Old Monroe County Courthouse facts for kids
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Old Monroe County Courthouse
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | Courthouse Sq., Monroeville, Alabama |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1903 |
| Architectural style | Eclecticism |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000366, 100006236 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | January 13, 2021 |
The Old Monroe County Courthouse is a special historic building in Monroeville, Alabama. It served as the main courthouse for Monroe County from 1903 until 1963. This old building is famous because of its connections to two well-known American authors.
A Literary Landmark
This courthouse is very important in Alabama's history of books and writers. It is linked to famous authors Harper Lee and Truman Capote. Both writers grew up in Monroeville. They even included the courthouse in their stories.
Truman Capote mentioned the building in his book A Christmas Memory. Harper Lee used it as inspiration for the fictional courthouse in her classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. This book is read by many students around the world.
The Film Connection
The movie version of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was greatly influenced by this courthouse. The people who designed the movie sets visited the building. They carefully measured and photographed it. Then, they built a very similar copy of the inside of the courthouse. This copy was used on a sound stage for filming the courtroom scenes.
The movie producers first wanted to film inside the real courthouse in Monroeville. However, the town had changed a lot since Harper Lee was a child. Also, the sound quality inside the old building was not good for filming. So, they decided to build a copy in Hollywood instead.
Because the movie set was so accurate, many people in Alabama still think the film was shot in Monroeville. The Old Courthouse in Monroe County is now a place where plays are performed. Many of these plays are based on "To Kill a Mockingbird."
The Old Courthouse Museum Today
Today, the Old Monroe County Courthouse is part of the Monroe County Museums. It is known as the Old Courthouse Museum. The building has been carefully restored to look like it did in the 1930s.
Visitors can see exhibits about Harper Lee and Truman Capote. These exhibits share information about their lives and their famous books. The museum helps people learn about the history of the area and its literary connections.
See also
