Athens

Steps from downtown Athens lies the Fairview Park neighborhood. Residents here have access to popular schools, a convenient park, local shops and plenty of dining options. When locals aren’t enjoying downtown, they’re resting in their older homes along quiet streets. The neighborhood was built on a grid, so drivers don’t have to worry about sudden twists or turns in the road while they travel to and from downtown Athens. Fairview Park also sits 30 miles west of Huntsville. Locals can hop on Interstate 65 or U.S. Highway 72 to take a trip to the bustling city center. “Downtown Athens is growing with new restaurants opening. Growth in Fairview Park has declined since developers are waiting for rates to drop before doing any new work,” says Caleb McConnel, Realtor and Owner at Innovative Realty Solutions. Bungalows, ranch homes, simple Cape Cods and Tudor-inspired homes from the 1950s fill the streets of Fairview Park. “There’s no room to build new homes since it’s in the heart of Athens,” says Tammy Bolch, an experienced real estate agent with Dream Key Real Estate. “The homes have been there for about 75 years.” Most feature three bedrooms, uncovered parking and large yards. With many homes featuring driveways, residents don’t have to deal with many cars parked in the street. Each home has a few tall trees in the yards, which turn golden in the fall. Home prices here can range from $100,000 to $300,000, and they often sell after a month on the market. Residents in Fairview Park don’t have access to public transportation, so folks have to rely on their cars and bikes. E. Elm Street connects the neighborhood to nearby U.S. Highway 31 and Interstate 65. Those who need to commute to Huntsville 30 miles away tend to be on the road for almost an hour. Interstate 65 also takes drivers into Tennessee. Residents might take a day trip to see historic sites in Fayetteville. Athens Elementary sits in the middle of Fairview Park. Niche gives Athens Elementary an A-minus and ranks it as the number one Niche Standout Elementary School in the Huntsville Area. Students later attend Athens Middle, which gets a B. Athens High School gets an A-minus and is listed as the second-best public school in Limestone County by Niche. Here, students can try out for the championship-winning girls’ soccer, softball or swim team. There are multiple private Christian schools available in the area as well. With downtown Athens less than a mile away, residents don't have to travel far to find shopping and dining destinations. Two specialty stores along North Jefferson Street, Tienda Mexicana La Fuente and El Azteca Supermercado Y Taqueria, provide residents with the ingredients they need to cook Mexican dishes. Most locals drive a mile to Hometown Grocery to pick up the essentials. McConnel says there’s also a new Publix near U.S. Highway 31. Those who need to refuel after shopping at the antique stores downtown stop by Revive Cafe for a coffee and sandwich. “Village Pizza is a popular restaurant, and Old Black Bear Brewing just opened,” says McConnel. Older residents hang out at the Athens Activity Center to join their friends for game night, book club or dancercise. Volunteers also serve lunch for visitors to enjoy before or after the day’s events. Kids and adults have fun at 5th Avenue Park, also known as Robert Allen Tinnon Park. Future athletes practice on the baseball diamonds while young kids play on the playground and parents walk along the paved trail. Throughout the year, Fairview Park residents visit Athens to celebrate different annual events. Parents take their children to Athens State University for the Annual Athens Storytelling Festival in October. Here, kids will hear enrapturing stories from professional storytellers. Older kids and adults who want to be spooked by stories sign up for a Haunt Walk. Guests walk throughout historic Athens to hear ghost stories and try their luck at seeing a spooky specter.

