The Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association announces the return of free, guided walking tours each Saturday in the month of April. Residents and visitors are invited to take part in a casual stroll through the 'Beaty' and 'Houston' Historic District and learn about the architecture and history of these charming neighborhoods.
Scheduled for April 5, 12, 19, and 26, the one-hour walking tour begins at 10 a.m. at the meeting room of the Athens Visitor Center at Big Springs Memorial Park. Knowledgeable guides will escort participants through one of four tours each Saturday. Enjoy each tour by selecting a different tour every week. The tour areas are the Old Athens City Cemetery, the Historic Neighborhoods of the Beaty District or the Houston District or the Historic Downtown Square. The guides will share the history of the local businesses, the architectural styles of the homes of which some date back to the late 1800s, and acrimonious accounts of the Sacking of Athens by Col. Turchin during the Civil War. Reservations are not required and tours are free and held rain or shine. The tour features four routes, themes, and tour guides each Saturday.
Experience the culture and history of Athens by taking one of these walks each week.
Tour 1: The Historic Downtown Athens Square led by Tour Guide Buzz Estes
Tour 2: Beaty Historic District, Washington Street and Old Town Cemetery led by Tour Guide Bill Ward
Tour 3 – City Cemetery led by tour guide Jimmy Hill
Tour 4 – Houston Historic District led by tour guide Jerry Daniel
Richard Martin and William Pepper who are also experienced and knowledgeable tour guides will fill in for our regular guides when necessary.
The Athens’ guided walking tours are part of the “April Walking Tours” coordinated by the Alabama Tourism Department. Athens is one of 33 towns across the state participating in the annual event. Alabama is the only state in the nation to hold statewide, simultaneous walking tours. These walking tours are a great way to get out and enjoy the spring weather and find out the history of our state and communities. “We have held more than 1,800 walking tours since the beginning of the program and they keep increasing in popularity every year,” said Teresa Todd, President of the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association. Walkers may choose one of 4 different walks each Saturday and groups are welcomed. The local residents serving as guides will also share personal remembrances and tall tales from the old days as well as the history of their respective walk.
As these walking tours end, Athens will celebrate 2014 as being the “Year of Alabama Parks.” This Alabama Tourism Department celebration will extend state wide throughout the 2014 year. It also serves as the kick-off for National Travel and Tourism Month, which gets underway May 1. Stop in the Ardmore Welcome Center as we will celebrate Tourism Day on Friday May 30th with an all-day reception for south bound travelers on I-65.
Teresa A. Todd, President
Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association
100 N. Beaty Street
Athens, Alabama 35611
Teresa@VisitAthensAl.com
256-232-5411
www.VisitAthensAL.com
April 1st 2014
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