Our next stop is Tuscumbia, Alabama. Along with the
cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, and Sheffield, this area is also known as
The Shoals.
Our first stop is this beautiful 1820’s home
designed in the typical Southern architecture that survived the Civil War
untouched. Named Ivy Green, this was also the birthplace and home of Helen
Keller.
 |
| Ivy Green: The Birthplace of Helen Keller |
The Helen Keller Birthplace features much of the original furniture of the Keller family as well as Helen’s personal mementos, books in Braille and her original Braille typewriter.
Helen used a slate like this to take notes in college and on her frequent global trips.
 |
| Braille Desk Slate |
Braille is punched with a stylus and must be set down from right to left instead of from left to right, because the braille appears on the back of the page.
What an experience it is to be able to
see the actual black well-pump where Helen Keller learned how to connect the
alphabet code to water and broke her world of silence. It was at this pump
where the 7-year-old Helen, totally blind and deaf, stood with her teacher Anne
Sullivan. Miss Sullivan pumped water into Helen’s hands while tapping out an
alphabet code of five letters “w-a-t-e-r".
This was just the beginning for Helen. She became an author and lecturer, a disability rights advocate, a political activist and more!
 |
| Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Memorial |
We always make time to check out architectural settings and found that Frank Lloyd Wright had built a Usonian style house in the area, so we visited the Frank Lloyd Wright – Rosenbaum House Museum.
After the Great Depression of the 1930s the way in which people thought about every day needs changed. Wright set out to design affordable housing for middle-class families that would redefine how people thought of their living spaces. He wanted to create houses that were tailor-made to the client and their individual needs while also making them practical and functional. Wright’s Usonian home concept focused on his idea of organic architecture, where nature should be included in every aspect of the home.
These windows have mitered corners for better views of the garden!
Frank Lloyd Wright tried to create spaces that were both functional and practical. This room was originally a family room; however, when the family grew, Wright added the bunk beds for extra sleeping space!
 |
| Family Room |
 |
| Living Room |
 |
| Dining Area |
The Alabama Music Hall
of Fame
is a great place to learn about Alabama's musical heritage. There are many
musicians that are from Alabama:
The tour bus for the group Alabama is even in the Museum!
Here are costumes worn by The Commodores:
W.C. Handy was born in nearby Florence (we’ll learn more about him later):
 |
| W.C. Handy |
In addition to learning about the various artists, we were able to listen to lots of wonderful music and see a variety of musical instruments. This odd-looking steel guitar, called "The Contraption" enabled "Pappy" Neal McCormick to change tunings rapidly while performing on network radio and television shows. Each neck would be tuned to a different Key, and he could rotate the instrument quickly to the appropriate neck to avoid the need to retune.
 |
| "The Contraption" |
We also learned about some of the most famous sound studios, including the local FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.
So, we HAD to check out the Muscle Shoals
Music scene!!
Muscle
Shoals is mentioned in the hit song “Sweet Home Alabama,” but that’s not the
only relationship Muscle Shoals has with the music industry.
 |
| FAME Recording Studios |
The Muscle Shoals Sound Studios was
founded in early 1969 by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. David Hood (bass),
Jimmy Johnson (rhythm guitar), Roger Hawkins (drums), and Barry Beckett (keys)
were working together at Rick Hall’s FAME Studio and decided to leave and open
their own studio at 3614 Jackson Highway in nearby Sheffield, Alabama.
The studio had its first commercial success with "Take A Letter, Maria" by R.B. Greaves which hit the charts at No. 2 and scored a gold record. The same week of recording with Greaves by day, the Studio was hosting The Rolling Stones by night. The Muscle Shoals Studio continued to release hit songs with artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, and Cat Stevens.
We complete our musical journey with a visit to the W.C. Handy Museum.
The
W.C. Handy Cabin, Museum and Library is dedicated to one of Florence's
most famous sons. Known as the "Father of the Blues", William
Christopher Handy was born in a log cabin in 1873.
The Museum houses a large collection of Handy’s personal papers, memorabilia, and artifacts. Here is the piano on which W.C. Handy composed his famous “St. Louis Blues” in 1914:
Handy also composed other well-known blues such as Beale Street Blues and Memphis Blues.
W. C. Handy lost his sight in 1943 but continued to compose and perform music. He was friends with Helen Keller and learned to read and write in Braille.
Next month we head to Mississippi via another scenic byway – the Natchez Trace Parkway! Please don’t get “All Shook Up”!
