Bicentennial

The final Cullman County celebration of Alabama’s 200th birthday will take place on Dec. 14 and will feature appearances by some historic figures, fireworks, choirs and, naturally, singing “Happy Birthday” to the state.

The event at Depot Park begins at 5 p.m. and caps off a three-year celebration of the state’s bicentennial. Actors portraying Cullman founder Col. John Cullman, Ave Maria Grotto creator Brother Joseph Zoetti and Annie Lola Price, the first woman to serve on Alabama’s Appellate Court, will tell their stories.

Cullman County Bicentennial Committee Chairman Dale Green noted that Price, who was first appointed as a judge by Gov. Jim Folsom, “was a judge before women could serve on a jury.” She was also a pilot and a member of the Association of Women Pilots along with Amelia Earhart.

Choirs from Wallace State, St. Bernard Prep, and East and West Elementary Schools will perform, and a fireworks show will cap off the celebration, which is expected to last about an hour.

The observance of Alabama’s Bicentennial began in 2017, and Cullman County’s committee was one of the first local groups in the state to get involved. 

Green said as chairman, “My goal was to include everybody in the county. We have people on the committee from all over the county and from different groups.”

Each year had a theme, beginning with “celebrating our places.” Bicentennial signs were placed all over the county featuring a brochure that invited people to explore all of the historical locations in the area. “You could start anywhere in the county and it would lead you to other stops in the county,” said Green.

The second year focused on the people of Alabama and the Cullman committee highlighted Cullman’s residents and focused on their diversity and accomplishments.

This year the theme has been the stories of Alabama’s history. Green said bicentennial activities serve two purposes. “Yes, we want to remember our past and what we’ve learned from it and where we’ve come from, but also look to the future and what we can accomplish.”