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Two women holding drinks and taking a selfie outside the Historic Decatur Union Depot in Decatur Alabama — Plan to visit Decatur in April for four free, unique walking tours every Saturday. (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

Have you really met Decatur—or seen it lately? So many cool things are converging in this Tennessee River town, just one hour north of Birmingham, straight up I-65.

You are cordially invited up for coffee, cocktails and a stroll to get to know one another better during four different free, fascinating, one-hour walking tours every Saturday in April.

Local baristas and bartenders have crafted specialty drinks to pair with the storytelling by expert guides, who cover distinct chapters of the city’s story, where its past meets its future with revitalization and new projects, and core memories are made daily.

Read on to choose a tour, save your spot and plan your visit to see what’s growing from the River City’s historical foundations.

April 5: History of Downtown Decatur

Old State Bank in Historic Old Decatur Alabama — From top left, clockwise: Old State Bank, The Princess Theatre and the Historic Decatur Union Depot (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

The historic Princess Theatre in Downtown Decatur, Alabama — From top left, clockwise: Old State Bank, The Princess Theatre and the Historic Decatur Union Depot (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

📍Starting point: Historic Decatur Union Depot, 701 Railroad St NW, Decatur, AL 35601
🕙 Time: 10AM
🚂 Sites, sights + stories: The circa-1905, award-winning Historic Decatur Union Depot; The Princess Theatre, originally built in 1887; the Old State Bank Building, which dates to 1833 + historic business districts along the way
☕️🍻🍹 Storyteller sips: Pistachio Princess cappuccino @ The Mallard Coffee Co.; Jack Allen Mel’s Gatorade cocktail @ Mellow Mushroom; Wheeler Whooper lager @ Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Co.; Train Song cocktail at 609 Social Market & Provisions
🤗 Your guide: Historian Suzanne Langdon
🎟️ Cost: FREE! Please RSVP here

April 11: Honoring Decatur’s Black history

Person using phone at historic site, the boarding house being restored on the future home of the Scottsboro Boys-CEOTA Civil Rights Museum in Old Town area of Decatur, Alabama in March 2026 — See the progress and hear the latest updates on the CEOTA Civil Rights Museums Restoration Sites in Old Town Decatur. (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

Two women admiring the historic home of Judge James E. Horton Jr., who presided over the 1930s Scottsboro Boys trials, which was moved in October 2023 from Greenbrier, Alabama, to 212 Church Street NW in Old Town Decatur — See the progress and hear the latest updates on the CEOTA Civil Rights Museums Restoration Sites in Old Town Decatur. (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

📍Starting point: CEOTA Civil Rights Museums Restoration Sites, 818 Sycamore St NW, Decatur, AL 35601
🕙 Time: 10AM
⛪️ Sites, sights + stories: The CEOTA Civil Rights Museums site in progress; historic churches, including the circa-1866 First Missionary Baptist Church + the predominantly Black business district that emerged around Vine Street post-Reconstruction
☕️🍻🍹 Storyteller sips: Vine Street Matcha Latte @ The Mallard Coffee Co. (20% of purchase proceeds go to CEOTA); Railway OJ @ Mellow Mushroom; Old Town Porch Rocker seltzer @ Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Co.; The Revivalist cocktail at 609 Social Market & Provisions
🤗 Your guide: Historian Peggy Towns
🎟️ Cost: FREE! Please RSVP here

April 18: Crime + mystery of Decatur’s past

Morgan County Archivist John Allison leads a Crimes and Mystery historical walking tour in Downtown Decatur Alabama — Morgan County Archivist John Allison shares stories of mystery and crime tales from yesteryear in historic Downtown Decatur. (Left, Decatur Morgan County Tourism; Right, Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

Bank Street in historic Old Decatur, one of two retail districts in modern Downtown Decatur — Morgan County Archivist John Allison shares stories of mystery and crime tales from yesteryear in historic Downtown Decatur. (Left, Decatur Morgan County Tourism; Right, Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

📍Starting point: Morgan County Archives, 624 Bank St NE, Decatur, AL 35601
🕙 Time: 10AM
🧐 Sites, sights + stories: Historic downtown district buildings + hidden alleyways that were the sites of notorious heists, Prohibition-era misdeeds, unsolved mysteries + dramatic courtroom showdowns—perfect for true crime enthusiasts.
☕️🍻🍹 Storyteller sips: Lyceum Latte @ The Mallard Coffee Co.; Whiskey Business Old Fashioned @ Mellow Mushroom; “Cream”inal Minds Cream Soda with “One Shoe” brew @ Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Co.; The Alibi cocktail at 609 Social Market & Provisions
🤗 Your guide: Morgan County Archivist John Allison
🎟️ Cost: FREE! Please RSVP here

April 25: Old Decatur historic homes

Two women walking in the Old Decatur Historic Residential District in Decatur, Alabama — Decatur’s historic residential districts contain the largest concentration of Victorian-era, Craftsman and bungalow homes in the state. (Ben Johnson / Bham Now)

📍Starting point: Carnegie Visual Arts Center, 207 Church St NE, Decatur, AL 35601
🕙 Time: 10AM
🧐 Sites, sights + stories: Many stunning Victorian, Colonial Revival and Craftsman homes throughout residential districts that are part of the National Register of Historic Places
☕️🍻🍹 Storyteller sips: The Flying Jewel matcha latte @ The Mallard Coffee Co.; The Watermelon Zinger @ Mellow Mushroom; Riverwild Garden beer @ Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Co.; The Masterpiece cocktail at 609 Social Market & Provisions
🤗 Your guide: City of Decatur Historic Preservation Specialist Caroline Swope
🎟️ Cost: FREE! Please RSVP here

Can’t make it to one of the April tours? You are always welcome to explore at your own pace: Go to VisitDecaturAL.com for self-guided historic walking tours.

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