Centuries before whites or blacks set foot here, Alabama was home to cities of the Mississippians, ancestors of the Choctaw. They flourished in the woodlands and grassy plains along rivers from the 11th to 16th centuries. Perhaps the best-preserved metropolis from their time is at Mojndville Archaeological Park, just south of Tuscaloosa. Above a curve in the Black Warrior River are two dozen flat-topped, grassy mounds, some as high as 60 feet. The Moundville park is a recreated village of wooden huts where Mississippian life is displayed through dioramas.
Animal skins hang from hooks, sleeping benches and racks for gourds are the only furniture.
The state's museum here exhibits prehistoric pottery, stone carvings and copper axes unearthed in the 320-acre park. For a break, try a picnic on the immaculate lawn along the river. To shoot forward to the 19th century, head for Eutaw, about 25 miles south of Moundville. The center of this small village features a superb collection of more than 70 historic homes, most from the Civil War era. Many are on the National Register of Historic Places.