The "Literary Capital of Alabama," Famed for Its Connection to Harper Lee and Iconic Southern Literature

Known as the “Literary Capital of Alabama,” this small town in southern Alabama was founded in 1815 as a small crossroads community initially called “The Crossroads” between the capital city of Montgomery and Mobile. It later became known as Walker’s Mill and Store, then briefly Centerville, before officially being named Monroeville in honor of the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe. Monroeville serves as the county seat of Monroe County.

In 1997, the Alabama House and Senate jointly designated Monroeville as the “Literary Capital of Alabama,” as the state has produced more than its fair share of notable literary giants, including Harper Lee and Truman Capote, who were childhood friends in the small town and are largely regarded as two notable 20th-century writers. The novelist Mark Childress and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Cynthia Tucker are also Monroe County natives.

Whether visitors are lovers of literature, history buffs, or just fans of Southern literature and hospitality, there are plenty of things to see and do that will make for a memorable visit to Monroeville.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Born in Monroeville on April 28, 1926, Nelle Harper Lee became a renowned author after publishing her novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in 1960. The book later won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961. The book draws on Harper Lee’s experiences and observations growing up in 1930s Monroeville, exploring themes of racial injustice, morality, and childhood innocence in the Deep South.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is the story of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, a young girl growing up in the racially charged South of the 1930s. Scout lives with her brother Jeremy, nicknamed Jem, who is based on the author’s overprotective real-life brother Edwin Lee, and their father, Atticus Finch, based on Harper Lee's lawyer-father, Amasa Coleman Lee. Atticus Finch is a principled lawyer who defends a black man wrongfully accused of assaulting a white woman. Scout and Jem’s summer friend, Dill, is widely understood to be based on Truman Capote, Lee’s close childhood friend and the author of the classic true-crime novel, “In Cold Blood.”

Maycomb (aka Monroeville)

In addition to fictionalizing many people in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee fictionalizes many of the places in the novel. It is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, where much of the story takes place, and is heavily influenced by her hometown of Monroeville. A monument in honor of Atticus Finch sits in front of the town’s Old Monroe County Courthouse.

The Monroe County Museum maintains and operates several historic sites in Monroe County, with several permanent exhibits at the museum, including those devoted to the courtroom (restored to its 1930s appearance) and Truman Capote's and Harper Lee's childhood. Fans of Harper Lee travel to the courthouse from all over the world to see the connection between the fictional town of Maycomb and Monroeville.

A historic marker directs visitors to the Faulk family home where Truman Capote spent his childhood summers; the house burned down in 1940 but some of the fencing and foundation remain. It is a popular stop for visitors who often grab lunch close by at Mel’s Dairy Dream, located on the site of Lee’s childhood home.

In Cold Blood

“In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote was published in 1966. The true crime nonfiction novel details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. Truman Capote traveled to Kansas with Harper Lee to investigate the case and conduct interviews with the townspeople, police officers, and others connected to the crime. Capote spent six years writing “In Cold Blood,” which became a classic in the genre of true crime but took such an incredible toll on the writer that Truman Capote never published another book again.

Trails and Tours

The Literary Capital Sculpture Trail consists of 14 bronze sculptures in Historic Downtown Monroeville; the trail honors the writers credited with making Monroeville the "Literary Capital of Alabama." Visitors to Monroeville can download the trail map and start exploring the town’s rich literary history.

Monroeville is also on the Southern Literary Trail, the first tri-state literary trail in the US; it celebrates acclaimed 20th-century writers and playwrights of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Other stops on the trail include Eudora Welty’s House and Garden in Jackson, Mississippi, Flannery O’Connor’s Childhood Home in Savannah, Georgia, and the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Events, programs, and exhibits take place at Trail sites throughout the year.

Literary Events

Today, in Monroeville, there are events and festivals that celebrate the literary history and culture of the town. A play based on "Top Kill A Mockingbird" is performed in the Old Courthouse Museum each year by the Mockingbird Players, a group of amateur actors that have performed in Israel, England, and Hong Kong, as well as several venues in the US. The first performance of the spring 2025 production will be on Friday, March 28, 2025.

The town also holds an annual Monroeville Literary Festival. Emerging from the Alabama Writers Symposium, the event welcomes readers and writers to celebrate Southern literature in Monroeville from Feb. 27 to March 1, 2025, held in the courtroom. A highlight of the event is the presentations of the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer and the Truman Capote Prize for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of Literary Non-Fiction or the Short Story.

The Takeaway

Monroeville is the perfect destination for a literary road trip where book lovers can immerse themselves in the rich literary heritage of this small town, famously recognized as the "Literary Capital of Alabama." Home to iconic authors Harper Lee and Truman Capote, Monroeville offers a wealth of attractions, including the Monroe County Museum, where visitors can explore exhibits dedicated to these literary giants, and the historic Old Courthouse, which hosts annual performances of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The Literary Capital Sculpture Trail, featuring bronze sculptures of notable writers, invites exploration of the town's cultural landscape. Renowned festivals and local events celebrate Southern literature, providing unique opportunities to engage with readers and writers and experience the charm of a community deeply rooted in literary — and American — history.