There’s a lot of great history in Alabama, and because some of the state’s historical events are better known than others, there may be some you aren’t quite familiar with. Listed below are 12 interesting historical facts sbout Alabama that you may or may not already know.

1. The state of Alabama got its name from the Alabama River.
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2. Sheriff Pat Garrett, the man famous for killing "Billy the Kid" in 1881, was born in Cusseta, Alabama.
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3. In 1703, the United State's first Mardi Gras celebration took place in Mobile, Alabama.
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4. Before railroads, there were several plank roads in Alabama. Plank roads are made by placing logs perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area.
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5. The telegram that began the Civil War was sent from Alabama.
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6. Alabama is the only state that has all of the major natural resources to make steel and iron within its borders.
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7. The Saturn V rocket, which sent the first Americans to the moon, was designed in Huntsville, Alabama at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
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8. The Tuskegee Airmen were trained in Alabama, and they were America's first African-American military airmen.
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9. Alabama has had a total of five capitals. These capital cities are the following: St. Stephens (1817), Huntsville (1819), Cahawba (1820), Tuscaloosa (1826) and Montgomery (1846).
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10. The first 911 call in the United States was made in Haleyville, Alabama on February 16, 1968.
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11. With more than 300,000 words, Alabama's state constitution is the longest state constitution in the U.S.
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12. In 1836, Alabama was the first U.S. state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
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Which of these historical facts surprised you? What are some other interesting historical facts about Alabama? Let us know in the comments below!

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