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Montgomery is the capital of Alabama and has a surprising amount of things to see and do. Whether you’re on the Civil Rights trail or Civil War trail, or just looking for some Southern culture, Montgomery makes a great choice.
Introduction to Montgomery
Members of the Alibamu and Coushatta tribes originally inhabited the area making up Montgomery. The first permanent European settler was James McQueen, who arrived in 1716 from Scotland. After the French and Indian War, the Alibamu and Coushatta eventually migrated westward to Spanish-held areas and the Creek moved in.
The Creek were forced out after the Creek War ended in August 1814. In 1817, white settlers led by General John Scott (1773-1839) founded Alabama Town about 2 miles from what is now downtown Montgomery. They were followed by Andrew Dexter Jr. (1779-1837), who in 1818 founded New Philadelphia, which is now the eastern part of downtown. The two towns merged on December 3, 1819, and incorporated as Montgomery. It’s named for Revolutionary War general Richard Montgomery (1738-1775).
The state capital moved to Montgomery from Tuscaloosa on January 28, 1846. On February 4, 1861, it was named the first capital of the Confederate States of America, which later moved to Richmond, Virginia. The city fell to Union troops under Major General James H. Wilson (1837-1925) on April 12, 1865. In 1886, Montgomery was the first city in America to install electric streetcars.
With a long history of segregation, systematic racism, and white supremacy, Montgomery was thrust to the forefront of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. Rosa Parks (1913-2005), Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), and the Freedom Riders all played prominent roles in the enforcement of desegregation of public transportation and the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
More recently the city has undergone a downtown revitalization project and has seen growth in the local economy. It has a vibrant arts scene and is home to several organizations focused on diversity and civil rights.
My Experience in Montgomery
My trip to Montgomery was limited to just a day and I have to admit I should’ve planned for more time. I focused on the Civil Rights landmarks in the city, but would love to come back and see more Civil War sites, museums, and cultural sites.
Getting to Montgomery
The best way to get to Montgomery is by car. There’s a small regional airport but flights are limited to a few cities in the South, like Dallas, Charlotte, Washington DC, and Atlanta (as of March 2024). To get around, most of the sites in and around downtown are walkable.
Where to Stay in Montgomery
There are plenty of options for all budgets. We decided to save some money and stayed outside downtown.
Comfort Inn & Suites Montgomery East Carmichael Road
We stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites Montgomery East Carmichael Road, formerly the Montgomery Inn & Suites, a few miles east of downtown. It had a friendly staff with big, comfortable rooms. Our only complaint was the breakfast. It was mediocre, but much worse was the overflowing garbage can that staff walked by several times without emptying.
Where to Eat in Montgomery
We only had one meal during our stay.
NYC Gyro
Our only meal in Montgomery was a quick stop at NYC Gyro near Court Square. Marisol had a falafel plate and I had a lamb plate. I was expecting actual pieces of lamb but it ended up being gyro meat. The meals came with pita bread, a salad, and hummus. Service was friendly and the food was decent, but I was disappointed about the lamb.
Court Square
If asked to name the most historic places in the country, not many people would guess Court Square in Montgomery. It was the center of Southern economic and political power in the 19th century, and the telegram that started the Civil War was sent from the square. It was also ground zero for the Civil Rights movement, with the event that ended desegregation of public transportation. The 1965 Voting Rights March also passed through the square.
At Court Square in 1819, the towns of New Philadelphia and East Alabama merged together to form Montgomery. The principal street of New Philadelphia was Market Street (today’s Dexter Avenue), while East Alabama was centered around Main Street (today’s Commerce Street). Court Square connects these two streets today. The city’s first courthouse also stood on the square, but it has been torn down along with most of the original buildings.
Court Square Fountain
In the center is the Court Square Fountain, which was erected in 1885. It stands on top of an artesian well that was used by Native Americans long before the arrival of Europeans. Atop of the fountain is a statue of Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth.
