Childersburg is a rural community on the banks of the Coosa River
Life in Childersburg revolves around industry and recreation. The Talladega County city sits along U.S. Route 280 and the Coosa River, making it convenient for many. “Usually people are coming for work,” says Ashleigh Jones, a Realtor with Front Porch Realty LLC. The county's industrial facilities are highlighted by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, around 35 miles northeast.
Not everyone in Childersburg puts their career first, as Jones says many residents “want to be out on the water” and seek out boating and fishing spots. The area is also a short drive from Sylacauga, which Jones says has added several shops, restaurants and entertainment options in recent years.
Brick ranch-style homes and New Traditional houses are common
Many of the region’s homes sit close to the town center and U.S. Highway 280, though a few can be found in more secluded neighborhoods stemming from Forest Hills Drive to the northeast. Traditional brick ranch-style houses and New Traditional homes are prominent. The area’s narrow roads often curve and are not placed in any grid-like pattern. Small and medium-sized trees can sit in front yards, as can bushes. The median sale price is around $230,000, well below the national median, though properties often stay on the market for about 50 days, less than the U.S. average of 70.
Retail stores, international cuisine, a bakery and Piggly Wiggly
Most restaurants sit along U.S. Route 231, including Old Town Grille, an American and Italian eatery with daily lunch specials. Hometown BBQ & Grill smokes its meats with hickory wood. Tierra Caliente Mexican Grill uses authentic flavors in its cooking. Heaven’s Gold Cakes bakes custom desserts for special events and has cupcakes and other goods for sale. The community has Piggly Wiggly and Dollar General locations. There are a handful of retail stores like Fair to Middlin’ Gifts & Boutique, and Childersburg First Methodist Church runs a community food pantry.
Highly rated schools focus on STEM classes and character education
Most students are served by Talladega County Schools, which has a B-plus Niche grade. They can attend A.H. Watwood Elementary School, which earns an individual B-plus score. Childersburg Middle School receives a B. Childersburg High School offers the CHS Families program, which dedicates one school period each day to STEM learning, character education and family-focused activities. It has a B grade.
Select students in the southern part of the region may be zoned for Sylacauga City Schools, which holds a B-minus from Niche. Alabama’s CHOOSE Act allows the state to send eligible families up to $7,000 in an education savings account. The money can go toward private school tuition or other expenses.
Sights include a still-working grist mill and Majestic Caverns
The Roberts S. Limbaugh Community Center has basketball courts, a multipurpose gym, and a playground. Pop’s Place Boat Launch can get residents onto Lay Lake, a section of the Coosa River. Anglers can catch spotted and largemouth bass, among other fish. Majestic Caverns is known as “Alabama’s Big Cave” and dates back more than 2,000 years, making it the oldest in the U.S. Tours include a laser lights show and a peek at the caverns’ onyx formations. To the north, Kymulga Grist Mill Park showcases a still-working mill that offers educational demonstrations. The park also has a covered bridge that extends across Talladega Creek. The BJ Meeks Baseball/Softball Complex hosts youth sports games. Coosa Pines Golf Club offers public tee times for its 18-hole course.
Holiday celebrations and the annual Grits Festival
Kymulga Grist Mill Park hosts an annual Grits Festival each spring. “You can get shrimp and grits, stone-ground grits, all sorts of grits,” Jones says. The celebration also includes live music and activities. Come the holidays, Childersburg becomes “Christmasburg” and, throughout December, holds events like a tree-lighting ceremony, a visit from Santa Claus and a parade.
Access to U.S. Route 280 with little traffic, plus a chance of storms
U.S. Route 280 cuts north and south through the community, and railroads run in all directions through the city’s downtown. Jones says traffic in the area is minimal, even crossing the river. Birmingham is close to a 40-mile drive, as is Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Though the area can get heavy storms, Jones says Childersburg is typically less affected by tornadoes and heavy storms than other parts of Alabama.
