The following is excerpted from my book “A Guide to the South’s Quirkiest Roadside Attractions,” which is sold exclusively in stores and online from Books-A-Million. Purchase it here for $16.95. The book features sites in 11 Southern states. The Courtyard of Wonder is a colorful, lively folk-art garden outside the Kentuck Arts Center in Northport, Ala.
NOTE: Check for COVID-19 closures and requirements before going.
Courtyard of Wonder
Kentuck Arts Center, 503 Main Avenue, Northport, Ala., 205-758-1257
For 47 years, the Kentuck Arts Center has been supporting local artists with its numerous programs and an annual festival. The website says, “Having roots in folk art, Kentuck provides year-round programming with the mission to perpetuate the arts, engage the community, and empower the artist. Feel free to hang out in our Courtyard of Wonders, visit the resident artists’ studios, and browse in our Gallery Shop.”
The centerpiece of the site is Rusty, the Big Red Dog, created in 1983 by artist Larry Godwin. He looks down from the roof of the center.
KellyKazek.com 