Expedia names Mooresville a ‘must-see’ city

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, January 27, 2018

The town of Mooresville is viewed by some as “a walk back in time,” while others refer to it as Alabama’s “Little Williamsburg.”

For the uninformed, Mooresville was founded in 1818, predating Alabama’s statehood by a year. Though an incredibly small town of 53 people, it recently was bestowed with a big honor. Travel website Expedia recently named the town one of its “18 cities that must be seen in 2018.”

Town historian and longtime resident Shirley McCrary said she was honored the travel website chose to designate her town. It’s not the first time the town has received national attention, however. Mooresville was named one of the top 20 “Best Small Southern Towns” in 2015 by USA Today.

“The people here work to keep it like it was,” McCrary said. “We’re very proud to have been selected.”

Other towns on Expedia’s must-see list include New Orleans; Richmond, Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Antonio, Texas.

Mooresville’s old-world charms are primarily why Expedia chose to honor the town. The picture featured by Expedia is of Lyla’s Little House. The cottage was built in 1890 by Aunt Mandy and Uncle Zack Simmons, who were descendants of freed slaves.

“You might blink and miss Mooresville when you’re driving by, but that’d be a shame because there’s more to it than white picket fences,” according to Expedia’s write-up. “The pint-sized town is bursting with charm and historical significance, yet it flew under the radar for a long time.”

Expedia and McCrary both mentioned the town’s ongoing bicentennial, which include several upcoming events. Those events are part of the town’s “Behind the Picket Fence….History Lives” series.

Each Saturday in April, the town will host “Portrait of the Beginning,” where visitors can “come hear compelling life stories of residents of Mooresville who laid the cornerstone of the town we know today.”

McCrary is particularly excited about “Camped on a Stream,” allowing guests to experience Mooresville in the days of the Civil War. Tickets for the event will be available soon at www.mooresvilleal.com/bicentennial.

The event will feature storytelling, period music, an open-hearth cooking demonstration and a re-enactment of President James A. Garfield’s time while encamped at Bibb’s Spring with the 20th Brigade of the Army of the Ohio.

“We had a lot of Union troops there at that time,” McCrary said. “The people here were nice to them, but we didn’t want them destroying the town.”

Northerners and southerners are welcome in present-day Mooresville, which has always been a unique tourist attraction. McCrary guessed Expedia’s honor may lead to a few more visitors in the months to come.

“We’re lucky to have (Interstate) 565 protecting us on one side and Wheeler Refuge on the other side,” she said. “People turn off the interstate and discover us and can’t believe this is here.”

To see Expedia’s list, visit viewfinder.expedia.com/features/18-cities-that-must-be-seen-in-2018/. For more on Mooresville, visit the town’s website, www.mooresvilleal.com.