Old Cahawba Archaeological Park hosted a “Happy Birthday Alabama Presentation” on Saturday at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.

Old Cahawba Site Director Linda Derry sorted bicentennial fact from fiction.  She was joined by Alabama Historical Commission Senior Archaeologist Eric Sipes in searching for archaeological remains of Alabama’s fist statehouse.

Derry dispelled a key piece of fiction about Old Cahawba, the state’s first state capital.

She showed a photo of Legislators rowing to work at Cahawba in 1820 because of a flood in the area. Derry presented maps from 1822 and 1824 to indicate there was no flood. She presented evidence that it didn’t flood until 1865.

“The first flood happened at the end of the Civil War,” Derry said. “There was no flood, the area had a drought. The flood in 1961 was a really bad one.

Derry also pointed out the first Legislative building was hardly used and it became a place for parties. She showed ancient broken pieces of glass, plates and whiskey bottles from those times.

“The branch building was used twice for the legislature, then people moved in, had parties and broke furniture,” Derry said. “A guard was put in front of the building. The building was later used as a courthouse and church.”

Derry also added the 1850’s were special to Cahawba.

“The big boon in Cahawba was the 1850’s,” Derry said.