Why I Live in Prattville, AL (and You Can, Too!)

A local business owner shares why this Alabama city is a great place to call home.

By Rebecca Treon on September 19, 2022

Dianna Paulk

There’s no place that Jimmy Morris Jr. would rather be than living in Prattville, AL.

A lifelong resident, Morris is the owner and managing member of Morris Builders LLC, a commercial construction company started by his. father in 1979.

“As children, we learned the business from our dad, and as I was going through college, I got licensed as a residential builder. When my father was getting ready to retire, we combined his business and my business,” Morris says.

Morris Builders continues in the commercial construction arena, with Morris as the owner, brother Justin as field operational manager, brother Jamye as the director of procurement in pre-construction and mother Cassandra as the office manager.

One of the things Morris loves most about living in Prattville is its small-town feel. While it would have been easy for him to settle in a bigger city like Montgomery, where he went to college, it’s the close-knit community that drew him back to Prattville.

“Being from somewhere where you can grow up and people know who you are is just great,” he says. “There are so many family-oriented activities in the community, like the free Creekside Concerts, which is a fabulous opportunity to come out and enjoy good music while you relax by the creek.”

Morris notes that there are a number of community events that take place throughout the year and ample opportunities for local residents to volunteer at organizations that are impactful in the community.

Morris is on the board of directors for a number of organizations including the Prattville YMCA Emerging Leaders, River Region Pregnancy Center, the Prattville Chamber and Alabama State University Foundation. He is also the past president of the Autauga & Chilton Counties Habitat for Humanity board.

“We always participate in events like the Parade of Pumpkins, and we go to the Wilson Pickett Festival,” Morris says. “We sponsor an Angel Tree every year at Christmas as a fundraiser for the Family Support Center, and with everyone doing the trees, the downtown is like a Hallmark Christmas movie.”

Another point of pride for Morris is the local public schools, which he and his siblings all attended, and his nieces and nephews also currently attend.

“We have an amazing school district that helps students excel,” he says. “If students want to go to college or other alternative or trade schools, we have an awesome technology center that offers construction, technology, cosmetology and we have access to the Air Force base.”

Morris’ business takes him across the Southeast, as he has worked on projects ranging from Meta-Facebook headquarters in Huntsville to other major projects from Florida to Tennessee – yet he chooses to live in Prattville.

“It is a family-oriented place, and we just love everything about it,” he says. “Prattville has grown tremendously since I was a child and continues to grow. It’s a great place to live, raise a family, for retirement and to live a vibrant life in Alabama.”