Just west of Birmingham city limits, I-20/59 passes BESSEMER , a likeable small town named in 1887 after Sir Henry Bessemer, the English engineer who perfected the steel-making process. The Hall of History Museum here, in the 1916 Southern Railroad depot at 1905 Alabama Ave, displays Native American artifacts alongside exhibits from the industrial pioneer years (TuesSat 9am12pm & 14pm; free). Bob Sykes , 1724 Ninth Ave (tel 205/426-1400), is a mouthwatering takeout barbecue joint in town.
TUSCALOOSA , home of the lively main campus of the University of Alabama, but little else of interest, lies 32 miles southwest of Bessemer. If you're hungry, combine eating with a view of the Black Warrior River at Henson's Cypress Inn , 501 Rice Mine Rd N (tel 205/345-6963), which specializes in keenly priced seafood and catfish. Sixteen miles south on US-69, the Moundville Archeological Park (8am8pm) preserves twenty earthen mounds, carpeted in lush grass, with the largest supporting a rebuilt Native American temple. An estimated three thousand people lived here on the banks of the Black Warrior during the twelfth century; the on-site museum (daily 9am5pm; $4) exhibits items found in burial grounds, including jewelry, ceremonial vessels and a few skeletons.