Alabama Co-ops Closing in on Broadband Middle Mile to Serve Entire State
The Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) and its eight electric cooperatives have fulfilled a major state grant provision, building out middle mile broadband to 65 of Alabama’s 67 counties that offers access to the fastest internet service available anywhere.
“This is another great example of co-ops getting it done,” says NRECA Broadband Director Cliff Johnson. “Rural electric co-ops in broadband like those in AFN continually work together to go where no one else will. This project is a critical part of ensuring rural communities are served.”
The co-ops’ state-of-the-art network has deployed more than 3,400 miles of fiber and met the requirements of its $82.5 million middle-mile state grant awarded from American Rescue Plan Act funds.
AFN’s infrastructure supports internet speed capacity of at least 400 gigabits per second, and that can be rapidly scaled to 24 terabits for broadband providers connecting vital entities like schools, public safety agencies and health care facilities.
The AFN comprises these co-ops: Central Alabama, Coosa Valley, Covington, Cullman, Joe Wheeler, North Alabama, Tombigbee and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative. Learn more at alabamafibernetwork.com
This Month in Alabama History
APRIL 1825: The Marquis de Lafayette Visits
Two hundred years ago, Alabama hosted a war hero. During nine spectacle-filled days, the Marquis de Lafayette made his way from east Alabama to Mobile. He was a French aristocrat of international renown, a veteran of the American Revolution and a man George Washington loved as a son. The young, cash-strapped Yellowhammer State spared no expense in expressing its affections for this living symbol of liberty.
In 1824, President James Monroe invited Lafayette to tour the country his heroism had made possible. On Christmas Day, 1824, Governor Israel Pickens formally invited the “Nation’s Guest” to visit Alabama.
Lafayette and his entourage crossed the Chattahoochee River at Fort Mitchell on March 31, 1825. They followed the Federal Road through the Creek Nation on to Montgomery, where a large crowd gathered atop Goat Hill, near the site of today’s state capitol. The next stop was Selma, via steamboat, then onward to the capital city of Cahawba for the official welcome ceremony and a series of grand celebrations, including a free public barbecue. Travel delays shortened Mobile’s plans for an elaborate, extended visit with Lafayette. The price tag, however, remained exorbitant.
On Friday, April 8, 1825, Lafayette departed from Mobile Bay for New Orleans. His visit cost the young state of Alabama an estimated $20,000. Many payments were delayed for fairer days. But any naysayers kept silent. The hospitality Alabamians extended to the aged Frenchman was, after all, a kind of priceless thing: It was a measure of national pride.
Many Alabama communities and places where Lafayette stayed 200 years ago are marking the bicentennial of his visit with
public programs. – Scotty Kirkland
(Editor’s Note: Beginning this month, this column will be a regular feature on these pages.)
Tourism Launches Year of Alabama Trails Campaign
The Alabama Tourism Department officially launched the Year of Alabama Trails campaign recently at Vulcan Park in Birmingham, kicking off a multi-year initiative to celebrate the state’s extensive trail systems and its positive impact on tourism, conservation, quality of life for Alabamians and economic development.
At the event, officials unveiled Alabama’s 25 Must-Tread Trails for 2025, which encourages residents and visitors alike to explore top hiking, biking and paddle trails that make Alabama a top outdoor destination.
Outdoor recreation contributes $6.6 billion annually to Alabama’s economy, supporting more than 65,000 jobs and accounting for 2% of the state’s GDP, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. A 2021 Hoover Institution report recognized outdoor recreation as a key factor in Alabama’s economic growth and workforce retention.
To learn more, visit alabama.travel/experience-alabama/outdoor/year-of-trails.
