Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city of 29,002 people in Limestone County, Alabama, founded in November 19, 1818.
Why visit Athens
Townapedia lists 17 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 80 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinemagic Theatre, Isom's Orchard Athens Farm, George S. Houston Historic District and Robert Beaty Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Athens
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Athens
Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville–Decatur–Albertville combined statistical area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 25,407.
From the Wikipedia article Athens, Alabama (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Isom's Orchard Athens Farm
Farm and orchard · 3.1 mi
24012 US Highway 72, Athens
Jun-Dec unknown; Jan-May closed
Museums and landmarks17
George S. Houston Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic district in Alabama, United States
Robert Beaty Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic district in Alabama
Athens Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Athens, Alabama, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Limestone County, Alabama
Blackburn House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Alabama
Cotton Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Plantation house in Limestone County, Alabama
Governor George Smith Houston House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in Alabama, United States
.jpg){kind=link}
Old Athens, Alabama Main Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Building in Alabama, United States
Robert Donnell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Athens, Alabama
The Broken Brush Art Studio
Museum · 1.8 mi
107 South Marion Street, Athens
Tu-Sa 10:00-19:00; Su 14:00-18:00
Limestone County Confederate Soldiers Memorial
Monument and historic site · 1.8 mi
Statue in United States of America
Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · 1.8 mi
This is the area of the historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes80
Applebee's
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
1331 US Highway 72 East, Athens
11:00-01:00; Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-23:00
Buffalo Wild Wings
Restaurant · Wings · 1.3 mi
22099 US 72, Athens
Mo-Th 11:00-21:40; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:40; Su 11:00-21:40
Catfish Cabin
Restaurant · Seafood · 0.8 mi
906 US Highway 72 East, Athens
11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 0.6 mi
16211 Athens-Limestone Boulevard, Athens
06:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00
Lawlers Barbecue
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.8 mi
1506 US Highway 72 East, Athens
10:30-20:00, Su closed
Little Texas Pizza Buffet
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.8 mi
202 Jefferson Street South, Athens
11:00-21:00, Tu closed
Logan's Roadhouse
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
16132 Athens-Limestone Boulevard, Athens
11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Shoney's
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
1402 US Highway 72 East, Athens
Su-Th 06:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop
1286 US Highway 72 East, Athens
05:00-22:00, Su 06:30-22:00, Sa 05:30-22:00
Terranova's Italian Restaurant
Restaurant · Italian · 1.3 mi
100 US Highway 31 South, Athens
Tu-Sa 16:00-20:00; Su 11:00-14:00
68 more on the map.
History
Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the state, having been incorporated one year prior to the state's admittance to the Union in 1819. Limestone County was also created by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature in 1818. The town was first called Athenson, but was incorporated as Athens after the ancient city in Greece. The town's first mayor was Samuel Tanner, and the Tanner area, south of Athens, was named on his behalf.
The Athens area was the home of William Wyatt Bibb, the first governor of Alabama, and its second governor, his brother Thomas Bibb, who succeeded him in office when he died in a fall from his horse.
Before European settlers arrived, the area which would become Athens was part of Chickasaw lands, settlers from Tennessee began intruding into what would become Limestone County in the first decade of the 1800s; the Chickasaw ceded lands north and east of the Tennessee River by about 1816, opening legal settlement in the area.
From the History section of Athens, Alabama on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Churches and places of worship55
First United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 2.0 mi
208 Hobbs Street West, Athens
Cambridge United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 3.7 mi
14004 Cambridge Lane, Athens
7th Day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.6 mi
1207 Pryor Street East, Athens
First Baptist Church of Tanner
Church · Baptist · 4.0 mi
11590 US Highway 31, Tanner
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · 3.4 mi
1716 Market Street West, Athens
Shopping17
Clinton Street Cottage Antiques and Collectibles
Shop · 1.8 mi
104 North Clinton Street, Athens
Gas and EV charging39
Schools, colleges and libraries23
Houston Memorial Library
Library · 2.0 mi
101 North Houston Street, Athens
Athens - Limestone Public Library
Library · 1.5 mi
603 Jefferson Street South;Jefferson Street, Athens
Lindsay Lane Christian Academy - West Campus
School · Baptist · 2.1 mi
705 Sanderfer Road West, Athens
Healthcare10
Athens Creekside Drugs
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
605 US Highway 31 South, Athens
Map of Athens
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 34°F | 5.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 37°F | 5.4 in | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 44°F | 5.6 in | 0.3 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 51°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 80°F | 60°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 68°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 72°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 71°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 64°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 53°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 42°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 36°F | 6.3 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Athens (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Limestone County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2020-09-14: Hurricane Sally (Hurricane)
- 2020-05-21: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-09-11: Hurricane Irma (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Madison 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Decatur 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Huntsville 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Meridianville 22 mi east, about 35 min by car
- Hartselle 24 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Muscle Shoals 39 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Florence 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Cullman 42 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Russellville 48 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Scottsboro 52 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Limestone County Courthouse, Athens, Alabama 01, Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
- McCandless Hall, Athens State University, Dpepper73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Athens First Methodist Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Athens former post office, 35611, Nyttend, Public domain
- Governor George S. Houston House, 101 Houston Street, Athens (Limestone County, Alabama), W.N. Manning, Photographer, Public domain
- Robert Donnell House 1935 HABS 01, Alex Bush, Public domain
- South side of Beaty-Mason House, Dpepper73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beaty-Mason House 1934 HABS 02, W. N. Manning, Public domain
- Backyard of Beaty-Mason House, Dpepper73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beaty-Mason House slave quarters 1934 HABS 03, W. N. Manning, Public domain
- Front of Beaty-Mason House, Dpepper73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beaty-Mason House 1934 HABS 01, W. N. Manning, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.