Jesse Owens Museum

Located a few miles off of the main highway, near Oakville, Alabama, is a small but comprehensive museum dedicated to the greatest track and field athlete of all time, Jesse Owens.

Owens, born in Oakville in 1913, became world-famous after winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Before that, he set three world records and tied another in the course of one Big Ten Championship track meet, a feat known as the “greatest 45 minutes ever in sport.”

The museum has plenty of exhibits about the man and his exploits, and you can view memorabilia from various events—like the ones mentioned above—along with statues in his honor.