Reviews of Old Cahawba Archaeological Park (Museum)

Al Rees

What a cool place, with such a cool history! It's only 15 minutes from historic Selma too!

Wendy James

Incredibly interesting! Amazing history in a beautiful setting.

jeanette j brooks

Quiet...but a very interesting place..it had a roller coaster existence.

Denise Beasley

Very interesting will have to go back.

RC Collum

This place will take you back in time

cynthia peebles

We traveled two hours to visit this site. The welcome center was closed even though their Facebook event had it starting at 10. We arrived at 10:30. We filled out a money envelope and included $2 for each adult in our group. There were only 2 maps available...which was really sad for the people that showed up behind us. We walked over and looked at the church and did a walking trail there once we circled back to the visitors center it was open...we did not go in. At this point we saw people starting to walk the roads ...we opted to drive and I am glad we did. You will do a lot of walking here...I love hiking but if you have small children or people we are not use to walking long distance drive your car you will not regret it and trust me you will get in enough walking at the different sites. Grounds are well kept, clean bathrooms, nice picnic area.

Valerie Burnes

Fascinating place which is very well interpreted. A great place to spend the day!

Steve Grigg

Neat history

Kathy Moore

Interesting history, good for biking.

Stephen Miller

Great place to learn about a bit of Alabama's history.

William Cox

So much history at Cahawba. Not alot of buildings left, very few in fact. However there are information signs everywhere, with good details about what was at that location. The park also has tours planned most every month. Grrat place to hike.

Cory Hudson

Nice park with good history. It is about what was there more than what is here now.

April H.

We love Old Cahawba. Fun place to explore.

Aunt Persnickity

Lovely place for hikers and bird watchers. Beautiful moss draped trees.

Amy Walker

I've wanted to travel to Cahaba for YEARS & was finally able to take a short trip there last weekend. It didn't disappoint! The old cemetery with its ruins were amazing...plus I didn't expect to see the large area that had all of the Civil War memorial headstones (not "graves"). The "new" cemetery was a LOT bigger than I expected & was in the middle of restorations, and WOW...some of the 3D stone carvings were just exquisite and there were several headstone symbols that I hadn't even ever encountered! The old church was BEAUTIFUL as I knew it would be...and the ruins of the old Methodist church next to the "open" wooden building were AMAZING...! Unfortunately it was getting late so I wasn't able to drive around the full area or encounter any of the old mansions in that vicinity...but I will definitely carve out extra time next time I'm that way!

D Hall

Great place to explorer some of Alabama history. They have done a lot to this place in the last few years. But pay the entrance fee of $ 2, because they need all the money they can get to keep on working on that beautiful historic spot.

Wanda Young

Awesome place to visit and learn history.

Chelsea Suther

A wonderful place to enjoy nature with the kids. Every time we go we see wildlife. So cool to wander amongst the ruins of our state's first capitol and soak in some history. You may run into a few lingering residents as well

Connie Lear

Nice place to walk or ride bikes. Bikes are there to use free of charge. Small fee to get into the park. Can bring in food. Picnic tables.

Larry Hughen

Great park history in action

Nick Linn

Amazing place, amazing people. Great fun while walking (or biking or driving) through history!

Edwin Gunter

The Haunted History Tour was very interesting. Oder you tickets early for this event. The tickets sell out quickly.

GnS Vidal

Awesome historical spot

Joann Stewart

Beautiful there.

Warren Jones

Walk among the ruins of the old south, you could easily perform this as a driving tour, in fact I recommend it considering how overgrown most of the landscape has become. Beware of poison Ivy.

Christy Stanford

Loved this place.

Ace Temple

Not much to see, but it's a nice pleasant drive and some decent info about the place.

Ashley Smith

Very nice place, some cool history..if your into history then taking a visit to this place is a must..it was like a step back into time. Nice little hikes too.

Jennifer Dodd

Awesome place!

Duke Beasley

First capital of the state of Alabama. Beautiful place, with some interesting features. Needs more for younger patrons. A museum would be good, and more visualizations.

Martin Santana

Awesome bike tour, very informative and thanks to Jonathan for the tour

Ethan Bennett

Fantastically interesting site. Current archealogical digs and open nature of the park made me feel like an explorer.

Scott Stafford

Great place to experience history and see actual archaeology at work. I do wish that they let people access more of the structures. I also think they should consistently use the original spelling of "Cahaba" instead of "Cahawba". Other than those minor things, The State should reuse land in the vicinity of this ghost town, to establish a campground along the Alabama or Cahaba River, similar to Fort Toulouse at Wetumpka, Alabama.

Prepared Not Scared

Plan to spend the day and enjoy history!

Kim Miller

Me & my granddaughter had a great time at Cahaba's Haunted History tour this past Saturday! The stories were cool, the tour itself was fun; but the best part was being able to participate in an actual ghost investigation with Webb Paranormal Group! We want to go again next year but also go during the day for a regular tour.

Catherine Summers

Such an interesting, fun, and peaceful experience!

