Interesting facts and trivia about Alabama

Birmingham is Alabama's largest city. And Montgomery is Alabama's capital.

Do you know which major cities in the United States have the highest combined local and state sales tax? It is Birmingham and Montgomery. Each has combined local and state sales tax is 10 percent. [reference]

Alabama has a relatively high income disparity. A person in Alabama in the 90th percentile of income makes nearly 12 times as much money as someone in the 10th percentile.[reference]

Huntsville, Alabama is the home of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, sometimes called as "Earth's largest space museum". It has more than 1500 rocketry and space exploration artifacts and exhibits.

The U.S Space & Rocket Center saw more then 550,000 visitors in 2011 and hosts the annual "Great Moonbuggy Race" where students design, build, and race across a simulated lunar terrain.

Huntsville Alabama is nicknamed "The Rocket City" and has often been known as Rocket Capital of the World due to its involvement with U.S. space missions. [reference]

In the 1930's during the Great Depression, Huntsville Alabama was the Watercress capital of the world. Then in the 1940's, New Market, Alabama became known as the Watercress capital of the world. However, now the title of Watercress capital of the world goes to New Ashford in England. [reference]

Oh, what is watercress, you ask? Watercress is a fast-growing, semi-aquatic, perennial plant that is harvested and eaten.

Mobile, Alabama is the rainiest city in the 48 contiguous United States with an annual precipitation of 67 inches of rain. This is based on the 2007 WeatherBill Study that looked at the 30-year average of the 200 National Weather Service Stations in 195 cities within the 48 contiguous United State.

Note, that the study excluded Hawaii and Alaska. So Mobile, Alabama is not the rainiest if you include all 50 states. For example, Ketchikan Alaska typically gets around 150 inches of rain a year. And Hana Hawaii gets around 80 inches per year.

Mobile Alabama is where Mardi Gras was first celebrated. [reference]

The flag of Alabama is a red X on white background. It's state colors being red and white.

The state reptile is the Alabama red-bellied turtle. The state amphibian is the Red Hills salamander.

Alabama's state song is ... you guessed it ... "Alabama".

Dinosaur fossils of the Lophorhothon and Nodosaurus have both been found in Alabama. [reference]

Article was written September 2012 and may become outdated by the time you read this. Information was obtained from the Internet, which may not be 100% reliable.