Slave Market Historical Marker
Before the Civil War, Court Square was the site of Montgomery’s slave markets. Slaves of all ages were auctioned there along with land and livestock. According to the historical marker, “public posters advertised sales and included gender, approximate age, first name, skill, price, complexion, and the owner’s name”. In 1859, there were seven auctioneers and four slave depots.
Winter Building
The Winter Building, built for cotton broker and banker John Gindrat between 1841 and 1843, played an important role in Civil War history. In 1861, the Confederate States Secretary of War, LeRoy Pope Walker (1817-1884), sent a telegram from the building to General P.G.T. Beauregard (1818-1893) ordering him to fire on Fort Sumter, thus commencing the Civil War.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Perhaps the most significant Civil Rights event to take place in Montgomery happened on December 1, 1955, when a seamstress named Rosa Parks (1913-2005) boarded a bus at Court Square. Shortly after, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to white riders. African-American community leaders, led by Martin Luther King Jr. organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott. 381 days later, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public transportation was unconstitutional. A historical marker commemorates the spot where Parks boarded the bus.
Rosa Parks Museum
The Rosa Parks Library and Museum is located on the spot where Rosa Parks was arrested, just two blocks west of Court Square. The museum, which opened on December 1, 2000, has information, exhibits, and artifacts on the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It’s open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (3pm on Saturday) and admission is US$7.50 (as of March 2024).
There’s an attached children’s museum and a statue of Parks sits in the lobby of the museum. The statue was made by sculptor Erik Blome in 2000. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit because the guide was giving a tour to a large school group. We would have had to wait an hour for the next tour.
Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station (Freedom Rides Museum)
A short walk south of Court Square, the Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station opened in August 1951 and closed in 1995. It has been the Freedom Rides Museum since May 2011. Adult admission is US$5 (as of March 2024) and it’s open Tuesday through Saturday. Inside there are lots of photos, and the guide gives excellent information about the Freedom Rides. I highly recommend the guided tour.
The Freedom Riders were activists who rode interstate buses to protest segregation. One of the buses pulled into station on May 20, 1961, and was met by an angry mob. The mob attacked the Freedom Riders with baseball bats and iron pipes while the police stood by and did nothing. Several people were brutally beaten.
The following night, over 1,500 people led by Rev. Ralph Abernathy (1926-1990) packed into the nearby First Baptist Church to honor the Freedom Riders but were attacked by a mob of 3,000 whites. President John F. Kennedy threatened Alabama Governor John Patterson (1921-2021) to intervene with federal troops, but the governor eventually ordered the Alabama National Guard to disperse the mob.
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church is a living Civil Rights landmark in the heart of Montgomery. It sits five blocks east of Court Square. The church was built between 1883 and 1889 as the Second Colored Baptist Church and later changed its name to the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. It was at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. On May 30, 1974, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Two pastors in particular are responsible for the church’s legacy. Vernon Johns (1892-1965), who served from 1947 to 1952, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) who served from 1954 to 1960, were important community leaders and Civil Rights activists. It was under a young King that the Montgomery Bus Boycott was organized in 1955. King later marched past the church in 1965 during the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March. The church’s current name dates back to 1978, when it was renamed in honor of Dr. King.
Tours of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church
Walk-in tours of the church are currently suspended due to COVID-19 and are available by appointment only. They cost US$10 (as of November 2023).
On our visit, the tour included a short film, a look at King’s office, and a wonderful interpretation of the history of the church by an enthusiastic guide. Our guide was Wanda, an outgoing and dynamic woman who can make even the gloomiest of days brighter. She greeted us with a hug and made us feel at home during our visit to the church. The tour wouldn’t have been the same without her, and she left us feeling inspired.
Office of Martin Luther King Jr.
After watching a short introductory film, Wanda showed us Dr. King’s office. The desk is original, and the rest of the office is decorated the way it would have looked during King’s pastorship. On the window in the office is an original brick discarded from the construction of the church.