Stephanie Reynolds says walking through the Robert Beaty Historic District is like stepping into another world. As the Assistant for the President of Athens-Limestone County Tourism, Reynolds drives through the neighborhood each day to get to the Visitors Center. "It truly transports me to an aesthetic where it's always late spring, where green-tinged golden light floods the space between houses and tumbles through tree leaves to the grass below." While strolling through the neighborhood, "You have to watch not to catch your toe on the sidewalk cracks as you peek into the yards of the historic homes to see what's in bloom." From her office on Beaty Street, Reynolds can walk to Athens Square. The Main Street-style downtown district has "restaurants and posh boutiques nestled into old, hand-laid brick buildings." Along with the grand historic estates and walkable town square, "The neighbors here are all just so fascinating," she adds. "Everyone is friendly and healthy and relaxed and always strolling unhurriedly." In the Robert Beaty Historic District, narrow, concrete sidewalks skirt around city blocks packed with grand estates dating back to the early 19th century. The oldest homes reflect Greek Revival, Italianate and Federal architectural styles, with wide bracketed eaves and gable roof entryways supported by stately columns. Some boxy Colonials and Georgian homes have wrought-iron fences wrapped around the front yards. The Queen Annes, craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares feature wide front porches decorated with hanging ferns and rocking chairs. Most homes are generational, so "you don't usually see a lot of homes going on the market," says Kim Shindorf, Associate Broker with Alabama Real Estate Solutions. When new neighbors do move in, she says, "they want to preserve the original Southern character and charm of the houses." The grand Greek Revival and Federal estates rarely go to market, but the other homes can range from $400,000 to $750,000. A long, rectangular pond at Big Spring Memorial Park once served as the city's main water supply, but recently, it's become a haven for the neighborhood's beloved feathered residents. Dozens of quacking ducks guide visitors onto the park's paved walking trail. After making a pit stop at the feed dispenser, kids can check out the playground's T-Rex spring rider while parents meet up for afternoon practice on the pickleball courts. The Athens Public Library hosts community yoga classes every Tuesday night, just outside the neighborhood. Neighborhood residents are less than a half-mile walk from the shops and restaurants surrounding Athens Square. This busy Main Street-style district is packed with all kinds of local establishments – from longstanding Southern restaurants and antique stores to new microbreweries and art galleries. Washington Street Diner is the neighborhood go-to for a homemade Southern-style breakfast on Saturday mornings. Shoppers can browse the outdoor gear at Bennett's Clothing or spend an entire afternoon hunting for treasures at Antiques on Jefferson. When it's time for a night out on 'the Square,' Ro's Grille is always the local choice. Fresh produce, local honey and other farm fresh products are available every Tuesday and Saturday at the Athens Farmers Market. For all the other groceries and everyday essentials, Hometown Grocery never disappoints. Locals and visitors can take one of the annual historic walking tours to learn more about the history of their neighborhood and the greater Downtown Athens community. Every Saturday in April, the Athens Visitor Center hosts guided walking tours showcasing the striking Antebellum estates, historic churches and Athens State University. Each elementary school in the Athens City School District focuses on a specific discipline: health and medicine, computer science, fine arts or STEM. Neighborhood kids can learn about health and wellness through the HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary. This school scores an A-minus on Niche. Fourth and fifth graders move to Athens Intermediate and then go to Athens Middle. Both of these schools receive a B-rating, while Athens High gets an A-minus. Athens State University is a historic college that sits just north of the neighborhood. It has just under 3,000 students and is the state's only upper-division university. US Route 31 and US Route 72 intersect just outside the Robert Beaty Historic District near a cluster of national restaurant chains and big-box retailers. Drivers can hop on Highway 72 and follow it for about 30 miles to access the City of Huntsville. Interstate 65 runs parallel to Highway 31 along the neighborhood's east side. This major road links to Interstate 565, which connects to the Huntsville International Airport, about 25 miles away.

