ALABAMA 200 is bringing something for citizens and visitors of all ages to share and explore as we celebrate our state’s bicentennial. From a history walk and folk-life festivals, to travelling exhibitions and reunions, ALABAMA 200 is creating a three-year celebration for every facet of our beginning to our current life.
Beginning March 3rd, 2017 the celebration will start in our oldest areas, Mobile and St. Stephens, and culminate in December of 2019 in Huntsville. It is the site of our humble beginnings where we drew up our first established constitution, and the location of the signing has been preserved. ALABAMA 200 includes all 67 counties, and stretches from the Ardmore Welcome Center to the white sand beaches of Orange Beach, as well as from the Capital city to Rocket City.
ALABAMA 200 is about more than commemorating 200 years of a government. The State of Alabama exists as a place of unparalleled natural beauty, and it is the home of a diverse and distinct people who share a history with unique perspectives and values. It is a sense of shared culture and stories. You know, you only turn 200 years old once, and honoring the history that changed the world will need some time.
We begin in 2017 by “Discovering Our Place,” which coincides with Alabama’s Territorial Bicentennial. 2018 is the year for “Honoring Our People.” We will share the experiences and stories of the individuals who came here to live together. Sharing “Our Story” will be the theme of 2019, and the conclusion of ALABAMA 200, an invitation to continue celebrating what makes our state distinct, and honor the days to come with history as our guide.
Limestone County Vision
ALABAMA 200 is an unprecedented opportunity to experience and explore North Alabama. It is a chance to celebrate our place in each community in Limestone County. It is a moment to remember the people who made their home in “Alabama the Beautiful,” and to nurture the generations who will carry us forward. It is a chance to chart a vibrant, prosperous future for our county with our past to lead us forward.
Work and the workplace have gone through colossal changes between the mid-1800s and today. In the mid-1800’s, 60% of Americans made their living as farmers. During the mid-1900s, with its shift from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy, about 38% of workers declared farming as their main occupation. By 2000, only 2% of Americans worked on farms.
While we collect information for our 200th Anniversary, we will see the effects of industrialization, urbanization, immigration, labor unrest, wars, and changes in the economic positions of our country on ordinary working Americans. In the beginning we toiled in coal mines, on tractors, at typewriters and in the military. Then we labored on assembly lines making rockets, airplanes, the indispensable computer, and now robots.
Things you can participate in:
We will create displays & exhibits to show our history and growth. Photographs and historical documents will help to tell our stories. We have found artifacts from the American Indians to explain the importance of our location, to the endangered species of the mighty Elk who roamed our area, as did many other distinctive creatures.
We used storytelling for how we learned about our ancestors, our humor, and our day to day lives. We handed down dance, music, and re-enactments to keep our lineage alive. We planted, grew, and canned our gardens filled with great, nutritious foods. And we played! We made up most of our games, but we used our surroundings and our imaginations to foster these great activities.
We made our clothes, our bed clothes, and many other items from materials from food packaging. Others made furniture from the bounty of the forest and the hides of animals. We cared for our children, our seniors, the sick, and disabled, but still worked every day to enable our family to obtain a good education.
Our Limestone County community of Mooresville was incorporated November 16th, 1818 preceding Athens by 3 days, November 19th 1818. Mooresville has many unique qualities which haven’t seemed to have changed since their inception. Visit Mooresville’s website to learn more about their distinctive community.
We will have committee meetings beginning within the next couple of months. If you are interested in being a part of this historic event, send your contact information to info@VisitAthensAL.com. The Limestone Committee will be in touch with you soon.
By: Teresa Todd – Athens-Limestone County Tourism Director
100 N. Beaty Street
Athens, AL. 35611
256-232-5411
Teresa@VisitAthensAL.com
