Southern Charm
One doesn't have to be in Barbour County long before they begin hearing stories of the past. Founding fathers and war heroes, Southern belles, and daring heroines, all left their mark. Some people consider these stories tall tales, facts are woven with imagination. Others hear their heels click beneath them on the hardwood as they tour the homes and take in the sights, slipping into nostalgia as you'd slip into a cool stream in mid-July. These visitors can travel back in time and spend a lazy afternoon on the veranda watching the river roll by. To insightful travelers, Eufaula is more than a pretty house with magical allure, to these, Eufaula is legendary.
Shorter Mansion
Constructed in 1884, this imposing house took on its present Neoclassical Revival appearance after extensive remodeling in 1906 at a cost estimated to be $100,000. Formerly known as "The Columns," Shorter Mansion is the centerpiece of the Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District which has over 700 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is noteworthy for its 17 free-standing Corinthian columns.
The purchase of Shorter Mansion in 1965 sparked the formation of the Eufaula Heritage Association and helped launch the preservation movement in Eufaula. The mansion now serves as the headquarters for the Association which annually sponsors Alabama's oldest tour of homes, the Eufaula Pilgrimage.
Beautifully furnished with antiques, it houses the Eufaula Historical Museum which contains artifacts and displays that focus on Eufaula's storied past. In addition, the museum has a section that honors the eight Alabama governors from Barbour County, as well as Admiral Thomas M. Moorer, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Visited by more than 10,000 people annually, Shorter Mansion is also available for weddings, teas, meetings, parties, luncheons, receptions, and other public events. Each year it is the focal point of the Eufaula Pilgrimage which is held the first weekend in April.
Tours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Admission: $5.00 adults | $3.00 children
• Group rates are available.
Shorter Mansion
340 North Eufaula Avenue
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-3793
Fendall Hall
This antebellum Italianate home was built circa 1860 by one of Eufaula's leading citizens, E.B. Young. Fendall Hall served as home for five generations of the Young family and their descendants. The house is now owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and is open to the public year-round. It is restored and interpreted to the 1880-1916 occupancy of the home.
This historic house museum contains everything one would hope for in a Southern, suburban mansion, from towering columns, an imported marble entranceway, heart pine flooring, and a blooming landscape. There are also exquisite features that may be found only at Fendall Hall, such as period furnishings that are original to the home and three rooms of the finest Victorian-era murals, painted in 1884, found in any house in America. Visit Eufaula and discover the landscaped lawn and the crowning cupola.
Fendall Hall may be rented for everything from board meetings to weddings. The home has been selected for bridesmaid luncheons, club meetings, teas, intimate indoor events, large outdoor parties; group Picnics on the Porch, holiday parties, family dinners, and corporate events. The staff welcomes your inquiries regarding your special affair.
Tours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Admission: $5.00 adults | $3.00 children
• Group rates are available.
Fendall Hall
917 West Barbour Street
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-8469
James S. Clark Interpretive Center
Now the home of the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of commerce, this building was originally constructed around 1892 as a railroad freight depot. It served Eufaula and the surrounding area in that capacity until the late 1980s when it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. A two-year renovation project was completed in 2002 and, in addition to the chamber, the building also serves as the Eufaula Welcome Center and is home to a historic interpretive center under the direction of the Eufaula Barbour County Historic Foundation.
The building‘s namesake, the late James S. Clark served as the mayor of the city of Eufaula from 1976 to 1978 and served four consecutive terms in the Senate of Alabama from 1959 to 1975. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1983 and subsequently was reelected by the residents of his district for three additional terms. Clark was entrusted by the members of the House with the Office of the Speaker in 1987, 1991, and an unprecedented third term in 1995.
the Eufaula Barbour county historic foundation funds the current interpretive panels that reflect the storied history of our county. additionally, the estate of A.S. Williams III graciously gifted his “Eufaula Collection” from the Eufaula athenaeum to the foundation for inclusion in our interpretive center. five display cases, along with hundreds of Eufaula, Barbour county artifacts, and a reference library of printed materials are available for viewing and help to tell the story of our community.
Open for tours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Located in...
Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce
333 east broad street
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-6664
Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District
The Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District remains the largest historic district in east Alabama, as well as the second-largest in the state. Encompassing over 700 structures on the National Register of Historic Places, the district stretches throughout the oldest part of town.
Stop by the Eufaula Barbour Chamber of Commerce to obtain a Walking/Driving Tour Guide.
Eufaula Community Center
The Eufaula Community Center features an indoor heated, 25-yard, 8 lane competitive sized swimming pool, sauna, racquetball court, large fitness room, training room, multi-purpose community room with an upper and lower level walking/running track, basketball and pickleball court, and three meeting rooms. there is a catering and concessions area and activity room as well as administrative offices for the Eufaula parks and recreation department. The Eufaula community center offers a wide variety of interests to the community... Some of those interests include group fitness classes, personal training, CPR/first aid training, swim team, and swim lessons for all ages. the community center also offers its facility to the public for special events such as birthday parties, family reunions, business meetings, and receptions.
The Eufaula Community Center
750 Lake Drive
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-1246.
