POWERGRAMS

23 Stars fell on Alabama and landed in Monroeville. Something magical happened early in the 20th century, transforming the sleepy lile town into a place known around the world. Monroeville history is divided between everything that happened before April 28, 1926 and what occurred aer the birth of Nelle Harper Lee. Since the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" was published in 1960, fans have flocked to Monroeville to walk the streets of Lee's fictional Maycomb and meet the immortal characters she fashioned aer real friends and acquaintances. Today, Monroe County's crest combines a mockingbird and the courthouse steeple. Twenty years ago, the Legislature designated Monroeville "The Literary Capital of Alabama," which was essentially a salute to Lee, but also recognized other stars of Monroeville, including her childhood friend Truman Capote. The author of "In Cold Blood" lived next door to Lee for several years, but Pulitzer Prize winner Cynthia Tucker was born in Monroeville in 1955. Mark Childress was born there in 1957, later gaining renown as the author of "Crazy in Alabama." It is somewhat haywire that so much literary talent could find its origins in a town of 6,500 people (lile more than 1,000 when Lee and Capote were growing up). Those townspeople have embraced their lightning in a bole and adopted the writers as family. A year aer Lee's death at 89 in Monroeville, her presence is strongly felt. The back walls of The Courthouse Café are painted with a large tree and a mockingbird, enticing diners to have a seat. The menu with a silhoueed Scout under the same tree includes "Finch fries" and "Boo burgers." Across the Town Square is Prop & Gavel, which serves the Barrister Burger that is among the official 100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama. Behind the bar is a photo of Lee autographed to Tonja Carter, her aorney who owns the restaurant. Sections devoted to Lee, Capote, Childress and other Alabama authors are an important part of Ann Mote's Ol' Curiosities & Book Shoppe on West Claiborne Street. Across the road, she has opened a second shop selling books and antiques in the Maycomb Mall. Several blocks away, Mel's Dairy Dream has been serving its signature steak sandwich and handmade milkshakes for 64 years. The lile blue block building serves to-go only, so customers oen sit at a pair of picnic tables in the parking lot. The tables are beneath trees that once shaded Lee's home, which was torn down in 1953. Next to the trees are remnants of a rock and cement wall where Capote played before his aunts' home burned down in 1940. On this day, five visitors from Mississippi are in the Faulk front yard. Two women walk toward a stone pathway and goldfish pond indentation, which are all that remain of the Faulk home behind a state historic marker. They pause for several minutes, one with chin in hand, staring at the grounds. The three men take photos before the group continues along the mockingbird trail. Monroeville has made a mini-industry out of "Mockingbird," with the county and city websites and printed materials all touting the book that is oen ranked as the top novel of the 20th century. Booklets and pamphlets encourage visitors to take a 1-hour walking tour with 33 designated stops related to Lee and Capote. "They're going to be a factor in anything about Monroeville," the mayor says. "And we're fortunate to have them factored in." Yet, many important aspects of the town and its people are nonfiction. Circling the Town Square Sandy Smith knows how the loss of Vanity Fair shook Monroeville and neighboring towns to their core. She knows it as the executive director of the Monroeville/ Monroe County Chamber of Commerce. She knows it MONROEVILLE The mockingbird is a popular image around town. Mel's Dairy Dream was built on the site of Lee's house. A rock wall is most of what's left of Capote's home.

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