Coffee County, located in southeastern Alabama, is a small county with a population of just over 46,000. Settled in the 19th century at a time when agriculture was big business, the area still has stretches of rural isolation that make earlier times easy to imagine. While taking a trip to Coffee County may not be on at the top of your "bucket list," this destination in the Heart of Dixie is worth considering for its outdoor and historic attractions.

U.S. Army Aviation Museum

Fort Rucker, located partially in Coffee County, is a 64,000-acre military base, home to the state's largest military installations as well as the U.S. Army Aviation Museum. A center for military flight activities and defense testing since World War II, Fort Rucker plays an integral role in our nation's military operations. The museum's collection contains more than 160 aircraft from various eras, and nowhere in the world can you see a helicopter collection as big. Exhibits include an Aviation Hall of Fame, a replica of the Wright Brothers' "Model B" plane and a Vietnam Memorial, designed for guests to pay tribute to fallen soldiers and veterans.

Geneva State Forest

Located in Kinston, Geneva State Forest is home to more than 7,000 acres of predominately longleaf pines, Alabama's state tree. This former commercial timber-harvesting site, once considered unworkable, was replanted by Civilian Conservation Corps members in the 1930s, and has since grown into Alabama's largest state forest. Now sustainably harvested, the forest is a valuable natural resource and a great destination for outdoor recreation including hiking, biking, camping, large- and small-game public hunting, and fishing in the 100-acre Geneva State Forest Lake.

Boll Weevil Monument

There was a time that cotton was Coffee County's primary concern, and the region thrived. However, in 1915 beetles known as boll weevils ravaged the area, eating and destroying the cotton crop. A need for a more diversified economy came about due to this devastation, and by shifting from a cotton-based industry to a peanut-based economy the county once again became successful. This led to the dedication of Boll Weevil Monument, the world's only memorial to an insect, in appreciation of the havoc these bugs wreaked that brought about this change. This unique tribute is proudly displayed in the heart of Enterprise, the county's largest city.

Pea River

Declared navigable by the Alabama Legislature in 1846, the Pea River flooded almost 20 years later and destroyed Elba, the seat of Coffee County. This event is known today as the "Lincoln flood" since it occurred in 1865, the same year President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. After more than 160 years of official use, the Pea River is still a popular place for fishing, canoeing and bird watching. Some of the better-known sites to float and canoe on the Pea River are in the Coffee County portion; sections are lined with sandstone banks and large hardwood trees more than 100-years-old. It might take a half-day fish a stretch of the river, with potential to land largemouth bass, sunfish and bullhead catfish.

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  1. Attribution: Fort Rucker; License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
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