Old Cahawba Archaeological Park: Alabama's Ghost Capital

Old Cahawba Archaeological Park invites visitors to step back in time and explore the remains of Alabama's first permanent capital [2, 3]. Founded in 1819 at the confluence of the Alabama and Cahaba rivers, Cahawba served as the state capital from 1820 to 1825 [3, 15]. Although its time as capital was short-lived due to frequent flooding, Cahawba flourished as a cotton distribution center and a bustling antebellum river town [3, 12, 16]. However, Cahawba's prosperity was not to last. The Civil War brought hardship, with the Confederate government seizing the town's railroad [12, 15]. A prison, known as Castle Morgan, was established to house captured Union soldiers [15]. Floods, the removal of the county seat to Selma, and the dismantling of homes led to Cahawba's decline, transforming it into a ghost town by 1900 [3, 12, 15]. Today, the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park preserves the ruins and tells the stories of this lost capital [3]. Visitors can explore the Welcome Center with its exhibits, roam the abandoned streets, and view the remnants of buildings, cemeteries, and an ancient Native American mound [3, 6, 9]. The park also offers opportunities for bird watching, hiking, and picnicking [3, 5, 7]. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, a historic structure designed by Richard Upjohn, has been returned to Old Cahawba and is undergoing restoration [6, 15].