COLBERT COUNTY-The Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau is inviting residents and tourists to walk through history in April.
Free walking tours will be held every Saturday in April to explore the history of Tuscumbia and Sheffield.
The hour-long tours of Tuscumbia, which are being organized by the Colbert County Tourism Bureau, begin at 10 a.m. at the Cold Water Bookstore in downtown Tuscumbia. The theme of the tours is Tracing Our Roots., Tuscumbia’s History. The tours will be led by local historians and include living history demonstrations.
The Sheffield tours, which are organized by the Sheffield S.H.I.N.E. Committee, begin at 10 a.m. at the Sheffield Municipal Building on North Montgomery Avenue. Participants in the Sheffield tour will walk along Montgomery Avenue to the historic Standpipe and back down the street on the other side. The tour will include commentary on each home’s Victorian and arts & crafts architecture and the various residents who made contributions to the city of Sheffield.
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“Tuscumbia and Sheffield both have rich histories,” said Susann Hamlin, president and CEO of Colbert County Tourism. “This year’s tours are a great opportunity to learn about the history of the cities as we prepare to celebrate Alabama’s Bicentennial beginning in 2017.”
Hamlin said walking tour participants should wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather that day. The tours are handicap accessible.
The April 2 Tuscumbia walking tour focuses on Native American history. It includes a free tour of the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art to view a Native American petroglyph and other American Indian artifacts; some relating to Chickasaw Chief George Colbert, for whom the county is named.
The April 9 tour’s focus is the founding families of Tuscumbia and their homes. It includes a free tour of the historic Julian Home, owned by Richard and Ninon Parker. The Julian House was originally built in Cherokee and was moved to Tuscumbia in the early 1800s; perhaps, making it the oldest home in Tuscumbia. Architecture is the focus of the April 16 tour and will include various buildings around town and a visit to the historic 1830’s Winston Home.
Jackson’s Military Road and a living history program at the historic stage coach stop will be featured at the April 23 Tuscumbia tour. Railroad history and a free tour of the historic train depot featured on the April 30 tour.
The weekly outings in Sheffield and Tuscumbia are part of the Alabama Tourism Department’s April Walking Tours program that includes cities throughout the state.
For more details on the Tuscumbia or Sheffield tours call 256-383-0783.
