Clanton’s Peach Park, Heaton’s Pecan Farm and Durbin Farms are featured in the new “Year of Alabama History” brochure. Gov. Bob Riley released the 94-page publication today to promote the 2009 tourism campaign.

The brochure, “Historic Alabama: A Guide to Landmarks and Events,” gives readers insight into the history of some 163 towns and cities across the state and features more than 700 museums, events and historically significant sites, from north Alabama to the Gulf Coast. Old Alabama Town in Montgomery is featured on the front cover while the back cover depicts a scene from the “Miracle Worker” at Helen Keller’s birthplace in Tuscumbia. It was written by Marilyn Jones Stamps and designed by Amy Shell, of the Alabama Tourism Department.

“Touring historic Alabama is guaranteed to be an educational and rewarding experience,” Riley said. “This brochure not only highlights the many sites and events that made our great state what it is today, but it also provides insight into the remarkable journey of famous Alabamians who impacted our nation such as Helen Keller, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and George Washington Carver,” Riley said.

The Alabama Tourism Department, the Department of Archives and History, the Alabama Historical Commission, local convention and visitor bureaus, and museums and attractions around the state partnered to create and promote the “Year of Alabama History” to students, residents and tourists.

“We are excited about the impact we believe this brochure will have on encouraging visitors to experience firsthand the things they read about in this publication,” said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell. “This is the largest brochure that we have ever printed and it’s full of exciting places to discover and experience,” Sentell said.

The tourism department will officially kick off the “Year of History” celebration Dec. 12 at the state Department of Archives and History in Montgomery to coincide with the 189th birthday celebration of Alabama’s statehood. Alabama became the 22nd state admitted to the Union on Dec. 14, 1819.

“We have some great stories to tell and some extraordinary people to tell about,” said Ed Bridges, director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. “Visitors can come to experience such events as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Tallapoosa County, or to learn about events that brought about monumental changes in the nation’s voting and civil rights laws,” added Bridges.

Some 200,000 copies of “Historic Alabama” have been produced for distribution through the state’s welcome centers, convention bureaus and tourism destinations. In addition to the booklet, the campaign promotion includes a commemorative low-cost history book produced by The Birmingham News.