April Fool's Day Launched Saturday Walks

The weather may have been fooling us all week - alternating between blustery Spring, smoldering Summer and bristly Fall chills but Athens and Mooresville pulled out the stops on April Fool's Day for the initial walk marking an April full of Saturday Historic Walks.

In Mooresville, a group of 14 gathered at Alabama's oldest continually operating post office on Lauderdale Street at 10:00 a.m. before winding through the tiny village's tree covered streets and enjoy the almost door-to-door history, heritage and architecture.  The paused before homes with charming gardens, stood in the shadow of the Brick Church, and enjoyed tales of local lore including the XYZ Preacher, visits of U.S. Presidents and tales of yester-year.

Mooresville's small businesses - Lyla's Little House, Java.Mooresville, Mooresville Mercantile, Hen House Arts and Southern Carnage - welcomed the tour groups and invited them back following the tours for a little shopping and dining.

Athens offered four of its six tours on this inaugural April Fool's Day start to the State of Alabama organized event hosted by the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association.  Fifty-two intrigued guest set out from the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center at 10:00a.m.  with local guides Rebekah Davis to tour the Houston Historic District; Buzz Estes and William Pepper to tour Downtown Athens Historic District; Anna Gibbs to tour Athens College Historic District; and Billy Ward to tour the Beaty Historic District.
The walks wound their respective historic districts sharing tales of families, history, architecture and occasional bit of forelorned tragedy or legend with tour participants.

Both Mooresville and Athens Saturday Walk Tours continue the entire month of April.  The walks are free and open to the public.  The walks take between one to two hours to complete.

Two upcoming Bicentennial activities add to the journey of the April Historic Walks in both Mooresville and Athens this month.  Mooresville will be breaking ground on April 10th at 10:00 a.m. of a Bicentennial Park next to the historic Red Brick Church with featured guest Senator Arthur Orr.  Athens Cemetery Stroll will take place on Sunday, April 23rd from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Athens City Cemetery with over 35 actors dressed in period styles offering tales of history, families and more that celebrates the 200 years of Alabama, Limestone County, Mooresville and Athens.   Both events are free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center at 100 North Beaty Street in Athens, by phone 256-232-5411,