Best of Alabama 2019:
The votes are in! By Allison Law
W
e asked, you answered! For the sixth consecutive year, Alabama Living asked you, our readers, to tell us your favorite people, places and things about our great state as part of our annual Best of Alabama feature. Hundreds of you responded to the ballots we printed in the September and October issues, which asked you to vote for your favorites in ten different categories. We accepted your responses via the mail and online, and one lucky respondent was randomly drawn to win a $350 prize! (See story, Page 16.) It gets harder each year to come up with different categories for the contest, but it’s not hard to find the things we like about Alabama. From venues for live music to shopping to museums to restaurants, Alabama has it all. Read on to find out more about the winners.
Best museum dedicated to a famous Alabamian:
Ivy Green,
birthplace of Helen Keller, Tuscumbia Helen Keller (1880-1968) remains one of Alabama’s most admired native daughters. Keller became deaf and blind as an infant, but learned sign language from teacher Anne Sullivan at the water pump in the backyard of Ivy Green, her family’s home in Tuscumbia. She characterized Ivy Green and its garden as “the paradise of my childhood,” and the home and grounds today are dedicated to preserving her legacy of activism and literary accomplishment. The home, at 300 North Commons St. West in Tuscumbia, is open to the public; learn more at helenkellerbirthplace. org 12 JANUARY 2019
www.alabamaliving.coop