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Rowdy's helpful tip: Take a tour through this page to see how
beautiful and culturally rich North Alabama is! |
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Big
Spring Park
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Here is some history and some "insider" information about my area:
A Diverse and Rich Culture
The high-tech city of Huntsville lies at the foot of Monte Sano Mountain in North Alabama. Huntsville's tourist attractions reflect the heritage of Alabama's first English-speaking city, the strife of the American Civil War, and the accomplishments of America's renowned rocket scientists. Huntsville's population is a vibrant blend of international cultures. Of the 180,000 city residents, more than 10 percent are natives of other countries. More than 100 languages and dialects are spoken here. In addition to the German rocket scientists who arrived in 1950, Huntsville is home to the first U.S. plant built by Korea's largest corporation. Several Japanese-owned companies operate manufacturing plants here. Scores of foreign national flags ring the roof of the headquarters of an international computer manufacturing firm headquartered in Huntsville.
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The Birthplace of Alabama
Pioneer John Hunt, for whom the city is named, occupied a cabin alongside a spring here in 1805.
(Today you will find a cool stream flowing from this spring through acres of dedicated green space called "Big Spring Park" in the heart of downtown Huntsville). A town soon flourished and was the largest in the Alabama Territory by 1819. That year the leaders of the Alabama Territory met here to petition the U.S. Congress to grant Alabama statehood. (Today's recreated 1819 Alabama Constitution Village, a block from the courthouse square, commemorates the historic events through tours given by costumed guides).
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America's Space Capital
Huntsville was still a cotton market town of 16,437 people in 1950
when U.S. Sen. John Sparkman brought a group of German rocket scientists to Redstone Arsenal to develop rockets for the U.S. Army. By the end of the decade, Wernher von Braun's team had developed the rocket that orbited America's first satellite. They eventually put the first American in space and transported the first astronauts to the Moon.
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Strategic Military Installation
Redstone Arsenal is one of the U.S. Army's most important strategic posts. It is responsible for research, development, production and worldwide support of missiles, aviation, rockets and related programs. The influx of engineers, scientists and other technical specialists has transformed the small town into a cosmopolitan community that nonetheless maintains its heritage and reputation for hospitality.
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Growing Into the Next Century
Huntsville Burritt Museum
The Huntsville area remains one of the South's fastest-growing. The county's population is estimated at 260,000. It has the highest per capita income in the Southeast. Atlanta's is second. The nearby city of Madison, just west of Redstone Arsenal, is experiencing rapid growth. The Hampton Cove area on U.S. 431 south is the fastest growing residential area within Huntsville's city limits. And many families are discovering and making their homes in the green landscapes and rural communities still found within an easy 35 minute commute to work.
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