Information
Landmark: Twickenham Historic DistrictCity: Huntsville
Country: USA Alabama
Continent: North America
Twickenham Historic District, Huntsville, USA Alabama, North America
Overview
In downtown Huntsville, Alabama, the Twickenham Historic District stands as the city’s oldest neighborhood, where rows of white-columned porches showcase some of the finest 19th‑century Southern architecture.
Founded in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the district shows how Huntsville grew into one of Alabama’s first hubs for politics, trade, and culture, with brick storefronts still echoing that early energy.
It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, a mark of its rich history and striking architecture, from the worn stone steps to the tall arched windows.
Back in the early 1800s, when settlers first built the town, they called it Twickenham-long before it became known as Huntsville.
The district grew alongside Alabama’s entry into the Union in 1819, soon filling with the city’s first political leaders, ambitious merchants, and well-known families whose lamps lit the streets at dusk.
Preserving it offers a glimpse into how Huntsville’s first residents lived, worked, and celebrated, from the goods sold in the market to music drifting through open windows.
The Twickenham Historic District boasts over 200 homes and buildings, their styles ranging from early 19th-century brick townhouses to elegant early 20th-century facades, each carrying a piece of the neighborhood’s long story.
Notable architectural features include the Federal style, with its balanced facades, graceful proportions, and finely carved trim often seen on the district’s earliest homes.
Greek Revival style ruled mid-19th-century homes, with towering columns, sharp pediments, and front doors framed like grand stage entrances.
Victorian styles-Italianate, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival-show the district’s later growth, shaped by the boom of industrial wealth and the crisp lines of 19th-century brickwork.
Historic churches and public buildings once stood at the heart of community life, from the echoing halls of early schools to the sunlit pews of local churches.
The district centers on Twickenham Boulevard, Gates Avenue, and Clinton Avenue, where leafy streets wind past historic brick sidewalks and warm lamplight glows from old-fashioned posts.
The streets still carry their 19th‑century charm, with brick facades and iron railings coming together to form a rich, unified historic scene.
Many homes sit on generous lots shaded by towering oaks, with colorful gardens and vintage-style landscaping.
The Twickenham Historic District stands as a vivid link to Huntsville’s early days, its shaded streets lined with homes restored to their original charm-faded brick, polished wood, and all-serving as both a center for preservation and a place where history is taught and remembered.
Walking and guided tours give locals and visitors a chance to learn, whether it’s hearing old shipyard stories or spotting hidden architectural details.
From lively seasonal festivals to candlelit tours of historic homes, community events draw people together and spark a deeper appreciation for Huntsville’s heritage.
Private homes still dominate the area, but a few old brick buildings now house offices, art galleries, and cozy bed-and-breakfasts, mixing modern life with a sense of preserved history.
Visitor Information – Accessibility: You can freely wander the district on foot, exploring its narrow streets and hidden courtyards.
Some houses are still private homes, so visitors need to stay on the right side of the fence.
Walking Tours: You can explore with a self-guided map or join a group tour, tracing streets lined with stately homes, intricate ironwork, and stories from the city’s past.
The Twickenham Historic District offers a vivid link to Huntsville’s earliest days, letting you glimpse 19th-century life through its brick sidewalks, graceful architecture, and carefully planned streets in northern Alabama.
The Twickenham Historic District stands as one of Huntsville’s treasures, protecting its elegant antebellum homes and giving locals and visitors alike a vivid glimpse into early Alabama life, from brick-paved streets to wide, shaded porches.
With its mix of weathered brick homes, stately public buildings, and tree-lined streets, it stands out as one of the region’s most striking and storied neighborhoods.
Founded in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the district shows how Huntsville grew into one of Alabama’s first hubs for politics, trade, and culture, with brick storefronts still echoing that early energy.
It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, a mark of its rich history and striking architecture, from the worn stone steps to the tall arched windows.
Back in the early 1800s, when settlers first built the town, they called it Twickenham-long before it became known as Huntsville.
The district grew alongside Alabama’s entry into the Union in 1819, soon filling with the city’s first political leaders, ambitious merchants, and well-known families whose lamps lit the streets at dusk.
Preserving it offers a glimpse into how Huntsville’s first residents lived, worked, and celebrated, from the goods sold in the market to music drifting through open windows.
The Twickenham Historic District boasts over 200 homes and buildings, their styles ranging from early 19th-century brick townhouses to elegant early 20th-century facades, each carrying a piece of the neighborhood’s long story.
Notable architectural features include the Federal style, with its balanced facades, graceful proportions, and finely carved trim often seen on the district’s earliest homes.
Greek Revival style ruled mid-19th-century homes, with towering columns, sharp pediments, and front doors framed like grand stage entrances.
Victorian styles-Italianate, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival-show the district’s later growth, shaped by the boom of industrial wealth and the crisp lines of 19th-century brickwork.
Historic churches and public buildings once stood at the heart of community life, from the echoing halls of early schools to the sunlit pews of local churches.
The district centers on Twickenham Boulevard, Gates Avenue, and Clinton Avenue, where leafy streets wind past historic brick sidewalks and warm lamplight glows from old-fashioned posts.
The streets still carry their 19th‑century charm, with brick facades and iron railings coming together to form a rich, unified historic scene.
Many homes sit on generous lots shaded by towering oaks, with colorful gardens and vintage-style landscaping.
The Twickenham Historic District stands as a vivid link to Huntsville’s early days, its shaded streets lined with homes restored to their original charm-faded brick, polished wood, and all-serving as both a center for preservation and a place where history is taught and remembered.
Walking and guided tours give locals and visitors a chance to learn, whether it’s hearing old shipyard stories or spotting hidden architectural details.
From lively seasonal festivals to candlelit tours of historic homes, community events draw people together and spark a deeper appreciation for Huntsville’s heritage.
Private homes still dominate the area, but a few old brick buildings now house offices, art galleries, and cozy bed-and-breakfasts, mixing modern life with a sense of preserved history.
Visitor Information – Accessibility: You can freely wander the district on foot, exploring its narrow streets and hidden courtyards.
Some houses are still private homes, so visitors need to stay on the right side of the fence.
Walking Tours: You can explore with a self-guided map or join a group tour, tracing streets lined with stately homes, intricate ironwork, and stories from the city’s past.
The Twickenham Historic District offers a vivid link to Huntsville’s earliest days, letting you glimpse 19th-century life through its brick sidewalks, graceful architecture, and carefully planned streets in northern Alabama.
The Twickenham Historic District stands as one of Huntsville’s treasures, protecting its elegant antebellum homes and giving locals and visitors alike a vivid glimpse into early Alabama life, from brick-paved streets to wide, shaded porches.
With its mix of weathered brick homes, stately public buildings, and tree-lined streets, it stands out as one of the region’s most striking and storied neighborhoods.