12 Most Charming Town Squares In The Southern United States
The southern portion of the continental United States has several highly populated cities with some spectacular downtown town squares. Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans are three of the most prominent that come to mind. Yet, the United States, and in particular the southern part of the United States, has a wealth of pleasing small towns with their own unique town squares. From the quaint town of Harrodsburg, Kentucky to the picturesque coastal town of St. Augustine, Florida, the dozen towns listed below have some of the most charming town squares in all of the southern United States.
Bardstown, Kentucky
The tiny yet quaint town square in Bardstown is home to several great attractions. From the Old Courthouse, situated in the center of Court Square and built in 1892, to Bardstown Main Street, dotted with shops like Making Good Scentz, restaurants like Mammy’s Kitchen, and art galleries like Gallery on the Square, the town square of Bardstown is among the best in the United States.
A variety of festivals are held downtown every year as well, bringing together the community. From the Arts and Crafts Festival in October on downtown Main Street, with vendors, food, and live local music, to Light Up Bardstown, accompanied by lighting the Christmas tree, wreaths, face painting, and hot cocoa, the town square of Bardstown is the place to check out.
St. Augustine, Florida
Picturesque downtown St. Augustine is home to several fabulous events, including Nights of Lights. Held annually from the middle of November to the first part of January, this festival offers one of the best displays of Christmas lights in Florida. With more than three million lights, a phenomenal Christmas tree, and an all-star orchestra, Night of Lights is not something to be missed.
St. Augustine is home to St. George Street as well. Passing through the historic downtown St. Augustine, this quaint, pedestrian-only thoroughway provides the chance to experience this picturesque coastal town in a new light. Also home to several great historic attractions, like the Lightner Museum, a museum of Gilded Age antiques housed in the former Hotel Alcazar, the downtown area of St. Augustine is remarkable to behold.
Americus, Georgia
Situated about an hour away from the city of Columbus, a sense of charm and ambiance exists within the town of Americus. From Windsor Hotel, a Victorian mansion first built along W. Lamar Street in 1892, to Rylander Theater, also on W. Lamar Street and first opened for business in 1921, the downtown town square of Americus, Georgia, is unparalleled by most others within the state.
Downtown Americus is home to several awesome events, including First Fridays and Second Saturdays, as well. While First Fridays often honor local art, with specialized themes like Artsapalooza and Downtown Tailgate, each first Friday of the month, Second Saturdays focus more on community through its stores, providing shopping opportunities aimed at boosting the local economy.
Brevard, North Carolina
Thirty miles south of Asheville, the quaint town of Brevard possesses a phenomenal downtown as well. Home to several museums, including the Veterans’ History Museum of the Carolinas and the Transylvania Heritage Museum, the town square of Brevard has a historic value that is worth exploring. The Transylvania Farmers Market is also in downtown Brevard. Offering a sense of community through its local produce, this Saturday market is the talk of the town.
Brevard, North Carolina is home to a variety of festivals that occur throughout the year, as well. White Squirrel Weekend, occurring in late spring, showcases Sammy the Squirrel, the official mascot of Brevard. With amenities like a beer garden, a kid zone, live music, and local shopping, this fabulous event blends the significance of community with the importance of culture.
Port Gibson, Mississippi
Bordered by the Mississippi River, the tiny town of Port Gibson is home to a charming town square. With a plethora of nearby attractions that provide it with a quaint ambiance, including a stop on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which honors the African American musicians of the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and the historic Bernheimer Building, the downtown area of Port Gibson is truly remarkable.
Along with the historic and musical heritage of this Mississippi town, downtown Port Gibson is home to several annual festivities, encouraging guests to visit. Their annual Christmas parade honors the community through local businesses with live music and floats, ending with an appearance from Santa Claus. Several other food festivals happen throughout the year in downtown Port Gibson as well, honoring culinary traditions as well as local cuisine.
Eufaula, Alabama
East of Port Gibson, the small town of Eufaula, Alabama has several downtown community festivals of its own. From the Eufaula Pilgrimage, which tours several of the more historic buildings in the downtown area, to EufaulaFest, which commemorates local arts, downtown Eufaula is fantastic. They hold an Independence Day celebration in July and a Christmas Tour of Homes in December, as well.
The Old Pecan Factory, once a blacksmith shop and now an art gallery, and Yoholo Micco Rail Trail, also known as the Creek Indian Trail, are also within downtown Eufaula. The Tree that Owns Itself, a tree that was granted ownership of the land it grows on in 1935, situated near the Old Pecan Factory and often called the “Post Oak Tree,” is also worth checking out.
