Noccalula Falls Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Noccalula Falls Park |
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Noccalula Falls
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| Type | City park |
| Location | Gadsden, Alabama |
| Area | 250 acres (100 ha) |
| Created | 1946 |
| Operated by | City of Gadsden Parks & Recreation |
| Camp sites | 120 |
Noccalula Falls Park is a large public park in Gadsden, Alabama. It covers about 250 acres (101 hectares). The most famous part of the park is a beautiful 90-foot (27-meter) waterfall.
You can explore many trails that wind through the Black Creek Gorge. Along these trails, you might see cool caves and old carvings from the American Civil War. The park also has fun things like a petting zoo and a mini-golf course. There's even an old covered bridge, the Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge, built in 1899. You can also ride a replica 1863 C. P. Huntington train!
Noccalula Falls Park was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1976. In 2017, it was named the best campsite in Alabama by Msn.com. The Noccalula Falls Botanical Gardens also show off more than 25,000 colorful azalea flowers.
Contents
The Park's History
How Noccalula Got Its Name
The name Noccalula likely comes from a Cherokee word. It sounds like "ama uqwalelvyi." This word means "place where water thunders." It's a great name for a powerful waterfall!
Early Days and Development
In 1859, a man named Faxon explored Noccalula Falls. He carved his name and the date on the wall behind the waterfall. This shows people have been visiting for a long time.
Later, in the late 1800s, a company ran a tavern and dance hall. This was in a cave right behind the waterfall.
Most of the park land used to belong to R. A. Mitchell. He was a former mayor of Gadsden. He bought a lot of land in 1909. He hoped it would become a city park one day. His daughter, Sadie Mitchell Elmore, later offered the land to the city. The city bought the land in 1946. They started making improvements to the park in 1950.
Statue and Local Legend
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Above the waterfall, there is a nine-foot-tall bronze statue. It shows a young Cherokee woman named Noccalula. A local legend tells her sad story.
The Legend of Princess Noccalula
According to the legend, Princess Noccalula was ordered to marry a man she did not love. To avoid this marriage, she bravely jumped to her death from the waterfall. This story is similar to other legends, like the Winona story from Wisconsin. It also reminds some people of events in the book The Last of the Mohicans.
About the Statue
The statue was created by an artist named Suzanne Silvercruys. It was officially placed in the park in September 1969. The money for the statue was raised by the Gadsden Woman's Club. Even school children helped by collecting pennies! While the legend is popular, some researchers believe the story might not be entirely true.
Noccalula in the Arts
The beauty and legend of Noccalula Falls have inspired artists.
Music Inspired by the Falls
- "The Legend of Princess Noccalula" is a piece of music from 2006. It was written for mandolin and orchestra by an American composer named John Craton.
- "Noccalula" is also the name of a folk song from 2012. It was created by Katie Crutchfield, who is from Alabama. She released it under her music project called Waxahatchee.
