5 Reasons to Love Prattville, AL

Prattville’s amenities let you live your best life.

By Rebecca Treon on June 26, 2023

Jonathan Hoomes

Prattville, a historic city built along Autauga Creek, was once known as the “Fountain City” for its numerous artesian wells that still supply the city’s drinking fountains today. The city boasts amenities that locals love – it has a tightknit community, is great for small-business owners and offers career opportunities in numerous fields. From its local events to its inspiring history, Prattville offers something for everyone.

1. The Great Outdoors

It’s easy to enjoy the outdoors in Prattville. The city is home to the Autauga Creek Walk, which is adjacent to downtown’s quaint shops and restaurants.

Wilderness Park, which is full of huge bamboo shoots, is right inside the city limits. The Autauga Creek Canoe Trail, a mellow 13-mile paddling trail through the city, is great for canoeing, kayaking and tubing. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill features three of the country’s top 18-hole courses.

Nick Fronterio

2. #ShopSmall Support

Prattville residents value and support small businesses. Their strong “shop small” ecosystem supports the more than two dozen locally owned shops and restaurants in historic downtown alone. Find Southern comfort food at Uncle Mick’s Cajun Market & Café, Cindy’s Cafe and Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Que Ranch, or opt for global cuisine at LáTaste Vietnamese Cuisine, Los Mayas or Sushi Ro.

Downtown Prattville offers numerous independently owned boutiques, while three shopping centers in east Prattville – High Point Town Center, Premiere Place Shopping Center and Prattville Town Center – provide today’s favorite national chains. The city is also home to a 100,000-square-foot antique mall called Prattville Pickers.

3. Get to Work!

If you’re looking to start or level up in your career, Prattville is a great place to be, as there are career opportunities in industries like education, health care, manufacturing and military service. The city’s biggest employer is the Autauga County Board of Education, followed by Prattville Baptist Hospital and International Paper, which has 600 employees. City and county governments also rank high on the list, as do Walmart, Target and Bass Pro Shops in the retail sector and Medline Industries, James Hardie Building Products and Kinedyne in the medical and industrial sectors.

4. Community Events

Prattville is a tightknit community that supports the region’s history, arts and culture at year-round events, with get-togethers taking place nearly every month. The Prattville CityFest, an event hosted by the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce, attracts around 15,000 people to the area every May. Other highlights include Mardi Gras Parade & Celebration in the spring, the Wilson Pickett Music and Arts Festival in April, the twice-monthly Creekwalk Concerts in June and July, and the Christmas Parade in December.

5. History in the Making

History buffs will love exploring Prattville’s numerous local attractions that highlight the city’s past. The Prattaugan Museum & Archives, the Old Prattvillage & Gardens and the former cotton gin factory each offer interesting insight into Prattville’s past. Drink a refreshing sip of artesian water at the Doster Road Artesian Well, one of the city’s many historic spring-fed fountains.