Montgomery, AL
Capital of Alabama
Known as “The Gump”
Overview
Montgomery is the capital city of Alabama, located in the Southeast region of the United States. Founded in 1819, the city has grown to a population of approximately 200,603 residents within a state of 5,024,279 people. As the seat of Alabama's state government, Montgomery serves as the political and administrative center of the state.
The city is home to the Alabama State Capitol, a Greek Revival structure that has been a landmark since its completion in 1851. Designed by Barachias Holt, the capitol building stands as a testament to the state's history and governance, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.
Montgomery has served as the capital of Alabama since 1846. Before Montgomery, the state's capital was located in St. Stephens, Huntsville, Cahaba and Tuscaloosa.
Alabama State Capitol
The Alabama State Capitol sits atop Goat Hill in Montgomery and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The building is renowned as the site where Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederate States in 1861. Its iconic white portico with tall Corinthian columns and a striking clock tower dome make it one of the most recognizable capitols in the South.
U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Notable Features
- Double-spiral cantilevered staircase
- Corinthian-columned portico
- Clock tower dome visible across downtown
- Site of Jefferson Davis's inauguration as Confederate president
- National Historic Landmark since 1960
- Murals depicting Alabama history in the rotunda
Media Gallery
Original footage coming soon! User-submitted photos welcome.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- ★Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederate States of America in 1861.
- ★The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor, is just a block from the capitol.
- ★Montgomery's civil rights history includes the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, sparked by Rosa Parks.
- ★The Alabama State Capitol has been in continuous use since 1851, making it one of the oldest working capitols in the U.S.
- ★Montgomery is known as the 'Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement.'
- ★The city was a major hub for the domestic slave trade before the Civil War.
- ★Hank Williams, the legendary country music singer, began his career performing on Montgomery's WSFA radio station.