Montgomery, Alabama was founded in 1819. During the Civil War, Alabama was among the first southern states to secede from the Union. Jefferson Davis became the president of the new Confederate States of America standing on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol Building and the order to attack Fort Sumter was issued from Montgomery.

Following the Civil War, Montgomery boasts first electric streetcar in the country and the first flight school. Orville and Wilbur conducted their first night flights in Montgomery in 1910 on the site that is now Maxwell Air Force Base.

In 1955, Montgomery again made history when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. The reaction to this incident led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott forcing the city to desegregate its transit system. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began his career as pastor of the Dexter Street Baptist Church and led the Civil Rights Movement. Years of civil unrest followed and in 1965 Dr. King led the famous Civil Rights March for Justice from Selma to Montgomery.

Today, Montgomery is a prosperous and progressive state capital and is one of the largest livestock markets and dairy centers in the southeast. Alabama’s capital city is also dramatically revitalizing its downtown riverfront district to include a state-of-the-art convention center, multi-use baseball stadium and new attractions. Montgomery takes pride in its heritage and dedication to reconciling differences through the years and is committed to leading the way into the future in Alabama.