Just outside the office is a simple wooden pulpit. King stood behind the very same pulpit when he spoke to over 25,000 people from the steps of the Alabama State Capitol on March 25, 1965, delivering his famous How Long, Not Long speech. The pulpit is autographed by David Oyelowo, the actor who played King in the 2014 movie Selma:
“It has been an absolute privilege to momentarily walk in Dr. King’s shoes.” – David Oyelowo
Basement of the Church
The tour continued through the basement. First, we took a look at a wall with photographs of every pastor to serve the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Wanda made sure to point out Johns and King, and told us a few differences between their leadership styles.
The fantastic mural in the basement was painted by Deacon John W. Feagin in 1980. It depicts important events during the Civil Rights movement and Dr. King’s life. At the end, it shows King in heaven surrounded by other Civil Rights activists.
Other items of interest in the basement include a work of art called The Beginning of a Dream, a water fountain with four places to drink, and a memorial to Claudine Lee Parker (1950-2002). Parker was a member of the church who was murdered in Montgomery by the DC Snipers on September 21, 2002.
The Church
Finally, it was time to walk up into the church. It’s beautiful yet simple. Wanda showed us some of the more important items at the pulpit, including the organ.
We were actually able to stand behind the pulpit and look out over the pews, just as King had done several years before. Above it hangs a cross, and behind it are chairs where others would sit during services. It was quite an experience.
Our Thoughts on the Tour
Before leaving, Wanda led us in singing We Shall Overcome, and left us with a message of hope and love. Visiting the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church was something we will never forget, and we believe everyone should see it when in Montgomery.
Voting Rights March Monument
The crosswalk in front of the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church has been painted with hundreds of footprints to honor the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March. On March 25, 1965, over 25,000 people entered Montgomery after a five day, 54-mile march from Selma to the Alabama State Capitol. The footprints face in the direction of capitol.
Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous How Long, Not Long speech at the steps of the capitol. A monument monument commemorating this event is across the street.
Civil Rights Memorial
On the block south of the church is the Civil Rights Memorial, designed by architect Maya Lin. It opened in 1989 and memorializes important events in the Civil Rights movement. The memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day.
The design of the memorial was inspired by a passage in the I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr.:
…we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream…
The timeline begins with Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 and ends with King’s assassination in 1968. It also includes the names of 41 people who died between 1955 and 1968.
An additional 74 names are on display inside the Civil Rights Memorial Center, which is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center. It acts as an interpretive center to the memorial. Adult admission is US$5 (as of March 2024). It’s open daily except Sundays from 9am to 5pm and tickets must be purchase in advance online.
Dexter Parsonage
Dexter Parsonage was the home of 12 pastors of the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church from 1920 to 1992. The most famous resident was Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) who lived there with his family from 1954 to 1960. The parsonage is located on Jackson Street.
Tours of the home run on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and by appointment on other days (as of March 2024). There’s no indication of the cost of the tour on the website, but they were US$7.50 per person in March 2020. Check the official website for more info. Tours begin at the interpretive center next door, where you watch a short film and listen to the guide before heading to the parsonage.
Our guide was Dr. Shirley Cherry, a dynamic woman who gives a moving and inspiring look at the parsonage. She took us through every room and told us some incredible stories of what went on there during King’s time in Montgomery. The passion in her voice captivated all of the visitors and we hung onto her every word. No photos were allowed inside the house, but at the end of the tour, Dr. Cherry snapped a photo of us at the King family’s kitchen table.
King-Johns Garden for Reflection
Behind the parsonage is the King-Johns Garden for Reflection. The garden is named for Vernon Johns (1892-1965) and Martin Luther King Jr., who had consecutive pastorates at the church. The two men are considered to be the most important pastors ever to serve the church.
Harris House
Finally, a few houses down from the Dexter Parsonage is the Harris House, owned by Dr. Richard H. Harris (1918-1976). From May 20-24, 1961, Harris, a pharmacist, opened his house to Freedom Riders who were attacked at the Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station. King, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, John Lewis (1940-2020), Diane Nash, and others met at the house to strategize the continuation of the rides.
