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Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

54 Reviews

#4 of 19 things to do in Selma

Cemeteries, Mysterious Sites, Sights & Landmarks, More

9518 Cahaba Rd, Selma, AL 36767-3225

+1 334-872-8058

Website

Review Highlights

“History and quiet reflection”

You need to take some background to this site. A local historian would have been invaluable. Still... read more

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

anantiquemyself

Birmingham, Alabama

via mobile

“Wonderful Step Back in Time”

I was fascinated by the history of Old Cahawba and seeing how nature has reclaimed what was once... read more

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

Sharon G

Read all 54 reviews

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Overview

Cahawba was once Alabama's state capital (1819-1826) and a thriving antebellum river town. It became a ghost town shortly after the Civil War. Today it is an important archaeological site and a place of picturesque ruins. Nature has reclaimed much of Old Cahawba, but historians and archaeologists from the Alabama Historical Commission are working hard to uncover Cahawba's historic past and to create a full time interpretive park.

4.5

54 reviews

Excellent58%
Very good25%
Average14%
Poor3%
Terrible0%

Travellers talk about

“ghost town” (8 reviews)

“visitor center” (8 reviews)

“picnic area” (3 reviews)

Open Now

Hours

Hours Today: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Suggested Duration: 1-2 hours

LOCATION

9518 Cahaba Rd, Selma, AL 36767-3225

CONTACT

Website

+1 334-872-8058

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1 - 10 of 53 reviews

anantiquemyself

Birmingham, Alabama

126

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

History and quiet reflection

You need to take some background to this site. A local historian would have been invaluable. Still, with info provided by friendly Bruce in the visitor’s center, with brochures and signs provided, we learned quite a bit and enjoyed a visit of about 3 hours....More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Sharon G

259

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

Wonderful Step Back in Time

I was fascinated by the history of Old Cahawba and seeing how nature has reclaimed what was once the thriving first capital of Alabama. A few structures and/or ruins of structures remain and ancient streets are marked with concrete posts. There is also an archaeological...More

Ask Sharon G about Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Hi Sharon, thank you for sharing your thoughts on your recent visit. We're so glad you appreciate the history of the area.

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Monica R

Satsuma, Alabama, United States

7819

Reviewed 6 March 2018 via mobile

Back in Time Historical Find

The area is fascinating, history galore. We were lucky to go when the visitor center was open to get the self guided tour info, but to also talk,with the curator who was very informative. We're able to walk on the trails and to also drive...More

Ask Monica R about Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

1 Thank Monica R

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Dear Monica, Thank you for taking the time to share your travel experience here on TripAdvisor. We're glad you enjoyed your visit and hope to have you back again!

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Casey S

318

Reviewed 6 February 2018 via mobile

Not what I was expecting, but pleasantly surprised.

We didn't hire anyone for the tour, but we had an amazing time driving around and reading the signs. There is so much history in such a small place. My favorite part was the slave burial ground... as morbid as that sounds, it brought my...More

Ask Casey S about Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

RonWamberal

Sydney, Australia

60092067

Reviewed 23 December 2017

History and imagination needed

As everyone says, not much to see but that doesn't detract from its significance - a little bit of history knowledge and imagination will help you understand what was here.

Ask RonWamberal about Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

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Melanie N

Alabama

6020

Reviewed 23 October 2017 via mobile

A town disappeared!

Not many structures remain so with help from the park map we used our imagination. We were told that many of the wealthy abandoned the area after the railroad left and they literally took buildings with them. Dismantled them! The structures that remain were awesome...More

Ask Melanie N about Old Cahawba Archaeological Park

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

MandanaJames

Sharjah, UAE

25575

Reviewed 7 August 2017 via mobile

Ghost town

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

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Marcia D

Stover, Missouri

122

Reviewed 27 May 2017

Quiet and Out of the Way

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

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Mark E

Meridianville, Alabama

1748

Reviewed 26 April 2017

Don't go expecting too much.

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

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gosport92

Reviewed 21 March 2017

Beautiful spring day!

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

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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