Bicentennial exhibit heads to Atmore

The 'Making Alabama – A Bicentennial Traveling Exhibit' will be on display in Atmore from May 2 through May 23 as the exhibit makes its way to all 67 counties across the state celebrating 200 years.

Atmore Mayor Jim Staff said a ribbon cutting to open the exhibit will be held at 4 p.m. May 2 at The Club, located at 1927 Highway 21.

The exhibit is presented by the Alabama Humanities Foundation with support from the Alabama Bicentennial Commission and the Alabama Department of Archives and History. In addition to exhibits from across the state the exhibit in Atmore will include the history of Escambia County, which was formed by an act of the Alabama Legislature on Dec. 10, 1868. An insert from the Alabama Humanities Foundation highlighting state history and Escambia County history is inside today's edition of the Tri-City Ledger.

Staff said officials from Atmore attended meetings in Montgomery to make its presentation to have the Escambia County exhibit located in Atmore.

“There's a lot of history in Atmore, Flomaton, Brewton, Pollard and all across the county,” Staff said. “This is a great honor to host it here.”

A reception will be held immediately after the ribbon cutting in Atmore to open the exhibit.

Each community that hosts the exhibit has the opportunity to put their own local signature in the lead- up to the celebration of Alabama's 200th birthday.

Making Alabama's exhibit will feature artifacts, storyboards, storytellers, festivals, vintage and antique photographs and more. It is also complimented with artistic panels depicting periods of Alabama's history plus the people who played prominent roles in that history. Interactive computer tablets at each kiosk will let attendees delve deeper into those periods of history.

Following the grand opening on May 2, the exhibit will be open Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday, May 5 and May 19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information on the exhibit, contact Dana Vickery at 251-253-5485 or Herb Hackman with the Atmore Historical Society at 251-253-4214.