama is the birthplace of many famous names including Hank Williams, Helen Keller, Channing Tatum, Mia Hamm, Courtney Cox, Nat King Cole, Martin Luther King Jr. and Gucci Mane.
2. The state motto is “Audemus jura nostra defendere”, Latin for “We Dare Defend Our Rights.”
3. Alabama is nicknamed the “Yellowhammer State, ” also the name of the state bird.
4. The Unclaimed Baggage Center is in Scottsboro, Alabama, where lost airline baggage is sold.
5. Mobile is the oldest city in the state, founded by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1702.
6. The official state tree is the Southern Longleaf Pine.
7. Alabama has more than 50 miles of Gulf of Mexico beach and around 70 miles of Mobile Bay beach.
8. The state is also known as the Heart of Dixie.
9. Alabama’s highest peak is 2,407 feet on Cheaha Mountain.
10. The state is named after a Native American tribe that inhabited western Alabama and eastern Mississippi.
11. The Alabama state flower is a Camellia.
12. Mardi Gras was founded in Mobile only one year after the city was founded, not in New Orleans.
13. The spaceship that sent people to the moon was designed and built in the “rocket capital of the World,” Huntsville.
14. Many literary greats have called Alabama home.
15. Alabama hosts the largest fishing tournament in the world, The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on Dauphin Island.
16. The state is home to the nation’s oldest baseball park, Rickwood Field.
17. Aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright opened the nation’s first civilian flying school in 1910 in Montgomery.
18. Alabama is the only state with all the major natural resources needed to make iron and steel.
19. Alabama was the first state in the nation to make Christmas an official holiday in 1863.
20. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat sparked the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery.
