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Barbour County Tourism

Southern Charm

Southern Belle on a lawn

One doesn't have to be in Barbour County long before they begin hearing stories of the past. Founding fathers and war heroes, Southern belles, and daring heroines, all left their mark. Some people consider these stories tall tales, facts are woven with imagination. Others hear their heels click beneath them on the hardwood as they tour the homes and take in the sights, slipping into nostalgia as you'd slip into a cool stream in mid-July. These visitors can travel back in time and spend a lazy afternoon on the veranda watching the river roll by. To insightful travelers, Eufaula is more than a pretty house with magical allure, to these, Eufaula is legendary.


Shorter Mansion

A picture of Shorter Mansion, Eufaula, Alabama

Constructed in 1884, this imposing house took on its present Neoclassical Revival appearance after extensive remodeling in 1906 at a cost estimated to be $100,000. Formerly known as "The Columns," Shorter Mansion is the centerpiece of the Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District which has over 700 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is noteworthy for its 17 free-standing Corinthian columns.

The purchase of Shorter Mansion in 1965 sparked the formation of the Eufaula Heritage Association and helped launch the preservation movement in Eufaula. The mansion now serves as the headquarters for the Association which annually sponsors Alabama's oldest tour of homes, the Eufaula Pilgrimage.

Beautifully furnished with antiques, it houses the Eufaula Historical Museum which contains artifacts and displays that focus on Eufaula's storied past. In addition, the museum has a section that honors the eight Alabama governors from Barbour County, as well as Admiral Thomas M. Moorer, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Visited by more than 10,000 people annually, Shorter Mansion is also available for weddings, teas, meetings, parties, luncheons, receptions, and other public events. Each year it is the focal point of the Eufaula Pilgrimage which is held the first weekend in April.

Tours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Admission: $5.00 adults | $3.00 children
• Group rates are available.

Shorter Mansion
340 North Eufaula Avenue
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-3793


James S. Clark Interpretive Center

A picture of James S. Clark Interpretive Center

Now the home of the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of commerce, this building was originally constructed around 1892 as a railroad freight depot. It served Eufaula and the surrounding area in that capacity until the late 1980s when it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. A two-year renovation project was completed in 2002 and, in addition to the chamber, the building also serves as the Eufaula Welcome Center and is home to a historic interpretive center under the direction of the Eufaula Barbour County Historic Foundation.

The building‘s namesake, the late James S. Clark served as the mayor of the city of Eufaula from 1976 to 1978 and served four consecutive terms in the Senate of Alabama from 1959 to 1975. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1983 and subsequently was reelected by the residents of his district for three additional terms. Clark was entrusted by the members of the House with the Office of the Speaker in 1987, 1991, and an unprecedented third term in 1995.

the Eufaula Barbour county historic foundation funds the current interpretive panels that reflect the storied history of our county. additionally, the estate of A.S. Williams III graciously gifted his “Eufaula Collection” from the Eufaula athenaeum to the foundation for inclusion in our interpretive center. five display cases, along with hundreds of Eufaula, Barbour county artifacts, and a reference library of printed materials are available for viewing and help to tell the story of our community.

Open for tours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Located in...
Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce
333 east broad street
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
(334) 687-6664




Fairview & Shorter Cemetaries

A picture of historical grave sites in Shorter Cemetery, Eufaula, Alabama

Shorter Cemetery

Alabama's Civil War Governor, John Gill Shorter, was laid to rest, along with the Governor's father, the famous Indian fighter General Reuben Clark Shorter, in Shorter Cemetery. The cemetery's graves date back to 1840.

Contact the Staff at Shorter Mansion for access to this gated attraction. Phone (334) 687-3793 for details.

Additional Attractions

MacMonnie’s Fountain

A picture of MacMonnie's Fountain, Eufaula, Alabama

The three-tiered wrought-iron fountain is crowned by a cherub and fits in perfectly with the character of downtown. It was purchased from the city of Dayton, Ohio, in 1880.


Manny

Manny, a statue of a Largemouth Bass, Eufaula, Alabama

In honor of Eufaula being the "Big Bass Capital of the World," it is only appropriate that we have a big bass named manny, in honor of renowned fisherman, Tom Mann, who helped make Eufaula a fisherman's paradise.

“Tom Mann achieved fame as a fishing lure designer/manufacturer and helped put Lake Eufaula on the map with his popular television shows,” the inscription states. “with an investment of $5, he and his wife, ann, started Mann's bait company in 1958. Later, he would launch Humminbird industries and southern plastics…he made Eufaula the hub of the fishing lure industry.”