Shorter Cemetery
Alabama's Civil War Governor, John Gill Shorter, was laid to rest, along with the Governor's father, the famous Indian fighter General Reuben Clark Shorter, in Shorter Cemetery. The cemetery's graves date back to 1840.
Contact the Staff at Shorter Mansion for access to this gated attraction. Phone (334) 687-3793 for details.
MacMonnie’s Fountain
The three-tiered wrought-iron fountain is crowned by a cherub and fits in perfectly with the character of downtown. It was purchased from the city of Dayton, Ohio, in 1880.
Manny
In honor of Eufaula being the "Big Bass Capital of the World," it is only appropriate that we have a big bass named manny, in honor of renowned fisherman, Tom Mann, who helped make Eufaula a fisherman's paradise.
“Tom Mann achieved fame as a fishing lure designer/manufacturer and helped put Lake Eufaula on the map with his popular television shows,” the inscription states. “with an investment of $5, he and his wife, ann, started Mann's bait company in 1958. Later, he would launch Humminbird industries and southern plastics…he made Eufaula the hub of the fishing lure industry.”
Mann was inducted into the professional bass fishing hall of fame in 2003 and was named by the Alabama tourism department as one of Alabama's “most unforgettable faces.”
be sure to visit and take a picture with manny, who is located across from the Eufaula Barbour County chamber of commerce, next to the Yoholo Micco Walking Trail.
Yoholo Micco Trail
In 2010, the 2nd Phase of the Rails to Trails Project was completed. The conversion of 3.2 miles of abandoned rail bed is now a beautiful walking trail with a gorgeous water view and many other hidden jewels along the way.
The trail begins in the heart of historic downtown Eufaula, AL in front of the Eufaula Barbour Chamber of Commerce. Winding along with the beautiful scenery you will find squirrel & eagle crossings along with a completely restored railroad trestle that crosses over Lake Eufaula. The end of the trail eventually ends at Old Creek Town, a beautiful waterfront recreational area that houses the Playground of Dreams, public beach, and boat launch.
Interesting facts and finds along the trail are:
• 3.2 miles of paved trail perfect for walking, running, and bicycling.
• Several nature trails along the way that are clearly marked.
• Old hardwood forest that leads to a breathtaking waterfall.
• "Treehugger Park" to enjoy an afternoon picnic.
• Bird Watcher's Alley
• Benches along the way just in case you need to relax and soak up the scenery!
• "Passport to Fitness," one of Alabama's 60 top places to hike or walk.
Doughboy Statue
This statue of a World War I doughboy honors the men from Eufaula who perished in WWI. It was erected and dedicated in 1920.
Monument to the Confederacy Deceased
Presented by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1904, and standing at 35 feet tall, the confederate monument towers over the intersection of Broad Street and Eufaula Avenue.
Wiregrass Birding Trail
Ten Wiregrass Counties came together in November 2012 to launch the Wiregrass Birding Trail. This trail of twenty sites is the last of eight organized trails, and 250 sites, covering Alabama. The ten counties that make up the Wiregrass Birding Trail are Barbour, Bullock, Pike, Crenshaw, Covington, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva, and Houston. Eufaula has four of the sites out of the total of twenty sites in the region. An ongoing project for over five years, trail development has coincided with birding becoming an increasingly important source of tourism revenue for Alabama.
The sites in Barbour County are the Eufaula Wildlife Refuge, Lakepoint State Park, Old Creektown Park, and Yoholo Micco Walking Trail.
In addition to the Eufaula sites, the Wehle Center in Midway provides excellent birding opportunities in nearby Bullock County.
Alabama has perhaps the most diverse habitat in the Southeast, with a tremendous range of birds that can be seen in the state and certainly on the Wiregrass Birding Trail.
Leroy Brown
Renowned outdoorsman and pioneering fishing lure creator Tom Mann, who caught a 1-pound bass at Lake Eufaula in 1973, helped make the unusual fish famous by sharing stories about how the feisty largemouth with a personality guarded his territory in Mann’s 38,000-gallon aquarium for seven years. Named “Leroy Brown” from the popular Jim Croce song, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” the fish thrived in Mann’s now-defunct Fish World museum, growing to almost 6½ pounds.
“That fish would follow Tom as he walked around the aquarium,” Scott said. “When Leroy Brown died, Tom called me and I could almost hear the tears in his eyes.
After the closure of the museum and then Mann’s death in 2005, Mann’s widow asked Scott to take possession of the famous fish and the elaborate tombstone/sculpture with the inscription “Most bass are just fish but Leroy Brown was something special.” Scott did it for his dear friend and now Eufaula is ready to re-take possession of its aquatic superstar.
Leroy brown can be found at the beginning of east broad street beneath the canopy of trees.
Eufaula’s Splash Pad Park
The splash pad attraction opened in 2020 and is the product of a community effort, spearheaded by the Barbour County Extension office, that resulted in grant funding for the construction of this popular attraction. the splash pad is located next door to the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce and across from the Yoholo Micco walking trail. The facility is open to the public during the spring and summer seasons and is free of charge.
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Member of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama
Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce
333 East Broad Street
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-6664