Click here as I go back to Ensley, Alabama – Warning No Stupid People Beyond this Point! Today I find myself exploring the back alleys of Ensley, Alabama once again! Exploring back alleys and other …
Click here to see my latest short film where I explore the beautiful Destin Harbor, the largest charter fishing fleet in North America! In today’s micro adventure I explore the largest fishing fleet in North …
Click here as I explore Florida’s 30A Millionaire’s Row! In today’s micro adventure we travel travel to scenic 30A in Florida! While there we’ll take a closer look at the incredible Millionaire’s Row, which is …
Click here as I explore a once known mining town founded in 1891, Oneonta, Alabama. Today we explore Oneonta, Alabama, a one time mining community founded in 1891. According to the city of Oneonta website: …
Click here as I explore the Haunted Preserve and eat at a Pizzeria – pure fun! In my latest micro adventure I visit The Preserve, a quaint spot on the map in Birmingham, Alabama! The …
Join me as I go on yet another adventure! This time it’s to the Athens Car Show in Athens, Alabama around the square.
Car shows are a part of Americana and the Athens Car Show did not disappoint!
All the favorites are represented from rat rods to sleek classic corvettes.
What great about the Athens Car Show around the square is half the city is blocked off for the event.
There is something new every time you turn a corner. Coups, sleds, chopped, shaved, you name it and that car was represented.
I even had a chance to purchase the first hot dog ever sold from the WildWood Deli! It was the southern. All beef, bacon, diced tomatoes, pimiento cheese on a fresh bun! The chef at Wildwood, Matthew Fisher, never disappoints!
Even if you’re not a big Athens Car Show fan, it’s still a fantastic day with the family enjoying the outdoors and great food.
So I hope you enjoy my latest micro-adventure – Athens Car Show – over 8 minutes of PURE MUSCLE! Rat Rods, Classics, and so much more!
Exploring Historic 1873 Cullman, Alabama! Warehouse District and More! Then I found this?
In this adventure we find ourselves in the deep south exploring the beautiful Southern City of Cullman, Alabama that was founded in 1873. We’ll explore the Cullman Warehouse District and eat a pastry in one of the quaint shops. We’ll also explore an antique store that was founded in 1969 and interview one of the employees.
According to – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullman_Downtown_Commercial_Historic_District
The Cullman Downtown Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Cullman, Alabama, United States. Cullman was founded in 1873 by John G. Cullmann, who purchased land from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Most early commercial buildings were constructed of wood, with the first brick building, a hotel and restaurant across from the L&N depot, completed in 1881. Most of the early wooden buildings burned, including the C. A. Stiefelmeyer Storehouse in 1892, which was replaced with the current Stiefelmeyer’s building. A new post office building was constructed in 1910, at the same time as a major boom in construction. Following a lull during World War I, construction continued in the 1920s, including the First United Methodist Church in 1923. The majority of the 58 contributing structures in the district are one- or two-story brick buildings in basic commercial styles, some influenced by the Chicago School. Notable exceptions are the wooden Italianate Stiefelmeyer’s building, the stone Gothic Revival First Methodist Church, and the Neoclassical Federal Building and German Bank building’s corner cupola.[2]
The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[1]
Urban Exploring the Back Alleys and More of Tuscaloosa, Alabama – Home of the Crimson Tide!
The history of Tuscaloosa as told on https://www.tuscaloosa.com/history
The site of the future City of Tuscaloosa on the “Fall Line” of the Black Warrior River had long been known to the various Native American tribes whose shifting fortunes brought them to West Alabama. The River
The river shoals at Tuscaloosa represented the southernmost site on the river which could be forded under most conditions. Inevitably, a network of Native American trails converged upon the place, the same network that in the first years of the 19th century began to lead a few intrepid white frontiersmen to the area. The pace of white settlement increased greatly after the War of 1812, and a small assortment of log cabins soon arose near the large Creek tribe village at the Fall Line of the river. DeSoto
In honor of the legendary “Black Warrior,” a great chief who had had a fateful encounter with explorer Hernando DeSoto centuries before somewhere in Southwest Alabama, the settlers named the place Tuscaloosa (from the Choctaw words “tushka” meaning warrior and “lusa” meaning black). In 1817 Alabama became a territory, and on Dec. 13, 1819 the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuscaloosa, exactly one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state. Thus, the City of Tuscaloosa is one day older than the State of Alabama. 1826-1850
From 1826 to 1846 Tuscaloosa was the state capital of Alabama. The University of Alabama was established during this period in 1831. These developments, together with the region’s growing economy, increased the number of the town’s inhabitants to 4,250 by 1845, but after the departure of the capital to Montgomery, population fell to 1,950 in 1850.
