Story By: Madeleine Matherne

If you’ve spent enough time in Shelby County, you’ve probably heard of American Village. For many University of Montevallo students, the historical tourist attraction is a common sight on the commute to campus. 

Perhaps you’ve gone to the annual Festival of Tulips, attended a formal in one of their event spaces, or visited for a field trip as a child. But, as with many places, there is more to the story.

Jennie Ford, a longtime employee of American Village, was excited as she discussed the contributions that the institution makes towards the Shelby County Community. 

“Oh man, we do some awesome things. We actually are an educational facility, our mission is to educate and inspire Americans, especially our young people around us, to teach them about the foundations of liberty, and the service and the sacrifice that went in to get us to where we are today.”

Ford went on to discuss the services that American village provides. The list includes field trips for students, tour groups for adults, Christmas luncheons, and event rental spaces.

American Village is also home to the Festival of Tulips, a popular spring event for UM students. The Festival has been held annually for the past ten years, usually beginning in late February and ending in March. Attendees are able to stroll through rows of brightly colored flowers, take photos, and even purchase tulips to take home – bulb and all.

Other notable events include the American Village Summer Film Series. Every other Friday in June and July, guests are able to view a film relating to the United State’s founding. In the past, the movies have been shown in the West Wing of the institution’s White House replica. 

“We have done all sorts of fun things, but I guess the biggest thing that we do, and coming up this year, will be our 250th birthday of the United States,” explained Ford.

“We’re going to be having a huge, two day celebration for the Fourth of July this year. We’re calling it Sweet Home 250, and we have an entire website set up for that. So it’s going to be really awesome.”

American Village offers much more than some may realize, but what is the desired impact? 

It is no secret that history can be difficult to understand. For many students, it can seem like endless memorizing of dates and names. Ford says that the goal is to truly engage visitors, both young and old, and show them more than what may have been in their history books. 

“Instead of it just being pictures on a page, and words on the page, they’re actually participating in the foundation of our country, and understanding just how important one vote is, and that just one person can have an impact on the remainder of people around them.”

For more information on scheduling a tour, reserving event spaces, or attending an event, you can visit American Villages website.