Twickenham Historic District is the oldest and most architecturally distinguished neighbourhood in Huntsville, covering the blocks immediately southeast of the courthouse square. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and remains the finest concentration of antebellum architecture in north Alabama. Greek Revival and Federal-style mansions line Williams Avenue and surrounding streets, most of them dating from the 1820s to the 1850s when Huntsville was the wealthiest city in Alabama.
Walking through Twickenham takes about an hour at a leisurely pace. The houses are privately owned and not generally open for tours, but the exteriors are the point — wide porticoes, formal symmetry, mature trees overhanging brick sidewalks. Pick up a walking guide from the visitor centre at the Von Braun Center, or simply wander south from the courthouse square toward Williams Avenue and follow your instincts. The neighbourhood is quiet and residential; treat it accordingly.