Mann was inducted into the professional bass fishing hall of fame in 2003 and was named by the Alabama tourism department as one of Alabama's “most unforgettable faces.”

be sure to visit and take a picture with manny, who is located across from the Eufaula Barbour County chamber of commerce, next to the Yoholo Micco Walking Trail.


Yoholo Micco Trail

A picture of bridge spanning Lake Eufaula, Alabama on the Yoholo Micco  trail

In 2010, the 2nd Phase of the Rails to Trails Project was completed. The conversion of 3.2 miles of abandoned rail bed is now a beautiful walking trail with a gorgeous water view and many other hidden jewels along the way.

The trail begins in the heart of historic downtown Eufaula, AL in front of the Eufaula Barbour Chamber of Commerce. Winding along with the beautiful scenery you will find squirrel & eagle crossings along with a completely restored railroad trestle that crosses over Lake Eufaula. The end of the trail eventually ends at Old Creek Town, a beautiful waterfront recreational area that houses the Playground of Dreams, public beach, and boat launch.

Interesting facts and finds along the trail are:

• 3.2 miles of paved trail perfect for walking, running, and bicycling.
• Several nature trails along the way that are clearly marked.
• Old hardwood forest that leads to a breathtaking waterfall.
• "Treehugger Park" to enjoy an afternoon picnic.
• Bird Watcher's Alley
• Benches along the way just in case you need to relax and soak up the scenery!
• "Passport to Fitness," one of Alabama's 60 top places to hike or walk.

Doughboy Statue

The Doughboy Statue in Eufaula, Alabama

This statue of a World War I doughboy honors the men from Eufaula who perished in WWI. It was erected and dedicated in 1920.



Monument to the Confederacy Deceased

CSA monument in Eufaula, Alabama

Presented by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1904, and standing at 35 feet tall, the confederate monument towers over the intersection of Broad Street and Eufaula Avenue.


Wiregrass Birding Trail

A man fishing on Lake Eufaula, Alabama

Ten Wiregrass Counties came together in November 2012 to launch the Wiregrass Birding Trail. This trail of twenty sites is the last of eight organized trails, and 250 sites, covering Alabama. The ten counties that make up the Wiregrass Birding Trail are Barbour, Bullock, Pike, Crenshaw, Covington, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva, and Houston. Eufaula has four of the sites out of the total of twenty sites in the region. An ongoing project for over five years, trail development has coincided with birding becoming an increasingly important source of tourism revenue for Alabama.

The sites in Barbour County are the Eufaula Wildlife Refuge, Lakepoint State Park, Old Creektown Park, and Yoholo Micco Walking Trail.

In addition to the Eufaula sites, the Wehle Center in Midway provides excellent birding opportunities in nearby Bullock County.

Alabama has perhaps the most diverse habitat in the Southeast, with a tremendous range of birds that can be seen in the state and certainly on the Wiregrass Birding Trail.

Leroy Brown

A statue of the Largemouth Bass “Leroy Brown,” Eufaula, Alabama

Renowned outdoorsman and pioneering fishing lure creator Tom Mann, who caught a 1-pound bass at Lake Eufaula in 1973, helped make the unusual fish famous by sharing stories about how the feisty largemouth with a personality guarded his territory in Mann’s 38,000-gallon aquarium for seven years. Named “Leroy Brown” from the popular Jim Croce song, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” the fish thrived in Mann’s now-defunct Fish World museum, growing to almost 6½ pounds.

“That fish would follow Tom as he walked around the aquarium,” Scott said. “When Leroy Brown died, Tom called me and I could almost hear the tears in his eyes.

After the closure of the museum and then Mann’s death in 2005, Mann’s widow asked Scott to take possession of the famous fish and the elaborate tombstone/sculpture with the inscription “Most bass are just fish but Leroy Brown was something special.” Scott did it for his dear friend and now Eufaula is ready to re-take possession of its aquatic superstar.

Leroy brown can be found at the beginning of east broad street beneath the canopy of trees.


Eufaula’s Splash Pad Park

The Splash Pad Park in Eufaula, Alabama

The splash pad attraction opened in 2020 and is the product of a community effort, spearheaded by the Barbour County Extension office, that resulted in grant funding for the construction of this popular attraction. the splash pad is located next door to the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce and across from the Yoholo Micco walking trail. The facility is open to the public during the spring and summer seasons and is free of charge.


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