Madison
Madison’s storied past includes the bustling Norfolk Southern railroad, creating the Americana Main Street pattern and landscape seen throughout its historic business district today. In fact, the town’s former city hall and jail are now the Main Street Cafe!
The historic district in Madison is a charming neighborhood that seamlessly blends the past with the present. Its tree-lined streets and well-preserved architecture create a warm and inviting atmosphere where both generational residents and newcomers feel a strong sense of belonging. Community events like Madison Street Festival, Railyard BBQ, Concerts in the Park, Witches Stroll, Wassail Fest, and Christmas Card Lane foster a close connection between shop owners and nearby neighborhoods.
Public spaces, like Village Green, Veteran’s Memorial, and Home Place Park, are also downtown. There’s even a Walk Historic Madison smartphone app with coordinating kiosks, which undoubtedly cultivate community pride while also increasing quality of life. With an impressive number of retail and dining businesses operating downtown, nearly 25 on Main Street, there’s no shortage of things to do and places to go.
The City has certainly invested in improving its downtown spaces through the years, and exciting evidence of that is in the Franklin M. Setzer Outstanding Urban Design Project Award it received a couple of years ago from the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association. Other local support for historic preservation is easily found in the Madison Station Historical Preservation Commission, as well as the Madison Historical Society, both focused on downtown.
Madison was named a Designated community on May 29, 2025.
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