Civil War
Establishment of the Bryce State Hospital for the Insane in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s helped restore the City’s fortunes. During the Civil War Tuscaloosa County furnished about 3,500 men to the Confederate armies. During the last weeks of the War, a Federal raiding party burned the campus of the University. Tuscaloosa shared fully in the South’s economic sufferings that followed the defeat. Growth
The construction of a system of locks and dams on the Black Warrior River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s opened up an inexpensive link to the Gulf seaport of Mobile, stimulating especially the mining and metallurgical industries of the region.
By the advent of the 20th century, the growth of The University of Alabama and a strong national economy fueled steady development in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years.
The presence in Tuscaloosa of manufacturing plants of such large multinational firms as Michelin Tires, JVC America and Chrysler-Mercedes has established the city as an economic pillar of the global economy.
Today it’s all about rural exploration as I take my motorcycle out for a spin! I’m calling it – Then I Found this Old Cemetery? Confederate Soldier’s Headstone? What? 92 Rides!
I’ll take you through Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties in Alabama and end up in Tannehill Historical State Park.
When exploring the rural countryside you never know what you’ll find.
Today we find a beautiful old church and an old cemetery with a headstone of a confederate soldier according to https://www.dreamstime.com/mccalla-alabama-usa-nov-headstone-confederate-soldier-next-to-tannehill-country-church-ironworks-historical-state-park-image167761089
It’s found in Tennerhill State Park next to an old church.
Here is how the church is described according to https://rs.locationshub.com/Home/LocationDetail?rsLocationId=096-10152472 :
The Tannehill Country Church was built in 1905 and served as the Kimbrell Methodist Church on Eastern Valley Road until the late 1950s. It sat idle for about 15 years and then was donated and moved to the park. The church is a one-room building with one center aisle and pews on each side. Up front there is a raised pulpit area and a piano. There are two windows in the front and back, two windows and a door on the left side and three windows on the right side. The building does have air-conditioning, heating and a handicap ramp on the left side. It will seat approximately 100 people. There is no room in the church for a reception. The restrooms are in a separate building near the church.
My rural exploration ideas come from my childhood of taking slow country roads in rural areas in Montgomery, Alabama.
So I hope you enjoy – Then I Found this Old Cemetery? Confederate Soldier’s Headstone? What? 92 Rides!
Today I decided to go Urban Exploring in Bessemer, Alabama, by motorcycle!
I’m calling this one – Found All This in Bessemer? Urban Exploration by Motorcycle! 92 Rides…
Bessemer, Alabama is a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama and is home of the famous restaurant Bright Star – the oldest in Alabama. While urban exploring Bessemer we’ll find old homes, stores, a beautiful historic downtown and so much more.
Urban exploring by motorcycle brings a whole new experience as you can cover more are in a shorter time.
Located in the heart of central Alabama, Bessemer is home to some 27,000 residents. Founded in 1887 by coal magnate Henry DeBardeleben, Bessemer grew rapidly in its early years, earning it the nickname “The Marvel City.” Growth continues to be our mantra heading into tomorrow. Bessemer is the hub of western Jefferson County and is an economic engine driving development in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan area. Our city is “business-friendly” and is home to a diverse blend of industries and companies. Bessemer is home to great restaurants, awesome recreational amenities and a distinguished list of famous natives. The Mayor and City Council invite you to visit the city and enjoy its flavor, its rich heritage and all the Marvel City has to offer.
Today I explore Inner City Street Art, Graffiti and More in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.
Birmingham, Alabama’s inner city street art and graffiti was simply beautiful. I realize that graffiti and street art to some is just vandalism in many cases. But this did not seem like the case as I explored the inner city of Birmingham, Alabama’s street art and graffiti.
