culture
Huntsville's 210-Year History Drives Annual Preservation Push
City organizers are urging residents to visit or view online a selection of historic properties and museums that have shaped local identity since the early 1800s.
How we reported this
Huntsville traces its start to 1805 when John Hunt established the settlement that became the first incorporated town in the Alabama Territory by 1811. That foundation now exceeds 210 years, and the city is using its annual Historic Preservation Month observance to focus attention on the buildings and institutions that still illustrate those beginnings.
The effort gained urgency after the COVID-19 pandemic reduced attendance at many longtime attractions. Organizers designed the Saving Places campaign to thank the sites that continue to present Huntsville’s layered past to both residents and visitors. The approach mixes in-person visits with online tours so people can participate while keeping distance.
Featured stops around town
Two antebellum homes anchor the list. The Weeden House, completed in 1819, and the Lowry House, finished in 1850, have long hosted school groups and private events. Additional stops include the Veterans Memorial Museum, the H.C. Blake Art & History Center, the Alabama State Black Archives, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the Huntsville Museum of Art and Burritt on the Mountain. Each week during May the city posts detailed blog entries and runs Facebook Live tours from these locations.
Three in-person events are also scheduled. Five Points Porch Fest takes place May 8, a historic marker will be unveiled at the YMCA on Lincoln Street on May 19, and the Historic Huntsville Foundation will present its Preservation Awards on May 26.
How residents can take part
Anyone can join by stopping at one of the listed sites or watching the live streams on the City of Huntsville Facebook page. Photos and videos shared with the hashtag #SavingPlacesHSV help spread the word. The National Trust for Historic Preservation coordinates the national observance each May, and local planners adapt the theme to Huntsville landmarks.
More details appear on the city website at huntsvilleal.gov along with links to the commission’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. The campaign continues to highlight places that keep the community’s earliest chapters visible today.