About Maxwell AFB Gunter Annex

Welcome to the River Region of Alabama!

Little did Orville and Wilber Wright know, when they decided to establish a flying school in Montgomery, Alabama for the average 'Joe', that it would set off a chain of events which would eventually lead to what is now known as the United States Air Force.  Maxwell Air Force Base along with the Gunter Annex is part of the absolute best air military for the most powerful nation in the world.   Interestingly enough, it had its beginnings as the Army Air Corps but is now, through our Air University, the center for education for airpower and space power. One of its missions is to educate the best and brightest in our nation through the Air University.  Air University attendees are students for the Air Force along with other branches of the United States military, civil service and our international friends.

The bigger cities, towns and communities that make up the River Region are Montgomery (205,000 population), Prattville, Pike Road, Wetumpka, Tallassee, Millbrook and various small towns occupying five counties in Central Alabama. Living in Montgomery, you are close to many other metropolitan areas.  It is approximately two+ hours to Atlanta, three hours to the beaches, and a little over an hour to Birmingham. 

While Montgomery is the capitol of the State of Alabama it is also home to the only Hyundai Automobile Assembly plant. Hyundai along with numerous automotive supplier companies makes its home in our area.  Hyundai has steadily increased production and is a strong civilian economic factor for the city.  Because of Montgomery's centralized location, the city is also home to a Big Lots Distribution Center, Hager Companies, Neptune, VT Miltope and Rheem, just to name a few.

Four of Montgomery's high schools were named in the U.S. News & World Report's best high schools in the United States with Loveless Academic Magnet Program being number one in the State of Alabama also. The other three schools winning either bronze or silver medals were Brewbaker Technical Magnet School, Booker T. Washington Magnet School, and Carver High School.

After School and Work there is PLAY'and we have it! Ready, here goes:  At the Riverfront we have 2nd Saturdays.  A fun monthly event for everyone'games for the kids (big and small), music, arts and crafts, fabulous food and FIREWORKS! Also, The Splash Pad is open for the kids and The Sand Bar is open for the adults.  Around the corner you have Riverfront Stadium -- home to The Biscuits which is a Minor League baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and also 2006,2007 Southern League Champions.  Dragonboat Races are held annually in August at the Riverfront with lots of water-based fun. One block from the Alabama River is 'The Alley' with numerous restaurants and nightly entertainment. The Montgomery Performing Arts Center located by the Renaissance and the Civic Center is a state of the art entertainment center that has had everyone from David Copperfield to Dwight Yoakum, Comedy to Acid Rock.  All of this and more is at the Riverfront area.

On the Eastern side of Montgomery is the Blount Cultural Park.  This 350 acre park is home to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Internationally acclaimed, the theatre is one of the ten largest Shakespeare Festivals in the world. Throughout the entire year there are world-class contemporary and classic productions along with educational programs. On the same grounds is the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts with permanent collections and traveling exhibitions.  The Park has numerous events including Broadway Under the Stars performed by the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.
We are in close proximity to two huge recreational lakes'Lake Jordan and Lake Martin'so those of you who like skiing and fishing are in for a treat.  From Montgomery you are approximately 30-45 minutes to the Lake areas.

Traveling north on I65 about 13 miles is Prattville. Prattville is one of the fastest growing cities in the River Region.  Prattville is home of Capitol Hill, the jewel of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.  The Course was ranked as one of the top ten courses by Golf Magazine.  Capitol Hill has hosted the Navistar LPGA Classic. The course encompasses over 1,500 acres of scenic beauty and vistas including the distant city of Montgomery skyline and the Alabama River.

A quick snapshot of housing in the area shows that an average selling price for East Montgomery is around $267,000, for Pike Road is $ 249,000, for Prattville area is $163,000, and the Wetumpka area is $152,900.  Property taxes in all areas are very low compared to other parts of the United States. Mortgage lenders here are familiar with VA, FHA, conventional and USDA (due to the amount of rural areas covered) mortgages.  Houses with basements are more prevalent in Prattville or the Millbrook area.