Jonathan Jones

Enjoyed the visit will have to go back again

Benita epps hallmark

I grew up in Alabama and had never gone to Cahawba, the first capital of Alabama. My sister and I took a beautiful Saturday and went. We hiked over four miles visiting the different sites there. The Information Center had a wealth of pamphlets, books, and a very helpful lady who answered our questions. There were several artesian wells running; the Face Well was the most unusual. Cahawba is surrounded by the Cahaba River and it joins into the Alabama River there. There was a definite color difference where the Cahaba joined the Alabama. We wandered in the "Old Negro Cemetery"- a beautiful place with a few gravestones that we could read, wildflowers, and Palmettos. There are no food places nearby, but there is a picnic area with tables, a couple of grills, and clean bathrooms. We packed a picnic lunch. All in all, a great way to spend a beautiful day. We were exhausted when we left, but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! PETS on leashes are welcome

Elie K

Not a lot to really see but a good place to understand how Alabama started and how a village can disappear

J Fank

Absolutely a great place for history! I could almost imagine the town in it's full glory. Great work on the part of the people trying to restore it!

Lovely Liyahbell

I googled things to do in Alabama and on the 5th page of results, Old Cahawba was mention in a Pinterest pin. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it, but I had a week off of work and wanted to travel to a different place each day. I’m super happy that I made the drive! It was a beautiful place full of history and it was also the first time in years that I rode a bike. They have available for you to borrow, just need a license to hold. There is an entrance fee of two dollars, but it’s worth it. I was able to get several pictures for my Instagram Liyah.on.the.move I will definitely go again.

Lisa Wedgeworth

A short 20 min drive from Selma. Stop by the guest center to pay $3.00 and pick up maps and information sheets. Self-guided walking or driving tours (driving recommended). A worthwhile visit for those who appreciate historical and cultural artifacts, architecture and burial sites (visit the slave burial - must walk across a small field, a tiny bridge and follow a trail). Wear closed-toed shoes.

Amy Ervin

Attended a beautiful wedding here.

John Whaley

We really enjoyed our visit back into history. The interpretive signs really act as portals to the past and bring to life what once was Alabama's booming capital city.

Darryl Burton

You do not want to miss this! This is the Alabama history not taught in schools any more. Must see!

Rebecca W

Fascinating history, great short nature trail, history told through plants. Everything is well labeled. Very interesting.

Alex Sol

Great place to visit. We were expecting to see more buildings though.

Matthew Suther

Awesome place

Carol Froberg

I had the most intriguing experience on the Cahawba Tour. It was cold, but I love to hunt and I brave the cold for that and I'm so glad I braved the cold for the tour. The camera man even let me hold and operate his camera. That was a very pleasant experience. I can't pick a favorite part of the tour. I enjoyed each phase of the entire tour. I had chili and hot chocolate before the tour began. Delicious. The souvenir shop was a welcome and pleasant surprise. They have a lot of great stuff AND the prices were very reasonable. Usually I can't go shopping in a souvenir shop due to outrageous prices, but at Old Cahawba I really wracked up. I loved every minute I was there. The tour guides and the M C were all serious and funny at the same time. They all make you feel special. They are very personable. I spoke with Mr. Trotter of whom I had read an article about he and his wife's restored home. He shared with me some of their experiences at their home and it is beyond interesting! I could go on and on. I'll always remember "Gat" and "Millie". And many other tales we were told about. The restoration is amazing. I hope if anyone gets a chance to go on the next tour that you will go. Belive me! Its more than you can even dream about. Thanks to everyone that gave me such a great night! Including the "tour wagon" driver.

Mollie Waters

Love to visit, but so much of it is no longer standing.

Predrag Cvitanović

You need a guided tour to appreciate what once was the 3rd richest county in US. And why

Celine Smith

They guy there told us about it ,very knowledgeable and open up the church so we could go in. Want to go in the fall to take for a night tour.can not wait.

Van White

Always enjoy the history of this State Park.

Teresa Paglione

Old Cahawba is a ghost town. But there are several buildings still in place - including a brick (!) slave house, an historic wooden frame house (Fambro) and the old Episcopal Church that was recently relocated BACK to the park. And there are brick remains of an old church, a pre-Civil War railroad, and artesian wells - including the one with the face...But there is also a canoe/kayak launch with handicap access (you can use their canoes) and you can bike ride around the place (again- use theirs!). ***There are several interpretive signs if you just want to drive through, but I recommend you STOP BY THE VISITOR CENTER*** (now a FEMA trailer because the building was hit by lightening and burned - but new one is being built from a restored and relocated historichouse and should open soon). The staff are very knowledgable and can carry groups in an open, covered trailer around the old town site. But most importantly - if you stop by the Visitor Cener, they have wonderful photos of the old buildings (mansions!) and stories about the people that lived there.. Or were imprisoned there in the old cotton warehouse during the Civil War - the remains are still visible. As are portions of the moat that surrounded the Indian village that was there a thousand years ago! if you want to see what the common residences of Old Cahawba looked like - - well then, drive around historic Selma. When Cahawba's populations drifted to the "big city" - they dismantled their houses and rebuilt them in Selma....