The Southern Charm event space in Cartwright, Alabama, not only serves as the area’s favorite venue for weddings, proms, and class reunions, but it also captures the essence and character of the region: picturesque, rural, and community-oriented. The rustic red-roofed barn at Southern Charm is curated to the smallest detail, celebrating the history of northern Alabama and the area’s inextricable link to agriculture. “What I always tell people is that our town provides a rural country feel and small-town atmosphere, but that we’re still so close to Athens, Madison and Huntsville,” says the office manager at Elkmont Rural Village, a master-planned rural village on the northeast corner of Cartwright. “We’re growing, but so quickly that it sacrifices our rural way of life.” Most of Cartwright’s homes are in residential pockets along one of the three rural two-lane country highways running north from Athens towards the Tennessee state line like prongs on a fork. Locals typically live no closer than a quarter-mile from their neighbors, with homes ranging from mobile homes to updated Craftsman and Farmhouse-style homes with large garages and plenty of outdoor living space. Homes in Cartwright are priced between $180,000 and $325,000, with the most expensive properties located within the Elkmont Rural Village, a housing development committed to promoting economic growth and ecological conservation within the Alabama portion of the Elk River Watershed. Cartwright is home to a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, none more impressive than the Richard Martin Rails-to-Trails system, a 10-mile stretch of former railroad tracks stretching between Veto and Athens that has been converted into a scenic multi-use trail. The trail winds past Civil War battlefields and bird sanctuaries on its way through Cartwright, providing a picturesque space for biking, running, bird watching and horseback riding. Kids love the Kids Dugout, an enormous wooden playground next to Athens Sportsplex, an athletic complex with tennis courts, baseball fields, sand volleyball pits and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. On rainy days, locals can roll a few games at the Madison Bowling Center or catch a movie at the Cineplanet 15 movie theater. While Cartwright locals enjoy the privacy and seclusion of their wide-open rural town, the nearest shopping and dining options are in Athens, a 12-mile drive from the northern half of the community where shoppers can find familiar national retailers like Walmart and The Home Depot. The North Madison Corners Shopping Plaza in Madison provides additional retail options — including Marshall’s and Target — along with restaurants like Mia’s Cafe, a southern-style homestyle eatery with hearty servings of comfort food. Thankfully, new developments in Cartwright have brought some amenities closer to home, including the Piggly Wiggly Supermarket and Gin House Barbeque, a laid-back smokehouse serving a variety of smoked meats. Students in Cartwright begin their education at Athens Elementary School, an A-minus-rated school on Niche with a student-teacher ratio of 18-to-1. Next, students move to Athens Middle School — earning a B on Niche — and Athens High School, an A-minus-rated school ranked among the top 40 on Niche’s list of Best Public High Schools in Alabama. Students at Athens High earn an average SAT score of 1100 and are regularly admitted into prestigious local universities like Auburn and the University of Alabama. Situated among the sprawling Alabama farmland between Athens and Richland Creek, Cartwright is 30 miles west of Huntsville near Alabama’s border with Tennessee. Interstate 65 cuts a vertical path along the community’s eastern edge, and residents can make the 90-mile commute into Nashville to access the nearest international airport. Cartwright is 170 miles from Memphis and Atlanta, while Birmingham — Alabama’s biggest city — is located 95 miles to the south.

Persimmon Grove is an unincorporated community in Limestone County, located 10 miles south of the Alabama/Tennessee border. The Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes inhabited the area before being forcibly removed as part of the Cherokee Land Cession in 1806. Limestone County was established in 1818 and the area was primarily used for agriculture. After the Civil War, Limestone County saw a major population boom fueled by reconstruction. Today, Persimmon Grove still retains its agricultural roots while new home construction continues nearby. The community features a mix of 20th-century ranches and new craftsman-style homes built within the last 20 years. New construction is still ongoing, with several homes currently being built off Buck Island Road. Most homes here have larger lot sizes, some with as much as 10 acres of land. However, newer homes tend to have smaller lot sizes than original properties, averaging around a half-acre of land each. Persimmon Grove homes tend to stay on the market for about a month and typically sell for between $150,000 to $300,000. The Limestone County School District serves the neighborhood’s students. Kids may start at Owens Elementary School, which gets a B rating from Niche, for Pre-K to fifth grade, before transitioning to West Limestone High School, which has a B-minus, for sixth to 12th grade. Persimmon Grove borders the Elk River, which provides opportunities for fishing, swimming and kayaking. Marbut's Bend is a large hiking area next to Richland Creek, and the Richard Martin Trail is a 10-mile hiking trail that extends all the way to the state border. Just east in the nearby city of Athens, Swan Creek Park is a large municipal park with several miles of hiking trails through dense forests along the creek. The Athens Sports Complex is a large outdoor attraction with a public pool, baseball diamonds, sand volleyball courts and a large playground. Directly next to the sports complex is the Athens Recreation Center with indoor basketball courts and meeting rooms. George's Country Store is a small convenience shop that’s been operating in the area for over 30 years. Tienda Mexicana La Bonita is a Mexican grocery store close by that sells a variety of fresh produce and packaged international goods. Midtown Centre is a shopping mall in nearby Athens with Publix, Hometown Grocery and Walgreens. French Farms Shopping Center is also in Athens and has a Walmart Supercenter, Lowes Home Improvement and clothing stores. Closer to Persimmon Grove are popular local restaurants. Mike’s Cafe has a diverse menu of breakfast and lunch favorites, and Cafe 72 has been serving classic American eats nearby for over 10 years. The Limestone Sheriff's Rodeo is the “largest outdoor rodeo east of the Mississippi,” according to their website. The event has been held annually for over 40 years, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for $50,000 in prize money. There are also concessions, amusement rides and family-friendly entertainment throughout the weekend. Persimmon Grove is car-dependent with Highway 72 and Interstate 65 being the major connections nearby. Athens is 10 miles east and takes about 15 minutes by car, and Huntsville is 40 miles east and takes just under an hour.

