About 23 years ago I motored through the south with not much more than a few shirts, a few bucks, and paper map of the USA. Headed north from New Orleans via Pensacola I drove through a small and picturesque Alabama town. I have a recollection of a courthouse on a town square; there were kids walking about like a college town.

Other than Troy Alabama, where else might I have passed through a SMALL county seat college town in Alabama? A small town with a decent college for a young niece to consider in a few years.

Any chance you could narrow it down to a region, or a nearby highway?

There are 61 colleges in Alabama...

Possibly Judson College in Marion, AL?

When I was at Ft McClellan, we used to go into the college town of Jacksonville. I recall a town square but don't remember if there was a courthouse.

quote:

Originally posted by tk13:
When I was at Ft McClellan, we used to go into the college town of Jacksonville. I recall a town square but don't remember if there was a courthouse.

My nieces go there. Jacksonville was my first thought too but it is not the county seat.

quote:

Originally posted by dking271:
Possibly Judson College in Marion, AL?

Thanks, I had looked at Perry. It fits regarding size and placement within the road system, but does not look familiar. The square was surrounded by trees and had an old wrought iron fence around it. Ornamental cast iron finials might have been on some of the fence posts.

It may not be a county seat but instead had a large late 1800s columned stone-fronted bank on the square. We're talking 20+ years ago, I left the highway as was my wont, just a "get off the main road and go through town" look-see. 25mph putt-putt through a sleepy sedate, proud southern college town. I saw a nice shaded square surrounded with what looked like a business / legal district.

I don’t know my state’s county seats. But perhaps Judson College, a Baptist women’s college in Marion - the county seat of Perry. Marion Military Institute is nearby.

Athens State University is also in a county seat but is only an upper, 2-year college apparently.

Hard to think of other non-community-college schools that fit that criteria.

Look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...versities_in_Alabama

Kinda sounds like Oxford, MS... Ole Miss.

Has town square, iron fence, trees. Pretty much fits the description.

Just wrong state.

Andrew

quote:

Oxford, MS.

Good call. It is possible I drove north from N.O. but I think I passed P-Cola before cutting north. The park was just grass, trees, maybe a monument in the middle. I found the Oxford courthouse pic but that building is rather right up to the fence.

Think curb, grass, sidewalk, fence, lots of grass. Tree-lined, lots of shade. Total long shot ... I record small details these days.

Auburn AL?

Sounds like Eufaula Alabama.

Bay Minette?

Auburn, no. Smaller town.
Eufaula, not near water like that.
Bay Minette, very nice. Not the town but the area looks great.

The road grid was N/S, not angled like Ben Franklin might have laid out. I was probably one road to the east of the main drag.

It looks like I could drive through Mississippi and Alabama for a decade and not find it. But come across many great places to settle down.

Driving north from Pensacola on the eastern side of the state would put you through either Troy, Tuskegee or Auburn.

You describe Auburn ... aka “The Loveliest Village on The Plains”. One of its charms is that it is a large college with a small town charm .... despite the area’s extremely rapid growth in recent years.

Heading north from New Orleans on the western side of the state could have put you through Judson college (near Marion Military Institute) but it’s one of those towns you have to go to on purpose. It’s not related to a destination other than unto itself.

Another possibility on the extreme western side of the state coming north from New Orleans is university of West Alabama In Livingston. It is near, though not directly on, Hwy 20 if coming up and over from Meridian, MS.

As for settling down, you describe Auburn, which is why it has exploded recently. I believe it was one of the fastest growing counties in the country during the last decade with more golf courses per capita than anywhere else. West Alabama not so much....it’s very rural. But the deer, turkey and hog hunting is extraordinary especially if you can get on a timber company lease and be mindful off the whiteail wasting disease that has been coming over from MS the last few years.

As a final thought, coming north from Mobile and Montgomery through central Alabama, just below Birmingham, would give you access to the University of Montevallo located in Montevallo, AL. It also could be as you describe. Small town with a reputable university.

Suggest googling all the colleges in Alabama and looking at them all, seems to be the only way you'll figure it out.

Alabamians don’t understand how anyone might confuse MS vs AL. It’s impossible.

My wife went to Auburn; I went to Bama. On our first trip to the plains - on a quiet Saturday morning - we pulled up to a major intersection on campus. Across from us, also waiting for the green light, was a large tractor (ie John Deere). I looked over at my wife. No words were needed.

I will acknowledge that Aubie is a cooler mascot than Big Al. But there’s nothing quaint about that campus.

Tuscaloosa campus and the stuff around the river is lovely, but not what the OP is describing.

quote:

Originally posted by FHHM213:
Alabamians don’t understand how anyone might confuse MS vs AL. It’s impossible.

My wife went to Auburn; I went to Bama. On our first trip to the plains - on a quiet Saturday morning - we pulled up to a major intersection on campus. Across from us, also waiting for the green light, was a large tractor (ie John Deere). I looked over at my wife. No words were needed.

I will acknowledge that Aubie is a cooler mascot than Big Al. But there’s nothing quaint about that campus.

You sure about that? Our most famous downtown landmarks are/were an old drugstore (that’s sells damn good lemonade) and a couple of really old Live Oak trees that got poisoned and killed by a UA fan after we beat them in football one year.

What do you call “quaint” in Tuscaloosa?

Harry’s Bar???

LOL

We mock what we don’t understand bammer.

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:

quote:

Originally posted by FHHM213:
Alabamians don’t understand how anyone might confuse MS vs AL. It’s impossible.

My wife went to Auburn; I went to Bama. On our first trip to the plains - on a quiet Saturday morning - we pulled up to a major intersection on campus. Across from us, also waiting for the green light, was a large tractor (ie John Deere). I looked over at my wife. No words were needed.

I will acknowledge that Aubie is a cooler mascot than Big Al. But there’s nothing quaint about that campus.

You sure about that? Our most famous downtown landmarks are/were an old drugstore (that’s sells damn good lemonade) and a couple of really old Live Oak trees that got poisoned and killed by a UA fan after we beat them in football one year.

What do you call “quaint” in Tuscaloosa?

Harry’s Bar???

LOL

We mock what we don’t understand bammer.

One, plant some new trees and get over it. Stupid act? Sure. Something to lament to this day? Grow up.

Two, I don’t recall offering T-town as quaint or as a suggestion to the OP. If I did, tell me when.

Instead, I was merely poking fun at the two suggestions that Auburn might fit the OP’s memory. Small town charm? Far from it.

Auburn is an excellent choice for one’s education. But neither it nor UA fits the OP’s ideal.

Lastly, I’m sorry that your UA tour was limited to Harry’s Bar. Your tour guide was worthless.

quote:

Livingston ... Montevallo

Wow, you're not kidding! Thanks, x0225095 "PopeDaddy". That is a great analysis.

I've been cyphering over internet maps and StreetViews and such for a couple of years. Probably the best bet is to get on the ground at some point.

Bsck in Days Without Time I had a knack for finding the oldest part of any town and spent as much time off the highway as I did on. Friendly patrolmen waking me up at dawn at a closed service station with, "I'm not running you off, son, just making sure you're o.k." and getting directions to the best sausage biscuits in town (You sure you only want two?). Ask anyone where the old donut shop is, and finding it with only vague directions. Them were the days.

Edited for syntax and spelling

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