History of your hometown: CVB offers walking tours of downtown Madison in April
The Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s spring history walking tours return this April to historic downtown Madison.
The CVB offers walking tours of local historic districts guided by local history experts every April and October. The spring tours take place on Saturday mornings throughout the month and feature a different historic area. This year, the first two weekends will showcase the Twickenham district in downtown Huntsville, and the last two weekends of the month will explore downtown Madison.
Though Madison’s downtown footprint is small in comparison to Huntsville’s historic downtown, it holds a lot of history that the tour will bring to light. Tour guides share the stories of Main Street shops, Church Street and Front Street houses, Madison Elementary, and more.
“Although relatively small, historic downtown Madison has a surprising amount to learn from the tour. The area has a rich local history, including early railroad development and historic buildings. During the tour, guides share stories about the community’s growth over time. Because the tour is guided, you gain insights and details. Definitely worth the time and trip,” said Erica Matthews, CVB Tourism Sales Manager.
The tours are led by volunteer guides. Past guides have been city council members, lifelong residents, and respected local historians.
The tours are free, last about 1-1.5 hours, and are an educational experience open to locals and tourists alike. The tours of Madison will take place April 18 and April 25 and will start at 10am at the historic roundhouse downtown.
The tours are part of a statewide tourism initiative, and other nearby cities, including Decatur, will be offering similar tours throughout April.
“We are proud to participate in this initiative by the Alabama Tourism Department to highlight historic sites, promote tourism, and educate the public about Alabama’s local history. These are offered annually, free and open to the public. We welcome leashed pets, too,” said Matthews.
Tours are weather dependent. In the case of inclement weather, tours will be cancelled, and there are no make-up dates. More tours opportunities will be offered again in October. Visit Huntsville.org and follow the CVB on social media @visithuntsvilleal for updates.
