Monroe County Heritage Museums

"Courtroom of the old Monroe County Courthouse"

 Home of the Monroe County Heritage Museums’ office,  
the Old Courthouse Museum sits on the historic downtown 
square of Monroeville, Alabama.

     

September 6, 2008:  

See a special performance of To Kill a Mockingbird by the Mockingbird Players at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile on September 6.  Please see the calendar of events for details.

 

  

     The best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," with its memorable characters - Atticus Finch, Scout, Jem, Dill and Boo Radley - are familiar to many in our culture. The book's author, Harper Lee, is a native of the beautiful Southern town of Monroeville, Alabama. 

     Many literary scholars and local residents firmly believe that some of Ms. Lee's childhood acquaintances served as models for the colorful personalities in the revered book concerning the struggle against racial injustice in the South during the 1930s. One of her playmates was the young Truman Capote, who spent early years and summers in Monroeville with his cousins & aunts.  Harper Lee has revealed that the character Dill is derived from Truman. There was also in Monroeville a much-feared young recluse who was likely the basis for the fictional Boo Radley.

     The beautiful old Courthouse on the town square, which now houses the Monroe County Heritage Museums, served as a model for the famed courtroom scene from the book. 

     When movie rights were acquired, the director, film crew and Gregory Peck (who played Atticus in the movie) made trips to this quaint little town in hopes of filming here. However, Monroeville had changed from the 1930s and court was still being held in the courthouse. Instead, they photographed and shot footage of the courthouse and the town in order to recreate the setting in Hollywood.

     If you have felt the power of Harper Lee's masterpiece, you will enjoy visiting Monroeville to get the feel of the story, just as Gregory Peck once did. You can enjoy a walking tour of the town, following a guide map that describes how the town was in the 1930s when Harper Lee and Truman Capote were growing up here. 

     Each May, people flock from all around the world to see the two-act play based on the novel presented in the packed Courtroom. Most of all, you will enjoy the Monroe County Heritage Museum, located in the famous Old Courthouse. The Museum provides a variety of exhibits, events and activities throughout the year for people of all ages and background.

Robert Butler’s

Incredible Painting

Click on the painting to find out more about the artist and how to order!!