Huntsville, Ala., offers look at rocket science, history, gardens and more

photos by Clayton Hensley/Special to the News Sentinel The Saturn V rocket is one of the largest artifacts in the vast collection on display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

The butterfly house at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens brings visitors up close to butterflies, turtles and more.

One of the most amazing views of the Tennessee Valley lasts only a few seconds and it literally takes your breath away. Like a rocket shooting toward the heavens, the "Space Shot" at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center brings you a stunning look at the city of Huntsville, Ala., as it brushes against the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains.This is "Rocket City, U.S.A" a place where technology and innovation collide with history and nature to provide a getaway unlike any other in the South.

Monte Sano Mountain was Huntsville's original "high rise." Early in the 1800s, pioneers had created a vibrant community on the gently sloped ridge. Tourists followed later in the century and continue to do so in the 21st century. Monte Sano State Park provides ample opportunities to enjoy the views from the 1600-foot-high mountain, hit the trails on foot or on bike or relax on a cabin porch with a panoramic view of the valley below.

Another way to enjoy the wonders of Monte Sano is to visit Burritt on the Mountain. The center attraction here is the X-shaped mansion built in the 1930s by the somewhat eccentric Dr. William Henry Burritt. The home, which features many "green" innovations, was built with the idea of one day becoming a museum for the city of Huntsville. Today, you can tour the mansion, hike to a 75-foot-high concrete cross or stroll through the collection of log cabins and buildings where workers relay lessons about life on the mountain long before the mansion.

History remains alive and well down in the valley, too. There are three well preserved historic districts in Huntsville, including Twickenham, which was the city's first name. Here is a large collection of antebellum homes including the birthplace of "Rebel Raider" General John Hunt Morgan, who later died in Greeneville, Tenn. A few blocks away is the home of prominent lawyer and legislator James McClung, whose family helped develop the city of Knoxville.

Huntsville served as an early seat of state government. As you step inside the Alabama Constitution Village you may find it difficult to believe that just a few decades ago a parking lot covered the foundations of this historic district. Everything has been reconstructed to look just as it did in 1819 when Alabama became a state.

Guides like Karen Napier escort visitors through the homes of some of the movers and shakers of early Huntsville. Napier braves the sweltering Alabama heat as she is dressed in period costume and offers a detailed history of the site as well demonstrations of the tools of the time. She may even relay the origins of "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" or how an "ugly jug" helped protect children.

Across the street, the Early Works History Museum shifts the focus to children. This is a hands-on learning center filled with facts about Alabama and how its history has influenced the nation. Children are sure to push a few buttons here, but they'll be learning a lesson or two when they do.

Inside the city's old train depot the walls truly have a story to tell. Union forces occupied the city in 1862 and used the old depot to house more than 100 Confederate soldiers captured on a train. The graffiti the soldiers left behind remains one of the most popular features in the depot, which now houses the Alabama Transportation Museum. If you look closely you may see the signature of a J.W. Mitchell of Morristown, Tenn.

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Huntsville, Ala., offers look at rocket science, history, gardens and more