Alabama’s Hidden Gem: Scottsboro

May 2023

Nestled in North Alabama at the tail end of the Appalachian Mountains is the small town of Scottsboro, Alabama. It also is close to Lake Guntersville and the Tennessee River. With its picturesque mountainous views, the town’s motto is “Where the mountains meet the lakes.” Scottsboro also is known for its Southern hospitality and as a place for quiet getaways. Once you visit, you will not want to leave this down-to-earth welcoming town. It is truly a gem among many areas the state of Alabama has to offer. 

Where to Stay

Goose Pond Colony Resort

Located on the banks of the Tennessee River near Lake Guntersville, this resort has something for the whole family. Goose Pond Colony is a public resort that has two beautiful 18-hole championship golf courses, comfortable lakeside cottages, a lodge, a relaxing waterfront campground, a full-service marina, meeting facilities, a swimming pool and a beach area at Lake Guntersville. 

Where to Eat

Payne’s Soda Fountain

Since 1869, this old-fashioned soda fountain restaurant has been known for its wide variety of ice cream, floats, milkshakes, sodas and sandwiches. Seniors can purchase ice cream for only 5 cents on Thursdays. 

The Docks

The Docks, located at the Goose Pond Colony Resort, is the only fine dining restaurant in the area and has lake access for any size boat. It offers a relaxing, come-as-you-are atmosphere with a lighted pier and a full-service bar. 

What to Do

Unclaimed Baggage and Unclaimed Baggage Museum

This is a shopping experience unlike any other you’ve ever experienced. Unclaimed Baggage is the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage; they purchase lost and unclaimed airline baggage, then refurbish and sell the contents to the public. To enhance your treasure-hunting experience, they also offer new Unclaimed Cargo at must-have prices. They are open six days a week. Hours Monday through Friday are from 10 am-6 pm, Saturday from 10 am-7 pm and they’re closed on Sunday.

The Unclaimed Baggage Museum opened in April 2023 and has on display more than 70 of the most curious and unusual items that have been unpacked from lost bags over their 50-plus history. Most items were sold through Christie’s Auction House. The remaining items are showcased, along with the Christie’s catalog and replicas of the sold mummified hawk sarcophagus and funeral mask, made using 3D fabrication technology. The oldest items on display include ancient Egyptian artifacts from 1500 BC, found in a well-worn Gucci suitcase. Hoggle, the beloved Jim Henson dwarf puppet and an essential character in David Bowie’s cult fantasy film Labyrinth, is the most famous display item. It has recently been restored to its original condition.

Scottsboro Boys Museum

Located in the historic Joyce Chapel, the Scottsboro Boys Museum offers an interpretive tour of the case that helped usher in the modern civil rights movement. On March 25, 1931, nine young African Americans were accused of raping two white women aboard a westbound train in northern Alabama. They were escorted to the Jackson County jail where they were tried and convicted within the next two weeks. The nine served 102 combined years in state prison for a crime they did not commit.

Their struggle made headlines around the world. To tell their complex story, the museum’s content looks at various American mythologies surrounding race and gender, Jim Crow culture along with the case’s legacies. A focal point of the museum is a re-creation of one of the trials. 

Book your trip to Scottsboro Now!