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Alabama officially became on state on Dec. 14, 1819, and preparations are in full swing across the state to mark the occasion.

The traveling Bicentennial has been set up in counties across the state, and Crenshaw County is now the next stop on the list.

The exhibit consists of 8 separate installations that each detail a period in the state’s history.

It begins with “Wonder”, which covers pre-history until 1700, while other exhibits explain historical periods such as the Creek War of 1813-1814, slavery and the Civil War, the industrialization of the South, the Civil Rights Era and the present.

Exhibits consist of detailed artwork and two touch-screen pads which contain information about the time period, photos and more.

Two large screens mark the start of the exhibit and introduce its purpose.

Earlier this week, members of Luverne’s Bicentennial Committee including council member Kathy Smyth, county Economic and Industrial Development president Robyn Snellgrove, Historical Society head Pamela Campbell and many others set up the exhibit in the John D. Harrison Cultural Center in downtown Luverne.

“We also wanted to thank the Luverne city workers who helped us set it up, it wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Smyth said.

The Luverne Bicentennial Committee received a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation to help facilitate the exhibit.

Smyth said she hopes local students will be encouraged to visit the exhibit to enjoy the interactive tour of the state’s history.

“We hope local students will be able to access it. It’s historical, user-friendly and high-tech,” she explained.

The exhibit will be unveiled to the public for the first time at a reception on Thursday, Aug. 29 from
4 p.m. until 6 p.m.

The exhibit will then open on September 3 and will be open every weekday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. until September 20.

Snellgrove said that citizens or groups can contact her at (334) 335-4468 to arrange tours of the exhibit outside of normal hours.