In the rolling foothills of the southern Appalachian Mountains, Coxey-Lawngate in Limestone County offers rural living surrounded by some of Alabama's best-preserved natural habitats. Wildlife reserves, the beautiful Tennessee River, campgrounds and a marina set the scene for this sprawling, pastoral area west of Athens. From the stretch of Wheeler Lake to the expansive Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, residents have a massive option for outdoor recreation. Small local businesses pepper along the winding roads near huge campsites and RV parks. For those who have been residents for years or are just now looking for a home, residential privacy is a huge draw, and new construction has been introduced throughout Coxey-Lawngate. A wide variety of housing is available in the area, with condominiums, townhouses, craftsman cottages, prairie-style homes and waterfront mansions all found in the neighborhood. West of the busier area of Athens, Coxey-Lawngate offers its residents quiet, seclusion and privacy. Many homes have acres of open land stretched between each other. New construction has popped up around Coxey-Lawngate, with contemporary tract housing and New Traditional homes appearing. For those not seeking as much square footage, condominiums and townhouses are wonderful options, especially since many sit near the waterside and offer spectacular Tennessee River views. Smaller bungalows and ranch homes sell between $280,000 and $330,000, while large contemporary properties sell between $350,000 and $500,000. If looking at lakeside housing, expect prices to be between $680,000 and $900,000. Limestone County Schools serve public schools in the area, and young people can start their education at Blue Springs Elementary, which receives a B on Niche. Blue Springs is Limestone County's first digital passport initiative school, making it one of Alabama's highest-rated technology-using elementary schools. Students move on to Clements High School for sixth through 12th grade, graded with an overall B-minus. Clements has a diverse roster of clubs and athletics, from robotics to broadcast journalism. The Tennessee River borders much of this neighborhood, and residents take full advantage. Fishing, kayaking, paddling and other aquatic hobbies are prevalent. Lucy's Branch Marina sits at Wheeler Lake, providing boat sales and rentals. Stretching nearly 70 miles, Wheeler Lake is the second-largest lake in Alabama. Camping is also a big deal around Coxey-Lawngate, with places like Cowford Campground and Elk River Lodge making for great weekend getaways. "We offer a quiet, peaceful little campground and we're busy almost year-round," says Janie Vineyard, the groundskeeper of Cowford Campground. "You'll see all sorts of wildlife here. We see eagles, osprey and cranes. When the pelicans come and you see the sun hit them, it's surreal – it's so gorgeous." Then there's the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, which protects the habitat for 12 endangered or threatened species. A rich quilt of forests, rivers, fields and wetlands, this beautiful area is home to an incredible variety of wildlife. Alligators peacefully move beneath the Alabama sun; whitetail deer gallop amid the refuge's open fields, and flowering trees decorate the area. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities like fishing, birding, nature photography, hiking, horseback riding and boating. Every year in January, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge hosts the Festival of Cranes to celebrate the migration of these beautiful creatures. Festival-goers can go to workshops on birding, enjoy bird walks with refuge professionals, watch a local artist paint nature scenes, observe demonstrations from nature photographers and enjoy live music from local musicians. For major errand stops such as Publix and Walmart, alongside shopping malls, residents may choose to drive the 16 miles to the city of Athens. Coxey-Lawngate is much more focused on local businesses, from the quick pitstops at Clements Mini Mart to the Veteran-owned Hooligans Speed Shop, specializing in the repair and service of motorcycles. When it comes to good eating, downhome spots like Cafe 72 and Geezburger are neighborhood staples, offering a no-frills dining experience and classic Americana eats. Along the stretching roadsides are several churches of differing denominations, the rural makeup of the area lending itself to small community gatherings. The area's major thoroughfare is Lee Highway, and residents are car-dependent. From the farthest western point of Coxey-Lawngate, it's 16 miles to Athens. Though the neighborhood has emergency clinics, the largest major hospital, Lawrence Medical, is 42 miles away.

