15 Amazing Facts about Alabama

Alabama was created as an official state on the 14th of December 1819, is situated within the south of the United States, and is nicknamed the “Heart of Dixie.” Explore amazing Facts about Alabama here!

The state played an important part throughout the American Civil War; its capital city, Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederacy. For those who love Alabama (the state and not the group) Here are 15 fascinating facts about Alabama.

Facts about Alabama:

1. It is a Class-B crime in Alabama to wrestle the Bear. In Alabama, it is unlawful to purchase, sell or own, or train the bear to wrestle. Bear wrestling matches were an extremely popular event in Alabama. It was such a popular sport that Alabama introduced a law in Section 13A-12-5 regarding “bear exploitation” which explicitly prohibits individuals from participating in bear wrestling matches. It is an offense of Class B similar to facing charges of manslaughter; therefore, it’s a major deal.
2. Alabama is the sole state of the U.S. to have an alcohol-based beverage as an official drink. It is the Conecuh Ridge Whiskey (officially called “Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey”) is a premium aged moonshine whiskey made by Conecuh Ridge Distillery Inc. It was declared the official “State Spirit” of Alabama by a legislative resolution adopted in 2004.
3. Alabama does not have an officially-recognized nickname. Alabama is also known as the Yellowhammer state due to its state bird known as the Heart of Dixie, and the Cotton State, but it does not have an official title. To compensate for this we have listed the nicknames for the four major cities in Alabama: Birmingham, The Magic City or The Steel City; Huntsville, The Rocket City; Mobile, The Azalea City or Home of Mardi Gras; Montgomery, The Cradle of the Confederacy.
4. Alabama is the state that first declared Christmas to be a legal holiday. In 1836 Alabama declared Christmas a legal holiday. The federal government adopted the same decision and declared December 25 as a day of rest for the public in 1870.
5. Alabama is the home of the Tree that Owns Itself. There is a tree that is owned by itself. It is located in Athens, Georgia, a white oak is the only thing that owns the land on which it is situated. William Henry Jackson deeded ownership to the tree in the early 1800s. It is believed that Jackson’s love for the tree resulted from positive childhood memories and nostalgia, and he desired to be a good steward of the tree.
6. The first rocket that took astronauts into space was developed in Alabama. Huntsville, Alabama, which is home to the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is known as”the Rocket Capital of the World. The Saturn V, the rocket that carried mankind into space, was built in Huntsville.
7. Alabama is the one state in which the three components necessary to make steel and iron can be located close to each one. Alabama is also the sole state in the world with the ability to make steel and iron using its own resources. It is also the only location that all the three elements that make steel are found close to each the other. The city of steel is known as the steel town, Birmingham is the only location on earth where every one of the components for making steel are in one location. Alabama is also the one state with all the major natural resources required to produce steel and iron.
8. It is said that the Alabama State Constitution is one of the most lengthy among all 50 states. With more than 300,000 words, Alabama beats out all other states with the state constitution with the longest length. To give you an idea, keep in consideration that the United States Constitution only contains the words of 4,543. The shortest one is that of the Constitution of Vermont, which is 8,295 words long.
9. First 911 calls made in the United States was made in Alabama. On the 16th of February 1968 the Haleyville, Alabama Speaker of the House Rankin Fite made a call to U.S. Representative Tom Bevill at the police station in Haleyville. The phone Fite made use of is displayed in City Hall.
10. The invention of windshield wipers was in Alabama. In 1903’s winter, Alabaman Mary Anderson visited New York and while in a streetcar , she saw how the driver had to quit the vehicle to wipe the snow, sleet and other debris off the windshield. To solve the problem, Anderson came up with an idea to create a swinging arm device equipped with a blade of rubber that the driver could use within the vehicle. Anderson received a patent application for her car window cleaner, however, she was unable to sell her idea. But, in 1913, mechanical wipers were standard equipment on American automobiles.
11. Mobile, Alabama used to be the capital city of Louisiana. Mobile was founded as the French colonial Louisiana capital city in 1702 as part of New France. Mobile has been a city that passed through the French through the British and then to the Spanish then to the Americans over the course of more than 160 years up to when it was part of the Civil War. Mobile was finally incorporated into Alabama on the 14th of December 1819.
12. Alabama is actually the very first city to hold Mardi Gras. New Orleans has a well known history of Mardi Gras, but the first celebration actually happened at Mobile, Alabama. As per the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce the city’s very initial Mardi Gras celebration was in 1703 – a year after the city’s founding (fifteen years prior to when New Orleans was founded).
13. It is possible to travel all the way from Alabama up to Great Lakes entirely via boat. If you are who are so inclined, it’s feasible to go from Port in Mobile up to Great Lakes entirely via boat. It is possible to travel the inland waterways for around 1,300 miles through many locks and waterways until you arrive in Chicago.
14. Dotham Alabama is the “Peanut Capital of the world”. More than 50% of peanuts grown in United States are grown within 100 miles of Dothan, Alabama. Alabama has around 90 peanut farmers, and is the third most prolific producer of peanuts within the U.S.
15. The American Civil War started in Alabama. Alabama was a major component of the Civil War, but not just that, it almost entirely began in Alabama. The telegram that started the Civil War was sent out from Montgomery and General Beauregard from Confederate Secretary of War Leroy Pope Walker and read: “Do not desire needlessly to bomb Fort Sumter.
16. Suppose Major Anderson can provide the time when, as stated by the man, he will leave and agree that he will not employ his guns against us unless our guns should be used to defend Fort Sumter. In that case, you are therefore empowered to stop the evaporation of blood. If this or the equivalent is not accepted, then reduce the fort according to what you will determine to be the best option. L. P. Walker, Sec. of L. P. Walker, Sec. of War. C.S.A.”

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