Literary Capital Bronze Sculpture Trail

The Literary Capital Sculpture Trail consists of 14 bronze sculptures on permanent exhibit in Historic Downtown Monroeville honoring the 10 writers credited with making Monroeville/ Monroe County the Literary Capital of Alabama.

The History Behind the Trail

In 1997, a declaration of the State Legislature officially dubbed Monroeville the Literary Capital of Alabama. This distinct honor for a quaint city of just over 7,000 permanent residents can be credited to its rich history of literature, which traces back to the 1930s. During this time, two young children, Harper Lee and Truman Capote, forged a close friendship and spent their summer afternoons reading and writing together. Eventually, they became successful authors of To Kill a Mockingbird and In Cold Blood, respectively, amongst a host of other award-winning titles.

Fast-forward to modern times, and Monroeville still sits atop the literary world with internationally recognized authors who call the city home. For instance, novelist Mark Childress was born and raised in Monroeville and has achieved success with works like Crazy in Alabama, One Mississippi, Tender, and Gone for Good. However, Childress, Capote, and Lee are just a few of the writers honored by the Bronze Literary Sculpture Trial on Monroeville Main Street. Visitors can learn of other writers, educators, and artists who have roots in Monroeville and make the city proud.

Celebrating Literature through ART

Easy to find along Monroeville Main Street, the Bronze Literary Sculpture Trail displays a total of 14 sculptures that were created by students at the University of Alabama – each within close proximity to each other and nearby the Monroe County Courthouse Museum. The perfect activity to enjoy with the entire family,The trail has one sculpture for each of the 10 writers, one to represent the Pulitzer Prize (won by 3 of our writers) and a second sculpture for each Harper Lee, Truman Capote, and Cynthia Tucker. This trail will help both locals and tourists have a better understanding of the area’s rich literary history while permanently honoring our writers through art.