Staff photo by Jake DanielsFort Payne, Ala., showcases so much natural beauty that some tourists visit just to see the scenery.
The county seat of DeKalb County, Fort Payne sits between Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain within minutes of four state and national parks. The small town includes hiking trails, wildflowers and waterfalls.
There’s also camping, fishing, kayaking and biking activities awaiting those who want more activity.
The town draws thousands of shoppers to the World’s Longest Yard Sale in August and its Antique Alley in May. And Fort Payne’s most anticipated festival, Boom Days Heritage Celebration, is a weeklong event in September. It’s a downtown music and art festival where music flows from four outdoor stages while visual artists and craftsmen show off their best work.
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Best Places to Eat> Spot Coffee Shop, 101 Gault Ave: Serves breakfast sandwiches, panini wraps, specialty pizzas and baked desserts. Live music, free wi-fi and open mic night. Call 256.979-1287 for more information.> Vintage 1889, 151 8th Street NE: Diners eat in the historic W.B. Davis Hosiery mill built in 1889. Menu includes pizza, sandwiches and vegetarian. Live music on some nights. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. For more information call 256-845-3380 or visit vintage1889.com.> Ol’ Tymers BBQ, 2207 – J Gault Ave. North: Locals say really good ribs. Live music on weekends. Kitchen hours 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Bar hours 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday and on Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., according to Ol’ Tymers Facebook page. Call 256-418-4181 for more information.
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Main Attractions> Little River Canyon National Preserve, shown at right> Desoto State Park> Buck’s Pocket State Park> High Falls Park> Fort Payne Depot MuseumSource: fortpayne.org
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Award-winning band> Founders of the Country Music Hall of Fame band Alabama are all cousins from Fort Payne.> Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook formed the group in 1969.> The group’s biggest success hit in the 1980s when it had more than 27 No. 1 hits and seven multi-platinum albums.> The band had singles and multi-platinum record sales until it disbanded in 2006. The group reunited in 2011 and continue to tour and record.> Fort Payne also houses an Alabama Fan Club and Museum located at 101 Glenn Blvd. SW.
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FACTS AND FIGURES> Population: 14,012> Fort Payne is in the central time zone.> Fort Payne gets its name from U.S. Army Major John Payne who built a fort in the 1830’s to hold Cherokee Indians until their relocation to Oklahoma. The forced exile became known as the Trail of Tears.> The Indian Sequoyah who created the Cherokee alphabet lived in Fort Payne.> The term Boom Days originates in the late 1880’s after coal and iron deposits were discovered in Fort Payne. The discovery led to explosive growth as investors and laborers from New England and the North came to the region.> The state’s oldest standing theater, the Fort Payne Opera House, was built in the late 1880s during Boom Days.