Huntsville History Month kicks off today
HUNTSVILLE — Citizens of Huntsville will have the opportunity to celebrate the city’s rich and unique history through a wide range of activities and events throughout the month of October.
The monthlong celebration, a partnership between the City of Huntsville and the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been named an official Alabama 200 event by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission.
“We have so much rich history here in our community, and we want to prepare for next year—the Bicentennial,” said Judy Ryals, president and CEO of the convention and visitors bureau. “We’re very excited to come up with some great partnerships throughout the whole community.”
October will be full of returning favorite events such as the Huntsville Ghost Walks and the Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll, according to Kristen Pepper, marketing manager for the convention and visitors bureau. The cemetery stroll includes
In addition, there will be several new events: guided history hikes with the Land Trust of North Alabama, special year releases from local breweries, a Huntsville black heritage bus tour and a historic challenge with the Huntsville/Madison County Historical Society.
“We know our city’s heritage is one of the top reasons visitors come to Huntsville,” Pepper said. “There’s so much history here for them to see and experience for themselves, whether it’s through one of our museums, a stroll through one of our historic districts or something unexpected like … one of the largest privately owned arts facilities in the United States, Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment.”
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle proclaimed the month of October Huntsville History Month and voiced his support for the celebration at a news conference Sept. 27.
“The history of our community tells us a path about where we’ve been, and it tells us where we are today, but more than that, it gives a picture of where we’re going to go tomorrow,” Battle said. “That history is something very important that each of us needs to know and needs to have knowledge of. It’s a history that we use today for what we do tomorrow.”
Pepper said there will be a chance to win prizes every Monday during October for those who share their answers to a history-related question posted online using the hashtag #HistoryHsv. Check the bureau’s social media pages for the questions.
Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration is a three-year event running from 2017-2019. Alabama became a territory in 1817 and officially gained statehood in 1819, becoming the 22nd state. Learn more at alabama200.org.
For more information about Huntsville History Month or to view a list of upcoming events, follow the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s social media pages or their official blog, ihearthsv.com, or visit huntsville.org/historymonth.
