If the name "Tuscumbia" seems to ring a bell, it's because this is where Helen Keller was born. Hundreds of thousands of tourists have been to this city to visit Ivy Green, her home.
As far as small cities go, Tuscumbia cannot be called typical
If the name "Tuscumbia" seems to ring a bell, it's because this is where Helen Keller was born. Hundreds of thousands of tourists have been to this city to visit Ivy Green, her home.
As far as small cities go, Tuscumbia cannot be called typical. It can be called progressive. It doesn't really seem to "think" like a small town, and that may be due to its handy location and amenities. It's close to Muscle Shoals (of music fame), Sheffield and Florence, collectively called "The Shoals." Though the city officially has 8,423 residents, it is part of a thriving eight-county region that draws upon a large labor force to keep manufacturing and distribution businesses humming along.
Tuscumbia is easily accessible via highways 42 and 73, on the Tennessee River, has a regional airport only three miles away, and is less than 30 miles from the Tennessee state line. Interstate 65 is about 45 miles from the city center. Yep‰Û_getting there is no problem; but getting there and having a place to lay your head could be more challenging without plenty of planning.
"No Vacancy"?
Bet that got your attention. It's just a way of saying the vacancy rate in Tuscumbia is pretty and could go lower as the area continues to thrive. Play it safe by looking for an apartment at least three weeks before your planned move. If you are a chronic worrier, make it four weeks. Use an apartment locator to take most of the pain out of the process. You don't want to get wrinkles worrying about finding a place to live.
Doing Some Figuring
The other thing to keep in mind when figuring out your budget is that, for most Tuscumbians, rent is between 19 percent to 30 percent of household income. Rent one of the premier apartments and that number can go up to 50 percent. Most of the apartments do not include any utilities in the rent either. Such is life today.
Preparing to be a Tuscumbian
Nothing in life is free, so be prepared to hand over some of your hard earned money for the privilege of renting. The landlord might do a background check, so if you have any secrets of the illegal kind, it's better to be up front. Since tens of millions of people in the U.S. have, shall we say, blemishes on their record, don't think you won't get approved. You can find an apartment to rent in Tuscumbia, but having good references handy will help a lot. You also need a good rental history and decent credit. Then the day comes when you have to -- don't cry -- pay the security deposit, utility deposit, cable or wireless installation fee and buy some new curtains. Sorry‰Û_the old ones have to go.
Finding apartment complexes in Tuscumbia is not rocket science. Since Highway 72 is a main thoroughfare, a lot of the apartment complexes were built on this road. You could hop on one foot (don't try it) from one to the other. There are even more apartment buildings north and south of Highway 72, so you have a good choice. Make a mental note to remember The Shoals includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals and Florence, and all three are loaded with one, two and three-bedroom apartments for rent.
City Center: Highway 72 (aka E Lee Highway) runs east to west through the city center. You can start looking for a two-bedroom apartment along Highway 72 and find yourself close to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The Spring Creek Golf Course is on W Woodmont Drive, which forms the eastern edge. On the west side of this area, you might get a view of the Tennessee River. North of Highway 72 is a large subdivision area with older homes. It might be a good place to check out house rentals. The downtown area has the 1906 Place Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop, which is still serving milkshakes while you sit on swivel chairs.
Northeast Tuscumbia: On the west side of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame is a large (actually, the largest) subdivision area. Woodward Avenue forms the eastern edge, and this is the road leading right to Muscle Shoals. The Northwest Shoals Community College and Ivy Green are in the northeast corner of this section.
West Tuscumbia: The best place to look for studio apartments, or any other kind of apartment for that matter, is along Highway 72 (again). It runs from east to west near the Tennessee River in the north.
Tuscumbia residents are quite proud of their city and how well they have preserved its heritage. It's filled with restored and preserved buildings from the 1800s, like the Belle Mont Mansion and the Colbert County Courthouse. Tuscumbia is the proud owner of the Coon Dog Cemetery, the only one of its kind in the whole world. There are over a 100 coon dogs buried there. No lie! Families actually drive to Tuscumbia to visit the place.
People spend a lot of time outdoors, like most Alabamians. Spring Park downtown always seems to have something going on, like an arts and crafts show. The Seven Springs Lodge/Rattlesnake Saloon has 3,500 acres open for horseback riding. The Hawk Pride Mountain Off-Road Park has over 40 trails for off-roading. Of course, there's also fishing and boating on the river.
All of this is just a long way of saying that you should love history and the outdoors if you plan on living in Tuscumbia. All year there are events like the a rodeo, BBQ cookoffs, Wild West Stampede Parade, downtown merchant street festivals and a lot more. The Helen Keller Festival is in June. For a little city, this is an active place, so don't expect to sit in front of the television. No couch potatoes allowed. In between eating BBQ and listening to music, you'll have to fit some shopping in. Most of the shops in Tuscumbia are small, specialty stores. For mall shopping, you'll probably need to go to Muscle Shoals or Florence.
A vehicle is required in Tuscumbia to get around, but the city is considered very livable. You may not want to tell a whole lot of people though, if you plan on moving here. It's kind of nice just the way it is.
