On Saturday, February 9th Historic Blakeley State Park invites all those interested in the lliterary arts to join us for our annual “Alabama Authors Day.” A once-a-year event, this special celebration showcases the work of accomplished writers throughout the state, with an emphasis on Gulf Coast authors and those who explore topics associated with regional history
and natural heritage. This year’s lineup includes Professor Emeritus at the University of West Alabama Dr. James Pate (The
Annotated Pickett’s History of Alabama); local writer Jerrye Sumrall (The Ghost of Blakeley Past) former Cavalry Captain and Civil War reenactor Kurt Vetters (Freedom Spring); and retired businessman Russell Blount, Jr. (Wilson’s Raid: The Final Blow to the Confederacy). For more information on the
authors and the focus of their acclaimed books, please visit the events page on Blakeley’s website, www.blakeleypark.com. Author presentations and booksignings begin at 11:15 AM at the Wehle Center. Prior to this program, join us as we take an excursion by boat to remote Bayou Canot, located just off the Mobile River north of the city. This tranquil spot was the scene of two of the most dramatic tragedies in regional history: the derailment of Amtrak’s “Sunset Limited” in 1993 and the last documented importation of African slaves into the United
States in 1860 aboard the Clotilda.