Shoals History Tour

Tour takes approximately 5 hours

Ivy Green - Helen Keller Birthplace - At her birthplace and childhood home known as "Ivy Green" in Tuscumbia, Alabama, visitors can see the Keller family's original furnishings, hundreds of personal mementos, gifts, and books from a lifetime of travels. Thousands gather for the week-long Helen Keller Festival each June, and the epic drama "The Miracle Worker" is performed at the home each June and July.

Florence Indian Mound Museum - The mound rises from history-43 feet high, the largest trove of ancient tools, pottery, jewelry, and pipes in Alabama. The mound is history. Climb the steps yourself, wondering if Indian priests and chiefs mounted them too, reaching for the sun. Hear the Yuchi's nearby Singing River, the Tennessee River that carries a young woman's songs in the waters. See the rich collection of rare and sought-after Clovis and Cumberland points 500 generations old.

Pope’s Tavern - This one time stagecoach stop, tavern and inn, now owned by the city, is one of the oldest structures in Florence. Both Confederate and Union Forces used it as a hospital during the War Between the States. It is located on what was known as Jackson’s Military Road and Andrew Jackson himself is said to have stopped here. The museum now houses a wealth of local history and pioneer artifacts.

Tom's Wall - In the late 1830's, a young teenage Yuchi girl was living near the Singing (Tennessee) River. Unfortunately, this was also during the Trail of Tears, a dark time in American history when Native Americans were forcibly removed from the Eastern portion of the United States and moved west. A wall of stones was going to be the memorial and over 30 years later, the monument is truly something to behold. It is the largest un-mortared rock wall in the United States and the largest memorial to a Native American woman. Each stone represents one step of her journey.