I’m Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. And I’ll be your guide on this tour of Huntsville, Alabama.
Huntsville’s economy was launch over 50 years ago with the arrival of a missile defense and aerospace industries, both of which still thrive here. The US Space and Rocket Center honors the history of space exploration. Here, we see visitors exploring the mock up of the Russian near space capsule. This marker commemorates the test launch of rockets that put Alan Shepard into space in 1961. The success of that flight encourages the US to set its sight on the moon.
Whereof Redstone Arsenal and Army installation where some 32,000 people work. The 2005 Base Realignment Enclosure called the Brac around here brings another 10,000 jobs to Huntsville. Huntsville isn’t all rockets and rudders.
This area building houses the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Biotech and Information Technology are huge in Huntsville and the source of plenty of high paying jobs. Huntsville is also a great place to live. Here’s one of the beautiful, old houses in the historic Twickenham district. Here’s another.
Prefer new houses? This brand new million-dollar plus amount inside home overlooks the city not a bad view. The botanical garden is among many features that attract families to Huntsville. The city also boasts an outstanding art museum and symphony.
That’s our tour of Huntsville, Alabama rank number one among Kiplinger’s Best Cities for 2009. I’m Jane Bennett Clark of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance blown away by Rocket City.
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