First off, you should understand that there aren't very many structures left here. However, the story of the town, Alabama's first state capital, is fascinating. The curator at the visitor center really brought the story alive for us. We spent about two hours at the...More

We visited in May 2017. It was on a Tuesday and there was no one else in the park There were a couple of cars parked at the small visitor center (which was closed) but we never saw anyone else. Maps were available from a...More

As an Alabama resident, this site was one of those places I had always heard about briefly throughout elementary school history classes all those years ago. Fast forward some 35 years and I finally decided to go visit it. Being a big fan of history,...More

My 11 year old son and I spent about 3 hours exploring Old Cahawba and enjoying a picnic lunch. The signage and brochures are very informative. It is amazing that there is so little remaining of such an important town in our Alabama history. It...More

This is one to skip if you are in the Selma area. There is really nothing to see but the abandoned woods and streets of the former capital. The visitor's center has some literature to show what it used to look like but there is...More

Growing up in Selma, I've explored Cahawba before but this was the first time I've been able to take my kids. We're military stationed in Montana and this year my kids were old enough to be interested in visiting. The guy at the front desk...More

Catawba was a thriving community that disappeared twice (or was abandoned). There are some dilapidated structures to look at. It's amazing that the one-time capitol of Alabama should be reduced to decaying rubble. It is an interesting story.

Get ready to walk or drive. Literally an entire town. Full of rich history explained by the pamphlet and map at entrance. Also home to one of the stories in 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. Slave cemetary, old school, churches, fountain wells, houses, an Indian...More

After driving nearby dozens of times, we finally searched out Old Cahawba. You've really got to be going there on purpose, but it's well worth the effort. For a history nut, it just doesn't get much better. The Alabama Historical Commission has done an excellent...More

Not much to see. A lot of empty lots where some old building used to be. Self guided pamphlet available.