Newberry, South Carolina
The town square of Newberry, South Carolina possesses true ambiance through some natural and historic stunning attractions, including Wells Japanese Garden and the 1881 Newberry Opera House. Wells Japanese Garden, on Lindsay Street, has offered unique natural beauty to the town since 1930. The Newberry Opera House, just off Main Street, provides a touch of nostalgia through history.
There are also several awesome community festivals which take place in downtown Newberry, including Oktoberfest and the Harvest Festival, both occurring during Autumn. Oktoberfest honors the heritage of Newberry with German-inspired food, live music, and German-related arts & crafts. The Harvest Festival honors southern fall cuisine with food, live music, a parade, and plenty of barbecue.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
The tiny town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is home to a fabulous downtown area and an even more fabulous town square. While it doesn’t possess a rotary around City Hall, like many of the towns in the south, Eureka Springs does have a thriving Main Street with some quaint cafes, including Mud Street Cafe and Main Street Cafe. They also have a more gourmet dining option, accurately named the Spring on Main.
Downtown Eureka Springs is also home to several attractions that offer a historic thread to town. Eureka Springs Historic District, situated throughout the entirety of downtown, possesses several buildings worth checking out, including the 1929 Municipal Auditorium, the 1905 Basin Park Hotel, the 1886 Cobbler’s Cottage, and a 10-foot section of the Berlin Wall, located near the Christ of the Ozarks.
Jonesborough, Tennessee
The town of Jonesborough, situated in the northeastern corner of Tennessee, is famous for several annual festivals that take place downtown. From Jonesborough Days Festival, which has occurred every July for over fifty years with a parade, live music, and delicious local cuisine, to Christmas in Olde Jonesborough, with events like Whoville Christmas, Doggone Christmas, and a Christmas Church Stroll, Jonesborough offers a sense of community throughout the year.
Some other attractions in downtown Jonesborough include Jonesborough Farmers Market, situated on Courthouse Square, offering fresh produce grown by local farmers on Saturday from May to October, and the Winter Market, showcasing a good portion of the same vendors. The Winter Market is held throughout November and December, weather permitting.
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Home of Kaffie-Frederick Mercantile Store, situated on Front Street in downtown Natchitoches and in operation since 1894, the downtown area of Natchitoches has a plethora of historic attributes. Along with Keffie-Frederick, the oldest general store in Louisiana, downtown Natchitoches is also home to the Prudhomme-Rouquier House, which was first constructed around the end of the 18th century.
Natchitoches Christmas Festival, occurring every December, is also held within downtown Natchitoches, quite near Kaffie-Frederick Mercantile Store. Continually taking place from 1927 through the present, and considered one of the oldest holiday festivities involving the community in the United States, this festival has over 300,000 Christmas lights, fireworks, a parade, carriage tours, and several kids activities.
Davidson, North Carolina
Just north of the city of Charlotte, the small town of Davidson has some phenomenal attractions that offer a taste of community spirit. In addition to its town green, the town of Davidson has several historic buildings. Two of the more well-known are Eumenean Hall and Philanthropic Hall. Both built in the middle of the 19th century, these two historic pieces of architecture are now a part of Davidson College.
Several annual festivals are also held within downtown Davidson, allowing for this small-town community to better open its collective doors to visitors. Two of these festivals offer some extravagant events. The 4th of July festival offers Concerts on the Green and the Patriotic Stroll, while the North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade showcases everything from a parade with vehicles and holiday-themed floats to a “Merry Main Street Tricycle Race.”
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Southwest of Lexington, the quaint town of Harrodsburg is best known for being the home to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and the Old Fort Harrod State Park. Slightly closer to downtown, however, the town of Harrodsburg offers a variety of activities that contribute to a thriving town square. Festivities like Oktoberfest and Christmas on Main Street fill the downtown streets of Harrodsburg with community spirit.
Downtown Harrodsburg, Kentucky is also home to several phenomenal restaurants, including Blackbird Cafe and the Olde Bus Station. Clay Hill, otherwise known as the 1812 Magoffin-Thompson House, which is situated just south of the Olde Bus Station, is also located close to the town square, offering a true sense of history through events like the Christmas Tea Room.
Charming Town Squares in the South
Are you searching for a town square with architecture from the middle of the 18th century, like the 1892 Windsor Hotel in downtown Americus, Georgia? Are you wishing to experience a fabulous Christmas Parade, like the Christmas Church Stroll in Jonesborough, Tennessee? Whether you want to enjoy culture or historic attributes, the dozen towns listed above are just a few with some of the most charming town squares in the southern portion of the United States.
