Gadsden, AL Summary

Gadsden is a city of some 53,000 people situated on the Coosa River in northeast Alabama, 57 miles northeast of Birmingham via I-59.

It was founded as a riverside township in the middle of the nineteenth century. In 1899 it became the site of the first hydroelectric plant in the United States and, in 1929, of the world’s largest tire and tube plant. Gadsden is still economically reliant on heavy industry. However, it is a good jumping-off point for the many state parks and scenic attractions of the region. Guided sightseeing cruises of the river and the terrain near the city are conducted on a replica paddleboat, Alabama Princess. Noccalula Falls Park, which centers on a 90-foot waterfall, includes a miniature train, pioneer village, botanical garden, and campground.

Lookout Mountain Parkway is the access road that heads northeast from Gadsden out past the exceptional Little River Canyon, 16 miles long and up to 700 feet deep. Further north is De Soto State Park, which features endangered flora, 15 waterfalls, unusual geological formations, and a maze of hiking trails. Just north of the park lodge is De Soto Falls, which drops 100 feet into the gorge.

Gasden has bus service, and the nearest airports are at Atlanta and Birmingham.