Visit Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, Alabama - Birthplace of Helen Keller

Located on the outskirts of Tuscumbia, Alabama, is the scene of one of the most miraculous events in American history. On the edge of town lies Ivy Green, the homestead of the Keller family plantation, and the location where a blind and deaf child had a miraculous breakthrough that changed the world around her. With the aid a teacher named Anne Sullivan, young Helen Keller went from a wild and untamable child to a college educated philosopher, all in the span of a few short years.

The story of Helen Keller is one that is encouraging and inspirational. When Anne Sullivan first arrived at the Keller home, young Helen was a wild child that could not be controlled or even communicated with. That was all about to change, thanks largely to the determined spirit that Ms. Sullivan had.

The initial breakthrough came in the back yard of the family's Tuscumbia home, where Sullivan continuously pumped water over Helen's hands while tapping out an alphabet code to spell water - first slowly, then faster. Eventually the code just clicked in Helen's mind and she realized that w-a-t-e-r referred to the cool liquid flowing over her hands. It was as if the curtains had been listed from her mind, and by the end of the day she had learned 30 words.

The home where Helen Keller was born and raised, known affectionately as Ivy Green, was a 640-acre tract with a home that was originally built by Helen's grandparents. Away from the main house is a small cottage that was originally constructed as an office for managing the plantation records, but at the time Helen's parents were wed, the cottage was redecorated as a bridal suite. It was again redecorated later to serve as an apartment for Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan.

Outside of the main home, a small trail known as the "whistle path" transports visitors to the outdoor kitchen. Along the path are the Lions Club Memorial Fountain, a clearing, herb gardens, the Carriage House, Gift Shop, and, of course, the famous pump were a 10-year old Helen Keller had her initial breakthrough.