Visit The Shoals area of north Alabama
The area in north west Alabama known as "The Shoals" includes the towns of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals. These towns are also known as the Quad Cities. Florence is in the county of Lauderdale. Across the Tennessee River are the Colbert County towns of Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Muscle Shoals. Surrounding smaller towns are also considered by some as part of The Shoals area.
The Shoals area boasts of several celebrities, from historical (Helen Keller) to political/actor (Fred Thompson) to a current fashion icon, Billy Reid.
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| W. C. Handy home, Florence, AL |
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| Singing River sculpture, Sheffield, AL |
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| Helen Keller home place, Tuscumbia, AL |
Music Claim to Fame
You may have heard of "the Muscle Shoals Sound", "Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section", and/or the "Swampers". Many music hits, including country, R&B, and rock and roll have been produced by music studios in the The Shoals. Muscle Shoals was known as the Hit Recording Capitol of the World in the 1960s and 1970s.
Watch the documentary "Muscle Shoals" featuring Bono, Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Alicia Keys and more, to learn about the music producing legends of the 60s and 70s. This is an excellent movie and highly recommended.
Recreation
The Tennessee River runs between Colbert and Lauderdale counties and the area lakes, Wheeler, Wilson, and Pickwick, provide great fishing as well as other water activities. My little town, Rogersville, sits at the intersection of the Tennessee River and the Elk River and boasts of being "Fisherman's Paradise".
Joe Wheeler State Park is located on First Creek, just off the Tennessee River. The park has a lodge, restaurant, marina, golf course, lakeside cottages, and camping facilities (primitive and camper sites).
Chartered cruises on Wheeler Lake are available for small groups.
Chartered cruises on Wheeler Lake are available for small groups.
Muscle Shoals is also the home of two golf courses belonging to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
Florence is the home of the University of North Alabama.
See more about The Shoals from this blog.
