There is a story behind every historic building in downtown. Many of the downtown merchants know the history of their buildings and love sharing it with visitors. If you are interested in finding out more about a building, ask a merchant or visit the Morgan County Archives located at 624 Bank Street. For more information visit the Decatur Public Library

The Old State Bank was built in 1833 and is the oldest bank building in Alabama. The building is one of the few structures that survived a citywide fire during the Civil War and still bears marks from battles between Confederate and Union troops. The bank is open for tours. For more information, call 256-350-5060.

This building was originally constructed in 1887 as a drug store and was used for county government offices in the last 1800s when the Morgan County seat was moved to Decatur from Somerville. This building is now used for private offices.

The Carnegie Library, now the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, was built in 1904. It is one of the few remaining original Carnegie Library buildings. More information about the building’s history can be found on the Carnegie Visual Arts Center website.

The Roxy Theater Building was movie theater from the 1940s through the 1960s. Evidence of the movie theater can still be seen in the upper stories of the building. This building is not currently open to the public, but interior pictures can be found on the Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority website. Click here to visit the Decatur Downtown website.

The Southern Railway Depot is a registered historic place, but is not currently being used. Plans are currently underway to restore the building. The depot is currently located at 701 Railroad Street, but is closed to the public.

Built in 1904, the Old Casa Grande Hotel was a resting spot for many travelers who came from the train depot. The guests were brought to the hotel on horse-drawn carriages dispatched from a nearby stable, which is now the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts. This building can be viewed from the outside, but is not open to the public.

The building that houses the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts was originally built in 1887 as a livery stable. The building was later turned into a silent movie and vaudeville playhouse and was restored several times throughout the 20th century. More information about the history of the building can be found on the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts website. Click here to visit the Princess Theatre website.

There are a number of historic church buildings located throughout Downtown Decatur. Information about the histories of some of these buildings is available on the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website. Click here to visit the website.