Piney Chapel is a northern suburb of Athens, the city best known for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, which is both a major employer and supplier of electricity for the region. This gives Piney Chapel a sense of growth in what is otherwise a rather quiet stretch of land, enlivened mostly by Interstate 65, which puts the neighborhood about halfway between the hotspots of Nashville and Birmingham. Residents can be found outdoors, enjoying parks, trails and the acreage of their own property. Plus, within downtown Athens just a mile away, key amenities like groceries and restaurants can be reached in a pinch. As a result, Piney Chapel may be a bit rural, but it enjoys a strategic proximity to the area’s destinations. Home prices vary, ranging from roughly $200,000 to $500,000. Brick ranches are the most common style here, but these will vary too, with Craftsman flair being added on as square footage increases. For example, a minimalist midcentury ranch with four bedrooms divvied up across 1,600 square feet can go for $189,000. But a five-bedroom ranch with Craftsman columns and 4,000 square feet of living space will sell for $480,000. There may be close neighbors, paved driveways, fenced yards, ornamental shrubs and the like, but given the rural character of Piney Chapel, it’s also not uncommon for homes to face pasture or ponds. It’s a unique suburb that appeals to those who want a bit more open space around their residential situation. As a result, many parts of the neighborhood are walkable, even though it’s necessary to own a car in Piney Chapel for reaching destinations. A conveniently reachable and sometimes highly praised school system continues to give Piney Chapel a suburban feel, despite these rural threads. Athens Elementary has an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio, an receives an A-minus overall from Niche. Athens Middle has a 23-to-1 student-teacher ratio, but still manages to score a B overall. Elkmont High earns a B-minus in the teachers category, and is known for sending its cheer team to win a national gold medal at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. The Athens-Limestone Public Library is another educational resource that locals enjoy. Several parks keep Piney Chapel residents active outdoors. At Swan Creek Park, it’s common to see people jogging or walking their dogs on the nature trails. Kids also have playground options, while adults can take to the pickleball court. Another kid-friendly park is the appropriately named All Kids Park, which features a fort-like playground built by volunteers. Summertime brings people to the pool at the Athens Sportsplex. Mama D’s is a restaurant that caters to the need for comfort food: dishes like a grilled chicken sandwich with crinkle cut fries are served in a diner atmosphere. Both Publix and Hometown Market are popular grocery stops, especially because their near other retail destinations. The Shoppes of Madison bring big box stores like Target and Lowe’s. Giants like Walgreens and Walmart Supercenter round out the area’s offerings, ensuring that residents can find just about any essential ingredient or item they need on their errands. Interstate 65 on the east end is key for residents who want to explore the wider region or even dip into Athens. Right at the southern border of Piney Chapel, the interstate forks and residents can hop onto Route 31, which brings them to some of the more popular stops, like Lowe’s and Walmart Supercenter. Within the neighborhood itself, though, there’s really one main thoroughfare: Elkton Road, which runs north-south through the length of Piney Chapel. Entertainment isn’t hard to come by, though residents might have to get a bit creative by expanding their horizons. Locally, there’s Bowl Madison, a bright and colorful bowling alley that often gets filled up and is a great place to rub elbows with the community. Par 72 is a driving range that has residents polishing their golf swings. And Realtor Gloria Page of Zach Taylor Real Estate points out that there are national attractions within 100 miles of Piney Chapel, for those who want a fun day trip. “Dunlap, Tennessee is known for hang gliding, there have been national competitions held there,” she says.