Some might even say that a better description of Street Art would be to call them murals. But as I explore the inner city of Birmingham for this stuff I prefer to see them as street art. Street Art itself could include graffiti but has a broader scope of possibilities.
Many of these look as though the street artist used spray paint for tagging buildings and doors.
So I hope you like my latest Urban Hiking Exploration of Birmingham’s inner city as I look for Street Art, Graffiti and more!
The back alleys of Ensley were a great way to move from block to block without the worry to heavy traffic.
The back alleys of Ensley revealed a lot of better days but also hinted of a city that could make a rebound.
Anytime I’m exploring the back alleys of a city I’m also aware that you are alone and must be careful and be aware of your surroundings. But if you’re willing, you can see a lot of a city on foot that you’d miss if you stayed in your car.
So I hope you like my latest video as I go explore the beautiful city of Ensley, Alabama and it’s interesting back alleys!
Join me for another urban exploration adventure as I go exploring the back alleys of Birmingham, Alabama! Was this a good idea?
As it turns out I think it was! Urban Exploring the back alleys of Birmingham was a gold mine in Urban Exploration as there were so many things to see.
As I was urban exploring the back alleys of Birmingham, Alabama I found all kinds of murals and what I consider other urban art – like the hood of an old car as a porch roof.
So was it a good idea? Yes it was and I hope to go back to do some urban exploring of more back alleys of Birmingham, Alabama!
In my latest micro-adventure there were no Flat Screens found but I did find a lot of cool stuff in Harpersville, Alabama. I’m calling it – No Flat Screens Found…But I Did Find Some Cool Stuff! Harpersville, AL
I decided to just take a few random roads to see what I could find exploring rural Harpersville, Alabama. Some things were vacant, abandoned, inhabited and everything in-between.
Cool stuff can often be found in your own hometown or nearby just like there was in Harpersville, Alabama!
So let’s go find some cool stuff – no flat screens – in Harpersville, Alabama as I go exploring in the rural countryside of Harpersville, Alabama.
I’m calling it – No Flat Screens Found…But I Did Find Some Cool Stuff! Harpersville, AL
In this video I go Urban Hiking in the 2nd most dangerous city in the US, according to ourwovenjourney.com. It’s also the home of the original Mardi Gras – Mobile. Alabama! What?
I’m calling this one “2nd MOST DANGEROUS city in America? Home of the ORIGINAL Mardi Gras!”
Mobile is the oldest city in Alabama, founded in 1702 and home of the original Mardi Gras that started around 1703.
As stated on the mobilecarnivalmuseum.com site – 1703- Mardi Gras observed for the first time in the New World by French pioneers at Twenty-Seven Mile Bluff, the first settlement of Mobile.
I must personally say that I don’t know where ourwovenjourney.com got their statistics to say Mobile is the 2nd most dangerous city in the US… While Mobile has it’s share of homeless wandering around, as do most cities, I never felt in any danger and I was walking everywhere.
In fact, I wouldn’t think twice about visiting mobile as it seemed perfectly safe to me and there were plenty of police patrolling the downtown area. Maybe Mobile has it’s high crime areas, as most places do, but again, I had a great time and NEVER felt unsafe in any way! I would encourage everyone to visit Mobile, Alabama as I think you’ll love it!
According to encyclopediaofalabama.org – Founded by the French in 1702, Mobile is Alabama’s oldest city and a major port facility for the region. The city’s three centuries of history have been inextricably tied to the development of its port and the economic prosperity of the adjoining area. The city hosted the first Mardi Gras festivities in North America and has a rich cultural heritage. Mobile was the final destination of the last enslaved Africans brought to the United States shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. During the turbulent years of the civil rights movement, Mobile earned a reputation of tolerance in part because of the absence of violent demonstrations seen in many southern cities. Today, Mobile continues to serve a crucial economic role as a major port facility for the state and region. Notable people from Mobile include baseball greats Satchel Paige, Billy Williams, Willie McCovey, Hank Aaron, and Ozzie Smith. Famous figures in the arts include James Reese Europe, John Augustus Walker, Eugene Sledge, Eugene Walter, and Julian Lee Rayford.
