Lagoon Softball Complex – Historical Attractions

Alabama is a state that is rich in history, innovation, and art. Montgomery, the state’s capital, is known as Capital Cool, and for good reason! There is so much to do in the city, from public artwork and festivals to shopping and dining.

Visiting the Lagoon Softball Complex puts you close to the bustling city of Montgomery. Once you’re in the easily walkable downtown area, you’ll be astonished by how much this city full of Southern charm has to offer.

There are plenty of activities to fill your day in this flourishing city. Being the birthplace of the civil rights movement and a center for the arts, Montgomery is home to an impressive amount of historical attractions. When you visit the Lagoon Softball Complex, try to incorporate stops at historical landmarks and museums like the ones below.

Rosa Parks Bus Stop and Rosa Parks Museum

A must-see historic location is the Rosa Parks Bus Stop and the related Rosa Parks Museum, which is a 15-minute drive from the Lagoon Softball Complex in Downtown Montgomery.

Start off at the Rosa Parks Bus Stop. In this exact location, Rosa Parks got on a bus and made history by not giving up her seat for the white passengers. A plaque has been placed next to a small but beautiful park there to commemorate her brave action.

From the bus stop, walk three minutes down Montgomery Street to the Rosa Parks Museum. This museum is run by Troy University to honor Parks’s legacy and showcase the importance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Inside the museum, there are artifacts relevant to Parks, the boycott, and the civil rights movement. The purpose of the museum is to educate visitors on the political and social climate of the 1950s, raise social consciousness, encourage cultural acceptance, and promote peace.

Freedom Rides Museum

The Freedom Riders were students who wanted fair treatment for African Americans, so they began peaceful, nonviolent protests through sit-ins. These students from Nashville made their way to Birmingham, Alabama, and then rode a Greyhound to Montgomery. When they stepped off the bus, the 20 students were attacked by a mob. The police officers that were supposed to protect them were nowhere to be found. Their resilience was so strong that they continued their journey through the South even after the mob attack.

A historic Greyhound Bus Station now hosts the Freedom Rides Museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The design of the building reflects the legal racial segregation that occurred during the civil rights era. You can also view the images of the protest and the Freedom Riders. The exterior exhibit is always open, and the interior museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. To tour the museum, take a 16-minute drive from the Lagoon Softball Complex.

First White House of the Confederacy

After the election of Abraham Lincoln, states in the South began seceding from the Union. These slave-owning states came together to form the Confederacy, and they needed a place to meet. The First White House of the Confederacy was established in Montgomery because of its easy accessibility between the states.

This attraction is nine miles from the Lagoon Softball Complex. Tours can be reserved if you are coming with a group, but self-guided tours are also available. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. You can also visit the Confederate Memorial Monument located right next door while you’re there.

The Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The Equal Justice Initiative is a private nonprofit organization that aims to end mass incarceration in the United States. In an effort to do so, they have constructed The Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. The two sites are located in different areas of significance, but visiting both on the same day can lead to a more impactful and emotional experience.

A 16-minute drive from the Lagoon Softball Complex will land you at The Legacy Museum. This museum used to be an old warehouse where people were enslaved. It is close to the river where many slaves were traded and transported. In this 11,000-square-foot space, guests can glean information about the historic slave market, terror lynchings, legalized racial segregation, and racial hierarchy in America through interactive media, sculptures, data, and artwork.

After the museum, take a 16-minute walk over to The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. This six-acre memorial overlooks the city of Montgomery, as though uncovering its tumultuous history of slave trade and lynchings. The memorial requires guests to confront the history of slavery through sculptures. Past the initial set of sculptures are 800 six-foot monuments that symbolize thousands of racial terror lynching victims. Walking through this section of monuments will bring visitors to sculptures dedicated to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. There are also various words written by prominent figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Toni Morrison, and Elizabeth Alexander.

Old Alabama Town

To take a trip back in time, stop by Old Alabama Town. When you get to this section of town, you’ll be transported back to 19th-century America. All of the houses and buildings are originals from the 19th and early 20th centuries that have been restored. These buildings are open to the public as a history museum.

There are 13 buildings to explore, including the Thompson Mansion, Adams Chapel School, and Corner Grocery Store. On weekdays, guests can take self-guided tours after purchasing admission. General admission also includes a fully guided tour of the Ordeman House. If you happen to be at the Lagoon Softball Complex on the second Saturday of the month, admission to the Old Alabama Town is free and includes special programming.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and Parsonage Museum

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. spent six years in Montgomery, living at what is now named the Dexter Parsonage Museum. He lived there while preaching at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. The parsonage was home to 12 pastors during the years of 1920 to 1992, and it was restored in 2003. Much of the furniture is original from when King lived there with his family.

Next to the parsonage is the Interpretive Center. The orientation room has videos and discussion groups that give guests more of an insight on pastoral life, the community, and King’s family. There is also a permanent collection in the Interpretive Center. Some of the pieces included are a timeline of the pastors who lived in the parsonage, a wall of inspirational quotes from the pastors, and unpublished photographs of King and other church members.

The church where King used to preach is a 14-minute walk away from the parsonage. The church is still thriving today and is open for Sunday worship. Tours of the church are available Tuesday through Sunday. Inside the church, there is a mural that depicts King’s civil rights campaign from Montgomery to Memphis. Both this church and the Parsonage are roughly a 15-minute drive from the Lagoon Softball Complex.

Civil Rights Memorial Center

Around the corner from the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and about nine miles from the Lagoon Softball Complex is the Civil Rights Memorial Center. In front of the center is a memorial of a circular black granite table. Names of civil rights martyrs are engraved in the table, resembling clock. Water flows continuously on top of the table, mirroring King’s words that are written on the wall behind it: “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

In the Civil Rights Memorial Center, guests can view different exhibits about the prominent participants and leaders of the civil rights movement. There is also a 56-seat theater and the Wall of Tolerance. The Wall of Tolerance continuously displays a flow of names of people who took the pledge to stand against hate, injustice, and intolerance. Visitors can take the pledge and add their name to the list while they are there.

Museum of Alabama

The Museum of Alabama allows guests to explore the history of Alabama from the 1700s to the present day. Visitors can reach this attraction by taking a 12-minute drive over from the Lagoon Softball Complex. The best part is that the museum is free!

There are over 800 artifacts, images, documents, and numerous audiovisual displays that discuss the history of the state from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and more. Permanent exhibits include The Land of Alabama, The First Alabamians, and Alabama Voices. There are also many hands-on galleries for those visiting with younger children.

The Hank Williams Museum

If you love country music, you should stop by The Hank Williams Museum, which is only 16 minutes from the Lagoon Softball Complex. Hank Williams is considered the father of contemporary country music and is an Alabama native. Some of his hits that you may have heard of are “Honky Tonk Blues,” “Move It on Over,” and “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.” In the museum, guests can view some of his memorabilia, suits, records, pictures, and even his car. Tours are available every day. Pictures and videos cannot be taken during the tour.

Just a few steps down the street from the museum is the Hank Williams Statue. You can take a fun picture next to this commemorative statue of Williams playing guitar.

The Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum

Just outside of Downtown Montgomery and a 15-minute drive from the Lagoon Softball Complex is The Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum. It is the only museum dedicated to the legacies of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

The two led a gypsy life, traveling all over the world, and this is one of the few homes that they lived in that survived the years. Visitors can come to see the home and some artifacts from the Fitzgeralds Wednesday through Sunday. A $10 donation is required as admission.