5. Old Courthouse Museum – Monroeville, Alabama
Fans of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird find a tangible connection to the story’s small-town setting, Maycomb, in the author’s native Monroeville. Off the beaten path in rural southwest Alabama, the Old Courthouse Museum allows visitors to imagine themselves among such iconic characters as Scout and Atticus Finch. Make your way to the balcony for a bird’s-eye view of the courtroom that inspired Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning tale.
The museum’s main floor houses permanent exhibits dedicated to Lee as well as her childhood friend Truman Capote, another literary giant who grew up in Monroeville. Informative panels share the history of the 1904 Romanesque structure, illuminate its bookish connections, and identify differences between the real-life space and the Hollywood version seen in the To Kill a Mockingbird film with Gregory Peck.
Every year, locals perform the stage adaptation of Lee’s best-selling novel on site. While the Old Courthouse is the gateway to this region, tourists will enjoy Monroeville’s Literary Capital Sculpture Trail, notable landmarks and small businesses that line historic downtown, and surrounding sites supported by the Monroe County Museum.
Visit monroecountymuseum.org for hours and admission information.
Photography by John O’Hagan
These destinations are featured in Southern Lady‘s Southern Historic Landmarks 2021 travel series. Read the full stories in our 2021 editions of March/April, May/June, July/August, September, and October.
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