'Constellation' movie showcases Huntsville

"Huntsville is among the most progressive communities in the state in terms of education and equal opportunity for African-Americans," he said. "That really stems from the 1950s when that area had an influx of people from across the country to work for the U.S. Army in connection with the German rocket scientists. So the theme in the movie of open-mindedness and acceptance from one another is very valid in the Huntsville area."

Those looking to dine at the rooftop restaurant that was shown in the movie will be disappointed because it doesn't exist. But other restaurants featured in the film, like Humphrey's Bar and Grill with its outdoor stage and brick patio and the white-tablecloth Chop House, are very, very real.

Consider trying a Humphrey's hot dawg with the sweet salsa-like topping called chow-chow and the jalapeno coleslaw. A trip to Melvin's Barbecue is a must for those wanting a taste of the down-home cooking that was shown in Constellation. The barbecue spot has since moved to a new location, but owner Melvin Rogers says the food hasn't changed.

Nightlife in Huntsville is anything but dull - especially on the weekends when most venues have live music. The Jazz Factory is a laid-back swanky spot for the slightly older, professional crowd while Humphrey's and The Crossroads cater to young professionals.

Parking in the downtown Washington Square area can be a bear, but it's worth the hassle to find something for just about everyone within a few blocks.

Barbara Webb, director of the Huntsville Cemetery Department, said slaves and black veterans of America's wars beginning with the Civil War are buried in Glenwood Cemetery, where the movie's funeral scene was filmed. The cemetery was established by Huntsville in 1870 and is still being used, Webb said.

Alabama A&M's Black Archives Research Center and Museum is another site for black history, with several exhibits, including one dedicated to the Buffalo Soldiers.

If You Go HUNTSVILLE, ALA.: 800-772-2348. Constellation Tour maps available at the Visitor's Center, 500 Church St., Suite 1. EARLYWORKS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: 404 Madison St. Click "Visitor Info" for details on other living history museums, the Alabama Constitution Village at 109 Gates Ave. and the Historic Huntsville Depot at 320 Church St. NW. HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM OF ART: 300 Church St. East in Big Spring Park; 256-535-4350. BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN: 3101 Burritt Drive off Monte Sano Blvd. via U.S. 431 South; 256-536-2882. STATE BLACK ARCHIVES AND MUSEUM: Located in the James Hembray Wilson Building on the campus of Alabama A&M University, 256-851-5846. U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER: One Tranquility Base off of I-565 Exit 15, or 256-837-3400. MELVIN'S BARBECUE: 2300 Governors Dr., 256-533-6775. HUMPHREY'S BAR & GRILL and THE CHOP HOUSE: 109 Washington St., 256-704-5555. GLENWOOD CEMETERY: Near downtown off of Clinton and Cemetery streets, located on the corner of Hall Ave. and Derrick Street. Huntsville Cemetery Department, 256-427-5730. WEEDEN HOUSE MUSEUM: 300 Gates Ave., a block from Alabama Constitution Village. OTHER ATTRACTIONS: Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave., or 256-830-4447, and Sci-Quest hands-on science exploration center, 102-D Wynn Drive, behind Calhoun Community College, 256-837-0606.

The city's three historic districts - Twickenham, Old Town and Five Points - are located downtown near the Washington Square area. The homes are privately owned and not usually open to the public, but visitors can tour Twickenham's 1819 Weeden House, the former home of 19th Century poet-artist Maria Howard Weeden.

Big Spring International Park with its gazebos, fountains and dozens of ducks is one of the most scenic locations in Huntsville - and the film.

Huntsville has five hands-on and living history museums, including one at 167-acre Burritt on the Mountain, where history interpreters spin cotton, and the kid-paradise EarlyWorks museum, where visitors can don costumes from pioneer days and sign their names on Alabama's constitution. They can pump a lever to create an explosion in a coal mine, romp around a fully stocked playhouse and when they get tired, sit and listen to stories told by the large aforementioned tree.

A colorful mural painted by Alabama artist John Moore is one of the centerpieces of the museum and is included in the movie.

EarlyWorks executive director Bart Williams said they're expecting an increase in visitors wanting to see the popular mural after its exposure in the film.

"There were three or four hundred people here for the opening," he said. "It's as much a draw as anything we have in the museum."

Others also are looking forward to seeing how the movie will affect the town's tourism.

"Having a premiere like this in Huntsville is a really big deal for us," said a city marketing executive, Charles Winters. "We could get used to this."

And why not? For a city whose motto is "The sky is not the limit," anything is possible.

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