Orrville – Old Cahawba
Archaeological Park, the state’s first capital and famous ghost town, is
hosting the annual Road to Freedom wagon tour in celebration of Black History
month on Saturday, February 4, 2023.
Learn about Cahawba’s African
American majority as you trace the path from enslavement to freedom with a
special emphasis on how formerly enslaved residents reshaped Cahawba as they
pursued their dreams of equality. The tour features historic places throughout
the park such as the Crocheron Columns, the African Methodist Episcopal Church
ruins, the Fambro house, Barker’s slave quarters, and more.
“I like to start this tour
by asking participants to consider what they would do if suddenly, for the
first time, they were told they were free,” said Site Director Linda Derry.
“Then, as we tour historic locations throughout the park, we discover the first
freedoms that Cahawba’s newly emancipated people sought. This can be a humbling
experience.”
One hundred years before
the 1965 Voting Rights March in nearby Selma, this community of emancipated African
Americans gathered around the courthouse in Cahawba and exercised their right
to vote and for a brief time gained political power.
The tour will begin at
10:00 am and will last for one hour. Seating is limited to 28 spots and tickets
can be purchased in advance by calling 334-875-2529.
###
About
Old Cahawba
Old
Cahawba lies at the confluence of the Alabama and Cahaba Rivers, and from 1819
to 1826 it served as Alabama’s first about Old Cahawba, please visit
http://facebook.com/OldCahawba/
About
the Alabama Historical Commission
Located in historic
downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry Street, the Alabama Historical Commission
is the state historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created
by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to
protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to
accomplish its mission through two fields of endeavor: Preservation and
promotion of state-owned historic sites as public attractions; and statewide
programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities with local preservation
activities. For a complete list of programs and properties owned and operated
by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov