Montgomery is the capital, second most populous city, and the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the
SouthernThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, Down South, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive region in the southeastern and south-central United States...
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of
AlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its...
, and is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Montgomery CountyMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It was named in honor of Lemuel P. Montgomery, a military officer killed at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812 . The county seat, Montgomery, Alabama, has a different origin for its name, being named for Richard Montgomery...
. It is located southeast of the center of the state, in the
Gulf Coastal PlainThe Gulf Coastal Plain extends from the Florida Parishes of Louisiana over most of Mississippi, some of western Tennessee and Kentucky, the southwestern 2/3 of Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle and Southern Texas. Its southern boundary is the Gulf of Mexico and its western boundary the...
. The city population was 201,568 as of the 2000 census. Montgomery is the primary city of the
Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area in central Alabama...
, which had a 2000 population of 346,528, making it the fourth largest in the state.
The city was incorporated in 1819, as a merger of two towns situated along the
Alabama RiverThe Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery....
. It became the state capital in 1846. In February 1861, Montgomery was selected as the first capital of the
Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a separatist political entity existing between 1861 to 1865, established by eleven southern slave states of the United States of America, each of which had previously declared their secession from the United States...
, until the seat of government moved to
Richmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in May of that year. During the mid-20th century, Montgomery was a primary site in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, including the
Montgomery Bus BoycottThe Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and social protest campaign started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, intended to oppose the city's policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. Many historically significant figures of the civil rights movement were involved in the boycott,...
and the
Selma to Montgomery marchesThe Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They were the culmination of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by Amelia Boynton and her husband...
.
Today, in addition to housing many Alabama government agencies, Montgomery has a large
militaryThe United States armed forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States.The history of the United States armed forces dates to 1775, even before the Declaration of Independence marked the establishment of the United States...
presence due to
Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Atmore, Alabama native Second Lieutenant William C...
, public universities
Alabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
,
Troy UniversityTroy University is a public university located in Troy, Alabama and founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School with a mission to educate and train new teachers. Troy has since evolved into a comprehensive state university. The main campus enrollment as of the fall of 2007 is 6,177 students...
(Montgomery campus), and Auburn University-Montgomery, private colleges/universities
Faulkner UniversityFaulkner University is a private Christian university, located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, and affiliated with the Church of Christ. The University was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible School. In 1953 the school's name was changed to Alabama Christian College . In 1965, the college was moved to...
,
Huntingdon CollegeHuntingdon College, founded in 1854, is a coeducational liberal arts college in Montgomery, Alabama. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the college is known for its business and science programs...
, and ABA-accredited law school
Thomas Goode Jones School of LawThe Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is a law school located at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. Faulkner University is a religious school affiliated with the Churches of Christ.-History:...
, high-tech manufacturing including
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing AlabamaHyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama is an automobile factory in Montgomery, Alabama. It is owned and operated by Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Construction completed in June, 2004, with the first vehicles produced in March of 2005. The official grand opening ceremony on May 20, 2005, was...
, and cultural attractions like the
Alabama Shakespeare FestivalThe Alabama Shakespeare Festival is the seventh largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Each year, it attracts more than 300,000 visitors from throughout the United States and more than 60 countries, to its home in Montgomery, Alabama....
and
Montgomery Museum of Fine ArtsThe Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a museum located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, featuring several art collections. For seventy years, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has been a showcase for the visual arts in Central Alabama...
.
History
Prior to European colonization, the left bank of the
Alabama RiverThe Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery....
was inhabited by the
Alibamu tribeThe Alabama or Alibamu are a Southeastern culture people of Native Americans.The Alabama language is part of the Muskogean language family, as is the language of the Creek and Choctaw people, with whom the Alabama also share cultural features...
of Native Americans. The Alibamu and the
Coushatta----The Coushatta are a Native American people living primarily in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Most Coushatta live in Allen Parish, just north of the town of Elton, Louisiana, though a smaller number share a reservation near Livingston, Texas with the Alabama people. There is also an...
who lived on the opposite side the river were adept mound builders. Present-day Montgomery is built on the site of two Alibamu towns:
Ikanatchati (or Ecunchatty or Econachatee), meaning "red earth"; and
Towassa, built on a bluff called
Chunnaanaauga Chatty. The first Europeans to come through central Alabama were Hernando de Soto and his expedition, who came through Ikanatchati and camped for one week in Towassa in 1540.
The next recorded European movements in the area happened well over a century later, when an expedition from
CarolinaThe Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1712, was a colony of British America, controlled by the Lords Proprietary, a group of eight English noblemen led informally by member Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury...
went down the Alabama River in 1697. The first permanent European settler in the Montgomery area was James McQueen, a
ScottishThe Scots people and an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland.An ethnic group, historically they emerged from an amalgamation of Picts, Gaels and Brythons....
trader who came to the area in 1716.
After McQueen's arrival, European immigration to the area was slow in coming; Abraham Mordecai of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
arrived in 1785 and later brought the first
cotton ginA cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates the cotton fibers from the seeds, a job previously done by hand. These seeds are either used again to grow more cotton or, if badly damaged, are disposed of...
to Alabama. Following the end of the
Creek WarThe Creek War , also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, began as a civil war within the Creek nation...
in August 1814, the Creek tribes were forced to give the majority of their lands to the U.S., including most of central and southern Alabama.
In 1816,
Montgomery CountyMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It was named in honor of Lemuel P. Montgomery, a military officer killed at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812 . The county seat, Montgomery, Alabama, has a different origin for its name, being named for Richard Montgomery...
was formed, and its lands were sold off the next year at the federal land office in
Milledgeville, GeorgiaMilledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon, Located just before Eatonton on the way to Athens along U.S. Highway 441, and it is located on the Oconee River. The relatively-rapid current of the Oconee here made this an...
. The first group of settlers to come to the Montgomery area was headed by General John Scott. The group founded Alabama Town about downstream from present-day downtown. In June 1818, county courts were moved from
Fort JacksonFort Jackson can refer to several places or things:*Fort Jackson , also called Fort Toulouse, a War of 1812 fort*Fort Jackson , a frontier trading post located near present-day Ione, Colorado...
to Alabama Town. Soon after, Andrew Dexter founded New Philadelphia, the present-day eastern part of downtown. Dexter envisioned his town would one day grow to prominence; he set aside a hilltop known as "Goat Hill" as the future location for the state capitol building. New Philadelphia soon prospered, and Scott and his associates built a new town adjacent, calling it East Alabama Town. The towns became rivals, but merged on December 3, 1819, and were incorporated as the city of Montgomery.
Due in large part to the cotton trade, the newly united Montgomery grew quickly. In 1822, the city became the county seat, and a new courthouse was built at the present location of Court Square, at the foot of Market Street (now Dexter Avenue). The state capital was moved from
TuscaloosaTuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in the west central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama with an estimated population of 90,221 in 2008. Tuscaloosa is named after the Choctaw chieftain Tuskaloosa...
to Montgomery, on January 28, 1846.
As state capital, Montgomery began to have a great influence over state politics, but would also play a prominent role on the national stage. Beginning February 4, 1861, representatives from Alabama,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
,
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
,
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
, and
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
met in MontgomeryThe Montgomery Convention marked the formal beginning of the Confederate States of America. Convened in Montgomery, Alabama, and opening on February 4, 1861, the Convention organized a provisional government for the Confederacy and created the Constitution of the Confederate States of America...
to form the
Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a separatist political entity existing between 1861 to 1865, established by eleven southern slave states of the United States of America, each of which had previously declared their secession from the United States...
. Montgomery was named the first capital of the nation, and
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis was an American politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War....
was inaugurated as President on the steps of the
State CapitolThe Alabama State Capitol, also known as First Confederate Capitol, is located on Goat Hill in Montgomery, Alabama. The structure was built in 1851.-History:...
. On April 12, 1865, following the
Battle of SelmaThe Battle of Selma, a battle during the American Civil War, was fought in Selma, Alabama, on April 2 1865. The U.S. Army forces under Major General James H...
, Major General
James H. WilsonJames Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
captured Montgomery for the Union.
In 1886 Montgomery became the first city in the United States to install city-wide electric street cars along a system that was nicknamed the
Lightning Route"Lightning Route" was the nickname given to the first city-wide system of electric streetcars established in Montgomery, Alabama, United States on April 15, 1886. This early technology was developed by Belgian-American inventor Charles Joseph Van Depoele. The system was known officially as the...
. The system made Montgomery one of the first cities to "depopulate" its residential areas at the city center through transportation-facilitated suburban development.
Montgomery was thrust into the spotlight of the early African-American Civil Rights Movement. In December 1955,
Rosa ParksRosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African American civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress later called the "Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement."...
was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man, sparking the
Montgomery Bus BoycottThe Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and social protest campaign started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, intended to oppose the city's policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. Many historically significant figures of the civil rights movement were involved in the boycott,...
. The
Montgomery Improvement AssociationThe Montgomery Improvement Association was formed on December 5, 1955 by black ministers and community leaders in Montgomery, Alabama. Under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr...
was created by
Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States and he is frequently referenced as a human rights icon today. King is recognized as a martyr...
, then the pastor of
Dexter Avenue Baptist ChurchDexter Avenue Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. The church was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974. In 1978 the official name was changed to the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
, and E.D. Nixon, a lawyer and local civil rights advocate, to organize the boycott. In June 1956, Judge Frank M. Johnson ruled that Montgomery's bus segregation was illegal. After the
Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States, and leads the federal judiciary. It consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices, who are nominated by the President and confirmed with the "advice and consent" of the Senate...
upheld the ruling in November, the city desegregated the bus system, and the boycott was ended.
Martin Luther King would return to Montgomery in 1965. Local civil rights leaders in
SelmaSelma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census. The city is best known for the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement and its Selma to Montgomery marches, three civil rights...
had been protesting
Jim Crow lawsThe Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans...
blocking Blacks from registering to vote. Following the shooting of a man after a civil rights rally, the leaders decided to
march to MontgomeryThe Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They were the culmination of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by Amelia Boynton and her husband...
to petition Governor
George WallaceGeorge Corley Wallace, Jr. , was a governor of Alabama for four terms; 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T...
to allow free voter registration.
In recent years, Montgomery has continued to grow and diversify. The city government is active in restoring the downtown area, and in 2007 adopted a master plan, which included revitalization of Court Square and the riverfront.
Geography
Montgomery is located at .
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of , of which of it is land and of it (0.52%) is water. The city is built over rolling terrain at an elevation of about above sea level
Cityscape
Downtown Montgomery lies along the southern bank of the
Alabama RiverThe Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery....
, about downstream from the confluence of the
CoosaThe Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers. It begins at the confluence of the Oostanaula and Etowah Rivers in Rome, Georgia. Around 90% of the Coosa River's length is located in Alabama. The river starts in Rome, Georgia and ends just northeast of the Alabama state capital,...
and
Tallapoosa RiverThe Tallapoosa River runs from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, in the United States, southward and westward into Alabama. It is formed by the confluence of McClendon Creek and Mud Creek in Paulding County, Georgia. Lake Martin at Alexander City, Alabama is a large and...
s. The most prominent feature of Montgomery's skyline is the 23-story
RSA TowerThe RSA Tower is a , 22-story building located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. It was built in 1996 by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. Its tenants include Raycom Media's headquarters, Morgan Keegan & Company, the Capitol City Club, the Alabama Public Health Association, Alabama Department of...
, built in 1996 by the
Retirement Systems of AlabamaRetirement Systems of Alabama is the administrator of the pension fund for employees of the state of Alabama. It is headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. David G. Bronner is the chief executive officer....
.. Downtown also contains many state and local government buildings, including the
Alabama State CapitolThe Alabama State Capitol, also known as First Confederate Capitol, is located on Goat Hill in Montgomery, Alabama. The structure was built in 1851.-History:...
. The Capitol is located atop a hill at one end of Dexter Avenue, along which also lies the
Dexter Avenue Baptist ChurchDexter Avenue Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. The church was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974. In 1978 the official name was changed to the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
, where
Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States and he is frequently referenced as a human rights icon today. King is recognized as a martyr...
was pastor. Both the Capitol and Dexter Baptist Church are listed as
National Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. All NHLs are listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
s by the U.S. Department of the Interior. One block south of the Capitol is the
First White House of the ConfederacyThe First White House of the Confederacy was the executive residence of President Jefferson Davis and family while the capital of the Confederate States of America was in Montgomery, Alabama. Completely furnished with original period pieces from the 1850s and 1860s, the 1835 Italianate-style house...
, the 1835 Italianate-style house in which President Jefferson Davis and family lived while the capitol of the Confederacy was in Montgomery. Montgomery's third National Historic Landmark is
Union StationUnion Station, also known as Montgomery Union Station or Montgomery Union Station and Trainshed, in Montgomery, Alabama was built by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and opened in 1898...
. Train service to Montgomery ceased in 1985, but today Union Station is part of the Riverwalk park development, which also includes an amphitheater, a
riverboatA paddle steamer is a ship or boat driven by a steam engine that uses one or more paddle wheels to develop thrust for propulsion. It is also a type of steamboat. Boats with paddle wheels on the sides are termed sidewheelers, while those with a single wheel on the stern are known as sternwheelers....
dock and
Riverwalk StadiumMontgomery Riverwalk Stadium is the home of the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League. The minor league baseball ballpark opened in Montgomery, Alabama in 2004. It is built into an historic train station and has a total capacity of 7,000, including general-admission lawn seating. The stadium...
. Three blocks east of the Convention Center,
Old Alabama TownOld Alabama Town is a collection of authentically restored 19th and 20th century structures reflecting the lives of the people who settled and developed central Alabama...
showcases more than 50 restored buildings from the 19th century. The Riverwalk is part of a larger plan to revamp the downtown area. The plan includes the utilization of
urban forestryUrban forestry is the careful care and management of urban forests, i.e., tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry advocates the role of trees as a critical part of the urban infrastructure...
, infill development, and façade renovation to encourage business and residential growth. A Convention Center which was completed in 2007 is expected to further encourage growth in the downtown area.
South of downtown, across
Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major Interstate Highway in the southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus intersects with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond.An addition to Interstate 85 is proposed...
, lies
Alabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
. ASU's campus was built in
Colonial RevivalThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style and interior design movement in the United States.In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own heritage and architecture. This also came after the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 rewakened Americans to their colonial past...
architectural style from 1906 until the beginning of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Surrounding ASU are the Garden District, and Cloverdale Historic District. Houses in these areas date from around 1875 until 1949, and are in
Late VictorianThe term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. As with the latter, the period of building that it covers may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria after whom it is...
and
Gothic RevivalThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began in the 1740s in England. Its popularity grew rapidly in the early nineteenth century, when increasingly serious and learned admirers of neo-Gothic styles sought to revive medieval forms in contrast to the classical styles prevalent at the...
styles.
Huntingdon CollegeHuntingdon College, founded in 1854, is a coeducational liberal arts college in Montgomery, Alabama. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the college is known for its business and science programs...
is on the southwestern edge of Cloverdale. The campus was built in the 1900s in
Tudor RevivalThe Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
and Gothic Revival styles. ASU, the Garden District, Cloverdale, and Huntingdon are all listed as National Historic Districts.
Montgomery's east side is the fastest-growing part of the city. The city's two largest shopping malls, as well as many big-box stores and residential developments are on the east side. The area is also home of the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park, a park which contains the
Alabama Shakespeare FestivalThe Alabama Shakespeare Festival is the seventh largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Each year, it attracts more than 300,000 visitors from throughout the United States and more than 60 countries, to its home in Montgomery, Alabama....
and
Montgomery Museum of Fine ArtsThe Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a museum located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, featuring several art collections. For seventy years, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has been a showcase for the visual arts in Central Alabama...
.
PrattvillePrattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 31,119. The city is the county seat of Autauga County, Alabama. It is nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area. The...
, to the northwest is the second largest city in the
Montgomery Metropolitan AreaThe Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area in central Alabama...
. Other area towns are
Pike RoadPike Road is a city in Montgomery County, Alabama, in the United States. As of 2007, the population of the city is 4,570. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Pike Road is located at ....
to the southeast,
MillbrookMillbrook is a city in Autauga and Elmore counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 10,386 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Millbrook is located at ....
to the north, and
WetumpkaWetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726. The city is the county seat of Elmore County, the third fastest growing county in the state...
to the northeast.
Historic Capitol Heights
Capitol Heights is one of Montgomery's oldest neighborhoods outside of downtown and was one of the earliest suburban developments in Alabama. Capitol Heights was founded in 1908 as a separate town due east of downtown Montgomery. Initial marketing for the neighborhood advertised its elevation (the highest point in Montgomery today) and the advantage of cool summer breezes on a bluff overlooking Montgomery. The Heights later was connected to downtown Montgomery by one of the first trolley's in America. A large number of homes are Craftsman and many were even purchased out of the Sears Catalog. Capitol Heights was recently recognized as Alabama's best neighborhood to invest in and is on the cusp of significant urban renewal as downtown Montgomery continues its re-birth and many young urban professionals look for quaint bungalows within walking distance of the revitalized downtown.
Climate
Montgomery's climate is
humid subtropicalHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
(
Köppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by the Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa). The area experiences short, warm springs and hot, typically humid summers lasting from mid-May to well into September. Autumns are usually during October and November and are mild – from the mid-60s to 70s (degrees Fahrenheit). Winters last from December until February; their severity/coldness varies from year to year, but they are usually moderate, with temperatures rarely dipping below . The highest recorded temperature in Montgomery was , on August 7, 1881. The record low temperature of was reached on January 21, 1985.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 201,568 people, 78,384 households, and 51,084 families residing in the city. The 2006 Census Bureau estimate places the population at 201,998.
The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,297.3 people per square mile (500.9/km²). There were 86,787 housing units at an average density of 558.5/sq mi (215.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.63%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 47.67%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.25%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.06%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.37% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.23% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 78,384 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06. Same-sex couple households comprised 0.4 % of all househoulds.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,627, and the median income for a family was $44,297. Males had a median income of $31,877 versus $25,014 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $19,385. About 13.9% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Montgomery's central location in Alabama's
Black BeltThe Black Belt is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama, and part of the larger Black Belt Region of the Southern United States, which stretches from Texas to Maryland. The term originally referred to the region underlain by a thin layer of rich, black topsoil developed atop the chalk of the Selma...
makes it a processing hub for crops such as
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
,
peanutThe peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume family native to South America, Mexico and Central America. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing 30 to 50 cm tall...
s, and
soybeanThe soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia. The plant is classed as an oilseed rather than a pulse. It is an annual plant that has been used in China for 5,000 years to primarily add nitrogen into the soil as part of crop rotation...
s. In 1840
Montgomery CountyMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It was named in honor of Lemuel P. Montgomery, a military officer killed at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812 . The county seat, Montgomery, Alabama, has a different origin for its name, being named for Richard Montgomery...
led the state in cotton production, and by 1911, the city processed 160,000-200,000 bales of cotton annually. Montgomery has long had large metal fabrication and lumber production sectors. Due to its location along the
Alabama RiverThe Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery....
and extensive rail connections, Montgomery has and continues to be a regional distribution hub for a wide range of industries. Today, the city's Gross Metropolitan Product is $12.15 billion, representing 8.7% of the Gross State Product of Alabama.
According to
Bureau of Labor StatisticsThe Bureau of Labor Statistics , a unit of the United States Department of Labor, is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
data from October 2008, the largest sectors of non-agricultural employment were: Government, 24.3%; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, 17.3% (including 11.0% in retail trade); Professional and Business Services, 11.9%; Manufacturing, 10.9%; Education and Health Services, 10.0% (including 8.5% in Health Care & Social Assistance); Leisure and Hospitality, 9.2%; Financial Activities, 6.0%, Natural Resources, Mining and Construction, 5.1%; Information, 1.4%; and Other services 4.0%. Unemployment for the same period was 5.7%, 2.5% higher than October 2007. The city also draws in workers from the surrounding area; Montgomery's daytime population rises 17.4% to 239,101.
As of August 2008, Montgomery's largest employers were Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base (12,280 employees), the
State of Alabama- Executive :The Alabama Executive branch consists of the governor, currently Bob Riley, the Cabinet, and the executive staff. The Cabinet consists of the heads of 25 different departments ranging from the Chief of Staff to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.- Cabinet...
(9,500),
Montgomery Public SchoolsMontgomery Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. The district serves the city of Montgomery and surrounding Montgomery County...
(4,524), Baptist Health (4,300),
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing AlabamaHyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama is an automobile factory in Montgomery, Alabama. It is owned and operated by Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Construction completed in June, 2004, with the first vehicles produced in March of 2005. The official grand opening ceremony on May 20, 2005, was...
(3,171), Alfa Insurance (2,568), the City of Montgomery (2,500), 754th Electronics Systems Group (1,943), Jackson Hospital & Clinic (1,300), and
RheemRheem is a privately held manufacturing company that started in 1927 as a supplier of packagings to the petroleum industry.-Divisions:*Rheem Water Heating*Ruud Water Heating*Rheem Air conditioning*Ruud Air Conditioning Division*Solahart*Raypak...
Water Heaters (1,150). One
Fortune 1000Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune. The list is of the 1000 largest American companies, ranked on revenues alone...
company, Colonial Bancgroup, is headquartered in Montgomery.
According to
Pennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research university located in the University Park area and within State College and College Township in Pennsylvania, United States...
's "Living Wage Calculator", the
living wageLiving wage is a term used to describe the minimum hourly wage necessary for shelter and nutrition for a person for an extended period of time...
for the city is
$The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
8.02 per hour (or $16,691 per year) for an individual and $25.80 per hour ($53,662 per year) for a family of four. These are slightly higher than the state averages of $7.45 per hour for an individual and $25.36 for a family of four.
Law and government
Montgomery operates under a
Mayor-council governmentThe Mayor-Council government system, sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system, is one of two variations of government used for the most part in modern representative municipal governments in the United States. It is also used in some other countries...
system. Mayor
Bobby BrightBobby Neal Bright, Sr. is an American politician from the state of Alabama. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2009, representing . The district includes just over half of the state capital, Montgomery, as well as most of the Wiregrass Region in...
was elected to the
United States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election....
from
Alabama's 2nd congressional districtAlabama's Second Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in Alabama, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives...
in November 2008. City council president Charles Jinright was the acting mayor until a special election was held on March 10, 2009, to select a permanent successor. Bright was elected mayor in the 1999, having unseated longtime
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
Mayor
Emory FolmarEmory McCord Folmar was the mayor of Montgomery, Alabama from 1977 to 1999. Although the mayor's office is nonpartisan, Folmar was known to be a Republican.-Background:...
. Bright was re-elected in a landslide against challenger Scott Simmons in the 2003 and 2007 municipal elections. After the 2009 special election, Todd Strange was elected mayor by a 53% margin against 5 other candidates.
The city is served by a nine-member
city councilA city council is the legislative body that governs a city, municipality or local government area.-Australia:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council may vary slightly...
, which is composed of nine districts of equal size. The city council is responsible for establishing the city of Montgomery's policies.
The current members of the city council are
District 1 - Councillor Jim Spear
District 2 - Councillor Charles W. Smith
District 3 - Councillor Tracy Larkin
District 4 - Councillor David Burkette
District 5 - Councillor Cornelius "C.C." Calhoun
District 6 - Councillor Willie Cook
District 7 - Councillor Martha Roby
District 8 - Councillor Glen Pruitt, Jr.
District 9 - Councillor Charles Jinright
On May 10, 2009, City Councillor Martha Roby announced that she would seek the Republican Nomination for Congress in Alabama's Second District in 2010. If she wins the primary, Roby will face former Mayor Bobby Bright.
Culture
The Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park in east Montgomery is home to the
Montgomery Museum of Fine ArtsThe Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is a museum located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, featuring several art collections. For seventy years, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has been a showcase for the visual arts in Central Alabama...
. The Museum's permanent collections include American art and sculpture,
SouthernThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, Down South, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive region in the southeastern and south-central United States...
art, master prints from European masters, and collections of porcelain and glass works. The Society of Arts and Crafts operates a co-op gallery for local artists.
Montgomery ZooMontgomery Zoo is located on the north side of Montgomery, Alabama. The Montgomery Zoo was established in 1920 as part of Oak Park. It grew and thrived there until the 1960s. Eleven years later, the Zoo was re-established and moved to its current located in north Montgomery. In 1989, the Zoo...
, one of only two
AZAright|250pxThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation...
-accredited zoos in Alabama, has over 500 animals in of barrier-free habitats. The Hank Williams Museum contains one of the largest collections of Williams memorabilia in the world.
Blount Park is also contains the
Alabama Shakespeare FestivalThe Alabama Shakespeare Festival is the seventh largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Each year, it attracts more than 300,000 visitors from throughout the United States and more than 60 countries, to its home in Montgomery, Alabama....
's Carolyn Blount Theatre. The Shakespeare Festival presents year-round performances of both classic plays and performances of local interest, in addition to works of
William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. The 1200-seat Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, on the
Troy University at MontgomeryTroy University at Montgomery is a satellite campus of Troy University and is located in Montgomery, Alabama. The campus is located in the western part of downtown, and includes the Rosa Parks Museum and Library, the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts, and portions of the historic Bell...
campus, opened in 1930 and was renovated in 1983. It houses the
Montgomery Symphony OrchestraThe Montgomery Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra in Montgomery, Alabama.The MSO began in 1976 as a project of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, with thirty volunteer musicians and a part-time director. A board of directors now governs the orchestra, which is funded by concert...
, Alabama Dance Theatre and Montgomery Ballet, as well as other theatrical productions. The Symphony has been performing in Montgomery since 1979. The Capri Theatre in
CloverdaleCloverdale is a neighborhood within the American city of Montgomery, Alabama. It is the largest garden-landscaped neighborhood in the state of Alabama.- History :...
was built in 1941, and today shows
independent filmAn independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of any major film studio. Originally, this term denoted independence from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., RKO, Universal Pictures, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures, the 8 major studio entities...
s. Jubilee CityFest is an annual music festival featuring a variety of performers.
There is a rich history of musical performers with roots in Montgomery. Jazz singer and pianist
Nat King ColeNathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat "King" Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz...
, country singer Hank Williams, blues singer
Big Mama ThorntonWillie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record the hit song "Hound Dog" in 1952. The song was #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks. The B-side was "They Call Me Big Mama," and the single sold almost two million copies...
,
Melvin FranklinMelvin Franklin was an American bass singer, best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1961 to 1994.-Biography:...
of
The TemptationsThe Temptations are an American vocal group that achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, and guitarist
Tommy ShawTommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
of
StyxStyx is an American rock band. Their hit songs have included "Come Sail Away", "Lady", "Mr. Roboto", "Renegade", "Babe", "Blue Collar Man" and "The Best of Times"...
are among the many musicians to get their start in Montgomery. Author and artist Zelda Sayre was born in Montgomery. In 1918, she met
F. Scott FitzgeraldFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are evocative of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost Generation" of the Twenties...
, who was a soldier stationed at an Army post nearby. The house where they lived is today used as the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum. Poet
Sidney LanierSidney Lanier was an American musician and poet.-Early life and war:Sydney Lanier was born February 3, 1842, in Macon, Georgia, to parents Robert Sampson Lanier and Mary Jane Anderson; he was mostly of English ancestry, with his distant French ancestors having immigrated to England in the 16th...
lived in Montgomery and
PrattvillePrattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 31,119. The city is the county seat of Autauga County, Alabama. It is nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area. The...
immediately after the
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
, while writing his novel
Tiger Lilies.
In addition to being the launching point of Hank Williams Sr.’s career, and the birth place of Nat King Cole,
Clarence CarterClarence Carter is a blind American soul singer and musician.-Biography:Born in Montgomery, Alabama on 14 January, 1936, Carter attended the Alabama School for the Blind in Talladega, Alabama, and Alabama State College in Montgomery, graduating in August 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in...
, and Tommy Shaw, Montgomery as also seen a few of its rock bands achieve national success in recent years. Locals artists
Trust CompanyTrust Company can refer to:*Trust company, a company acting as a trustee*Trust Company *Trust Company, predecessor to SunTrust Banks...
were signed to
Geffen RecordsGeffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
in 2002.
Hot Rod CircuitHot Rod Circuit was a rock band from New Haven, Connecticut established in 1997.-Biography:The band was originally known as Antidote under which they released the album Mr. Glenbowski, which won the group the award of Best Unsigned Band of 1998 by Musician Magazine...
formed in Montgomery in 1997 under the name Antidote, but achieved success with
Vagrant RecordsVagrant Records is an independent record label, founded by Face to Face manager Rich Egan and friend Jon Cohen in 1996. The label has become increasingly popular, garnering gold albums and MTV Video Music Awards...
after moving to
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
. The
Ed Kemper TrioThe Ed Kemper Trio was an independent Art/Noise rock band based in Montgomery, Alabama. The band was formed in 1997 after the break up two Montgomery-area noise rock bands, Bert and He is the Queen. EK3's sound was characterized by short asymmetrical song structures, sheer volume and odd meter. EK3...
became well known in Montgomery’s local rock music scene from 1997 - 2004, and was the focus of
People Will Eat Anything, a music documentary shown at the
Capri Theatre in 2004.
Places of worship in Montgomery include the
Dexter Avenue Baptist ChurchDexter Avenue Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. The church was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974. In 1978 the official name was changed to the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
,
St. John's Episcopal ChurchSt. John's Episcopal Church is a historic Gothic Revival church in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. It was designed by the New York architectural firm of Frank Wills and Henry Dudley. The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on 24 February 1975.-History:St...
, Mt. Zion AME Zion Church, and
Agudath Israel Etz AhayemAgudath Israel Etz Ahayem is a Conservative Jewish congregation located at 3525 Cloverdale Road in Montgomery, Alabama...
synagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer....
.
Sports
Montgomery is home of the
Montgomery BiscuitsThe Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
baseball team. The Biscuits play in the Class AA
Southern LeagueThe Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , but it had to shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. They are affiliated with the
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and are the defending American League champions. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League...
, and play at
Montgomery Riverwalk StadiumMontgomery Riverwalk Stadium is the home of the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League. The minor league baseball ballpark opened in Montgomery, Alabama in 2004. It is built into an historic train station and has a total capacity of 7,000, including general-admission lawn seating. The stadium...
. Riverwalk Stadium was the host of the
NCAAThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
Division IIDivision II is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It offers an alternative to both the highly competitive level of intercollegiate sports offered in NCAA Division I and to the non-scholarship level offered in Division III...
National Baseball Championship from 2004 until 2007. The championship had previously been played at
Paterson FieldPaterson Field is a baseball stadium in Montgomery, Alabama. The stadium has a maximum capacity of 7,000 people and was opened in 1949. Paterson Field has played host to, among other professional teams, the Montgomery Rebels, a AA-class minor-league team affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, and the...
in Montgomery from 1985 until 2003.
The
Navistar LPGA ClassicThe Navistar LPGA Classic is a golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. It was played for the first time in September 2007 at the Capitol Hill location on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Alabama...
women's
golfGolf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
event is held at the
Robert Trent Jones Golf TrailThe Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a collection of championship caliber golf courses, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., distributed across the state of Alabama, as part of investments by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The Trail started with 378 holes at eight sites throughout the state,...
at Capitol Hill in nearby
PrattvillePrattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 31,119. The city is the county seat of Autauga County, Alabama. It is nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area. The...
.
Garrett ColiseumThe Garrett Coliseum is an 8,528-seat multi-purpose arena in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. It was home to the Montgomery Bears arena football team.-External links:*...
was the home of the now-defunct
Montgomery BearsThe Montgomery Bears are a professional indoor football team that play their home games at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, Alabama. They are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. The team began play as the Montgomery Maulers of the National Indoor Football League and won the...
indoor footballIndoor football is a variation of American football with rules modified to make it suitable for play within indoor arenas.-Early history:The first documented indoor football games were those played at Madison Square Garden in 1902 and 1903 known as the "World Series of Pro Football." They were the...
team.
Montgomery is also the site of sporting events hosted by the area's colleges and universities. The
Alabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
Hornets play in NCAA
Division IDivision I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States....
competition in the
Southwestern Athletic ConferenceThe Southwestern Athletic Conference is a mid-major college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the southern United States...
. The
footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
team plays at the Cramton Bowl and the
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
team play at the
Joe L. Reed AcadomeThe ASU Acadome is a 7,400-seat multi-purpose arena in Montgomery, Alabama. Opened in 1992, it is home to the Alabama State Hornets basketball team of Alabama State University....
.
Auburn University MontgomeryAuburn University Montgomery is a coeducational public university located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. It is a branch campus of Auburn University and was established by an act of the Alabama Legislature in 1967. AUM offers programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and specialist degrees...
also fields teams in
NAIAThe National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA permits membership to colleges and universities...
competition.
Huntingdon CollegeHuntingdon College, founded in 1854, is a coeducational liberal arts college in Montgomery, Alabama. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the college is known for its business and science programs...
participates at the NCAA Division III level and
Faulkner UniversityFaulkner University is a private Christian university, located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, and affiliated with the Church of Christ. The University was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible School. In 1953 the school's name was changed to Alabama Christian College . In 1965, the college was moved to...
is a member of the NAIA and is a nearby rival of Auburn-Montgomery. The
Blue-Gray Football ClassicThe Blue–Gray Football Classic was an annual American college football all-star game held in Alabama usually on Christmas Day. It was begun in 1939 and held annually through 2001 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The game was not contested in 2002 and was subsequently revived in 2003 in...
was an annual college football
all-star gameAn all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
held from 1938 until 2001.
Several successful professional athletes hail from Montgomery, including
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, United States, on September 7 1963 with 17 charter inductees...
r
Bart StarrBryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and the Most Valuable Player of the first two Super Bowls. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and was inducted into the Pro...
and
two-time Olympic gold medalistAt the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:
...
in track and field
Alonzo BabersAlonzo C. Babers is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in the 400 m and the 4x400 m relay....
.
Education
The city of Montgomery and Montgomery County are served by the
Montgomery Public SchoolsMontgomery Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. The district serves the city of Montgomery and surrounding Montgomery County...
system. As of 2007, there were 32,520 students enrolled in the system, and 2,382 teachers employed. The system manages 32 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and 4 high schools (
G.W. CarverGeorge Washington Carver High School is a public high school in Montgomery, Alabama. It is a part of the Montgomery Public Schools system....
,
Jeff DavisJefferson Davis High School is public high school located in Montgomery, Alabama....
,
Robert E. LeeRobert E. Lee High School is a public secondary school in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, serving grades 10–12. The school is part of the Montgomery Public Schools system.-History:...
, and Sidney Lanier) as well as 9
magnet schoolIn education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
s, 1
alternative schoolAlternative school , is the name used in some parts of the world to describe an institution which provides part of alternative education. It is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional...
, and 2
special educationSpecial education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
centers. Montgomery is also home to 28
private schoolPrivate schools, also known as independent schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition, rather than relying on public funds...
s.
Montgomery has been the home of
Alabama State UniversityAlabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
, a
historically black universityHistorically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community...
, since the Lincoln Normal University for Teachers relocated from
MarionMarion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
in 1887. Today, ASU enrolls over 5,600 students from 42
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
s and 7 countries.
Troy UniversityTroy University is a public university located in Troy, Alabama and founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School with a mission to educate and train new teachers. Troy has since evolved into a comprehensive state university. The main campus enrollment as of the fall of 2007 is 6,177 students...
maintains a 3,000 student population campus in downtown Montgomery that prominently houses the award-winning
Rosa ParksRosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African American civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress later called the "Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement."...
Library and Museum. Troy University is also a worldwide leader in distance learning programs. Auburn Montgomery in the eastern part of the city operates as a satellite campus of
Auburn UniversityAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, U.S. With more than 24,100 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 1, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts school...
, and has an enrollment of 5,123. Montgomery also is home to several private colleges:
Faulkner UniversityFaulkner University is a private Christian university, located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, and affiliated with the Church of Christ. The University was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible School. In 1953 the school's name was changed to Alabama Christian College . In 1965, the college was moved to...
which has an enrollment of 3,500, is a
Church of ChristChurches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and see themselves as restoring the New Testament church established by Christ.Historically, Churches of Christ in...
-affiliated school and
Huntingdon CollegeHuntingdon College, founded in 1854, is a coeducational liberal arts college in Montgomery, Alabama. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the college is known for its business and science programs...
has a current student population of 1,000 and is affiliated with the
United Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which traces its roots back to the evangelical, holiness, revival movement of John and Charles Wesley within the Anglican Church. As such, the church's theological orientation is decidedly Wesleyan. It contains both liturgical and...
.
Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Atmore, Alabama native Second Lieutenant William C...
is the headquarters for Air University, the
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
's center for professional military education. Branches of Air University based in Montgomery include the
Squadron Officer SchoolSquadron Officer School , is the United States Air Force leadership school for company grade officers . The school is based at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, and is part of Air University....
, the
Air Command and Staff CollegeThe Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school...
, the
Air War CollegeThe United States Air Force Air War College is a part of the Air University, and is a component of the United States Air Force's Air Education and Training Command, headquartered at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama.- History :...
, and the
Community College of the Air ForceThe Community College of the Air Force is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force which grants two year Associate of Applied Science degrees in association with Air University....
.
Media
The morning newspaper, the
Montgomery AdvertiserThe Montgomery Advertiser is a daily newspaper located in Montgomery, Alabama. It was founded in 1829.- History:The newspaper began publication in 1829 as The Planter's Gazette. It became the Montgomery Advertiser in 1833. In 1903, R.F. Hudson, a young Alabama newspaperman, joined the staff of the...
, began publication as the
The Planter's Gazette in 1829. It is the principal newspaper of central Alabama and is affiliated with the Gannett Corporation. In 1970, then publisher
Harold E. MartinHarold Eugene Martin was a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor and publisher who also served as a director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. During his career, Martin lived in the U.S...
won the
Pulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City....
for special reporting while at the
Advertiser. The
Alabama Journal was a local afternoon paper from 1899 until April 16, 1993 when it published its last issue before merging with the morning Advertiser.
Montgomery is served by seven local television stations:
WNCF 32WNCF, ABC 32, is an ABC-affiliated television station, broadcasting on UHF channel 32 from Montgomery, Alabama. Its transmitter is located in Hayneville, Alabama. The station is owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting and is the flagship of that group which is also based in Montgomery.-History:Channel...
(
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
),
WSFA 12WSFA is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Black Belt area of central Alabama that is licensed to Montgomery.. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter southeast of Grady along the Montgomery and Pike County line...
(
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
),
WCOV 20WCOV-TV is the FOX-affiliated television station for the Black Belt area of central Alabama that is licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter southeast of Grady along the Montgomery and Crenshaw County line. WCOV can also be seen on...
(
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
),
WBMM 22WBMM is the CW-affiliated television station for the Black Belt area of central Alabama that is licensed to licensed to Tuskegee. Its transmitter is located in western Bullock County near the Pike County line. Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting, the station is sister to ABC affiliate WNCF. The two...
(
CWThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
), WAIQ 26 (
PBSThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. However, its operations are largely funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...
), WMCF 45 (
TBNThe Trinity Broadcasting Network is the United States' largest Christian television network. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, it also has studio facilities located in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New York...
), WFRZ 34 (Religious and Educational). In addition,
WAKA 8WAKA is a CBS-affiliated television station broadcasting on channel 8 that serves central and south Alabama. The station is licensed to Selma but its main studios are in Montgomery. WAKA's transmitter is located at Gordonville, Alabama in Lowndes County....
(
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
) and
WBIH 29WBIH is an independent television station in Selma, Alabama, serving the Montgomery, Alabama media market on channel 29. Founded in 2001, the station is owned by Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. The programming consists of infomercials, old movies and vintage television shows...
(independent) are located in
SelmaSelma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census. The city is best known for the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement and its Selma to Montgomery marches, three civil rights...
, and
WRJM 67WRJM-TV is a television station serving the Montgomery, Alabama market. Its home office is located in Troy, Alabama, with a local sales office in Montgomery...
(
MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
) is licensed to
TroyTroy is a city in Pike County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 13,935. More recent estimates place the population as 14,482. The city is the county seat of Pike County. It is home to Troy University .- History :Troy burned down in 1901 and had to be rebuilt from scratch...
. Montgomery is part of the Montgomery-Selma Designated Market Area, which is ranked 118th nationally by
Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
.
The Montgomery area is served by nine
AMAM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation.-History:AM was the dominant method of broadcasting during the first eighty years of the 20th century and remains widely used into the 21st....
radio stations:
WMSPWMSP is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC...
,
WMGYWMGY is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in 1946, is owned by George H. Buck, Jr., and the license is held by WMGY Radio, Inc....
,
WNZZWNZZ is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station, originally launched in 1953, is currently owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC.-Programming:...
,
WTBFWTBF is a radio station broadcasting a Talk/Personality format. Licensed to Troy, Alabama, USA. The station is currently owned by Troy Broadcasting Corp. and features programing from ABC Radio.- History of Troy Broadcasting Corporation :...
,
WACVWACV is a news/talk radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, market owned by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC....
,
WAPZWAPZ is a radio station broadcasting a Soul Classics format. Licensed to Wetumpka, Alabama, USA, the station serves the Montgomery. The station is currently owned by J&W, L.L.C...
,
WIQRWIQR is a radio station licensed to serve Prattville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Star Power Communications Corporation and serves the Montgomery, Alabama, area....
,
WLWIWLWI is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC....
, and
WXVIWXVI is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel music format. Licensed to Montgomery, Alabama, USA, the station serves the greater Montgomery area. The station is currently owned by New Life Ministries, Inc.-External links:*...
; and nineteen
FMFM broadcasting is a broadcast technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio.-Terminology:...
stations:
WJSPWJSP-FM is the Georgia Public Broadcasting radio station serving Columbus and all of west-central Georgia. It shares a radio tower with GPB TV station WJSP-TV just outside of Warm Springs, Georgia, its city of license. The station was one of the first GPB radio stations, first broadcasting in...
, WAPR,
WELLWELL-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Dadeville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by James Jarrell Communications and Foundation...
,
WLBFWLBF is a non-commercial radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Faith Broadcasting, Inc. It airs a religious radio format.-History:...
,
WTSUTroy University Public Radio is a network of public radio stations based in Troy, Alabama, USA that serve southeastern Alabama and parts of western Georgia and northwestern Florida with classical music, folk music, and jazz programs, as well as news and feature programs from the National Public...
,
WVASWVAS is a jazz-music formatted radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, market licensed to the Alabama State University. WVAS is a member-supported non-commercial, educational station featuring news and other programming from National Public Radio and Public Radio International.WVAS began...
,
WLWIWLWI-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, Inc.-Programming:...
,
WXFXWXFX is a rock music-formatted radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, market. The station is owned by Cumulus Media....
,
WQKSWQKS-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station, established in 1990, is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting.-Programming:...
,
WWMGWWMG is an urban contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to Millbrook, Alabama. The station is known as "Magic 97" and serves the Montgomery, Alabama, area....
,
WVRVWVRV is a radio station that serves Pine Level, Alabama. The station is owned by Stroh Communications Corp. and the broadcast license is held by Back Door Broadcasting LLC. The station broadcasts a Contemporary Christian music format...
,
WJWZWJWZ is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC....
,
WBAMWBAM-FM is a country music formatted radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, United States.-The defunct WBAM AM 740:...
,
WALXWALX is a classic hits music formatted radio station licensed to Orrville, Alabama, and serving the Selma, Alabama, market. The station is owned by Scott Communications, Inc.-Programming:...
, WHHY,
WMXSWMXS is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.It broadcasts a mainstream adult contemporary music format....
,
WHLWWHLW is a radio station licensed to serve Luverne, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and licensed to Capstar TX Limited Partnership....
,
WZHTWZHT is a mainstream Urban formatted radio station that broadcasts on the 105.7 MHz frequency licensed to Troy, Alabama, that serves the Montgomery area....
, and WMRK. Montgomery is ranked 153rd largest by
ArbitronArbitron is a radio audience research company in the United States which collects listener data on radio audiences similar to that collected by Nielsen Media Research on television audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became bi-coastal by merging with L.A....
.
Transportation
Two interstate highways run through Montgomery.
Interstate 65Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at a traffic light with U.S. Route 12 and U.S...
is the primary north–south freeway through the city leading between
BirminghamBirmingham is the largest city in the state of Alabama in the United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County and includes part of Shelby County. According to a 2007 estimate, the city had a population of 229,800 The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, as of the 2008 census estimates,...
and
HuntsvilleHuntsville is a city, centrally located in the northern most part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located in Madison county and extends west into neighboring Limestone county. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison county, and the fourth largest city in Alabama. The 2000 census estimated...
to the north and
MobileMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern U.S. state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 198,915 during the 2000 census...
to the south. Montgomery is the southern terminus of
Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major Interstate Highway in the southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus intersects with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond.An addition to Interstate 85 is proposed...
, another north–south freeway (though running east–west in the city), which leads northeast to
AtlantaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
. The major surface street thoroughfare is a loop consisting of State Route 152 in the north, U.S. Highway 231 and U.S. Highway 80 in the east, U.S. Highway 82 in the south, and U.S. Highway 31 along the west of the city. The
Alabama Department of TransportationThe Alabama Department of Transportation is the government agency responsible for transportation infrastructure in Alabama. The department is divided into nine geographical divisions, with a central office located in Montgomery....
is planning the Outer Montgomery Loop to ease traffic congestion in the city. It is planned to connect
Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major Interstate Highway in the southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus intersects with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond.An addition to Interstate 85 is proposed...
near
Mt. MeigsMount Meigs is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County in the state of Alabama.Mount Meigs is the home of the Alabama Industrial School which opened in 1911 as the "Alabama Reform School for Juvenile Negro Law-Breakers", was changed to the "Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children" in...
to U.S. Highway 80 southwest of the city. Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS) provides public transportation with buses serving the city. The system has 32 buses providing an average of 4500 passenger trips daily. MATS ridership has shown steady growth since the system was revamped in 2000; the system served over 1 million passenger trips in 2007.
Greyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, USA, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States and Canada, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and incorporated...
operates a terminal in Montgomery for intra-city bus travel.
Montgomery Regional AirportMontgomery Regional Airport , also known as Dannelly Field, is a joint civil-military public airport located six miles southwest of the central business district of Montgomery, a city in Montgomery County and the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama...
, also known as Dannelly Field, is the major airport serving Montgomery. It serves primarily as an
Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
base and for general aviation, but commercial airlines fly to regional connections to
AtlantaHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
,
CharlotteCharlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
, and
MemphisMemphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States...
.
Passenger rail service began to Montgomery in 1898, with the opening of
Union StationUnion Station, also known as Montgomery Union Station or Montgomery Union Station and Trainshed, in Montgomery, Alabama was built by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and opened in 1898...
. Service continued until 1979, when
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
terminated its
FloridianThe Floridian was an Amtrak route that ran from Chicago to Miami and St. Petersburg, Florida. Its route mainly followed that of several former Louisville and Nashville Railroad passenger trains, including the Humming Bird...
route. Amtrak returned from 1989 until 1995 with the
Gulf BreezeThe Gulf Breeze was a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak between Birmingham and Mobile in the U.S. state of Alabama.- History :Amtrak introduced the Gulf Breeze in October 1989 as an adjunct to the Crescent . Costs of operation were split between Amtrak and the state, with the latter...
, an extension of the
CrescentThe Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns on the same route as train 20. Most of the route of the...
line.
Further reading
- L. P. Powell (editor), in Historic Towns of the Southern States, (New York, 1900)
- Jeffry C. Benton (editor) A Sense of Place, Montgomery's Architectural History
External links