Most of Northport’s historic places are in one small postal area. The landmarks in 35476 include two National Register historic districts, two National Register–listed houses, Kentuck Art Center’s main campus, the Northport Visitor Center & Heritage Museum and an 1830 schoolhouse. The ZIP also covers the restored 1882 King Bowstring Bridge and the city’s riverfront parks and trail. This directory lists each place with its published address, operator and a short history. It also separates permanent places from events and marks nearby sites that are outside 35476.
For a walking-focused look at Main Avenue and the downtown arts district, see the Historic Downtown Northport guide. This page covers the whole ZIP.
Directory of landmarks in 35476
| Place | Type | Address | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentuck Art Center (main campus) | Arts center, galleries, studios | 503 Main Ave, Northport 35476 | Kentuck (nonprofit) |
| Northport Historic District | National Register district | 25th–30th Aves and Main, 5th, 6th Sts (core in 35476) | n/a |
| East Northport Historic District | National Register district | Roughly 20th St, 8th Ave, Rice Mine Rd, Bridge Ave | n/a |
| James Shirley House | Historic house (private) | 512 Main Ave, Northport 35476 | Private |
| Wilson-Clements House | Historic house (private) | 1802 20th Ave, Northport 35476 | Private |
| Northport Visitor Center & Heritage Museum | Museum in 1907 Palmer House | 1991 Park St, Northport 35476 | City of Northport |
| Northport Community Center and Umbria Schoolhouse | Community center; 1830 schoolhouse in the park | 2001 Park St, Northport 35476 | City of Northport |
| Van de Graaff Arboretum & Historic Bridge Park | Park, arboretum, 1882 bridge | 3231 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd, Northport 35476 | PARA |
| Kentuck Park | County park | 3401 5th St, Northport (PARA lists 35476) | PARA |
| River Run Park | Baseball and softball complex | 300 River Run Park S, Northport 35476 | Not named on site (city contact email) |
| Richard L. Platt Memorial Levee Trail | Riverfront trail | West trailhead beside Kentuck Park | City of Northport |
| Northport City Hall | Civic building | 3500 McFarland Blvd, Northport 35476 | City of Northport |
| DCH Northport Medical Center | Hospital | 2700 Hospital Dr, Northport 35476 | DCH Health System |
Addresses come from operators, the National Register and the Tuscaloosa County 911 address data, which places most of the numbered addresses above inside Northport city limits. River Run Park’s ZIP was confirmed through USPS only, and the East Northport district’s ZIP code and the Kentuck Park street number have not been matched in county or USPS records. Their listings are given as published.
Historic districts and houses
Northport Historic District
Listed on the National Register on May 1, 1980, the district centers on Main Avenue and the numbered streets and avenues near the river. National Register summaries count 134 structures across about 20 blocks. Visit Tuscaloosa describes its brick streets, lampposts, murals and a wooden railroad trestle. Northport began as a river crossing, and its name became official in 1832, when a post office and ferry opened. The town was incorporated in 1871. County address data puts the district’s core streets in 35476, while a few 30th Avenue addresses fall in 35473.
East Northport Historic District
This second district was listed in 2004 and is roughly bounded by 20th Street, 8th Avenue, Rice Mine Road and Bridge Avenue. Its ZIP code was not verified, so it is listed here as part of Northport’s historic core rather than as a confirmed 35476 address.
James Shirley House and Wilson-Clements House
James Shirley built the first bridge over the Black Warrior River here in the 1830s, along with the town’s first brick buildings, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. His house at 512 Main Avenue was listed on the National Register in 1972. The Encyclopedia dates it to 1825, while the city’s visitor page says the 1840s, so its exact age is uncertain. The Wilson-Clements House at 1802 20th Avenue was listed in 1985. Neither is operated as a museum, so view them from the street.
Museums and arts landmarks in 35476
Northport Visitor Center & Heritage Museum
The museum is in a Victorian house built in 1907 for the Palmer family. It was donated to the city in 1998, restored, and dedicated in 2001 to A.H. Bean. After improvements funded by Alabama Historical Commission grants, it reopened as the Visitor Center & Heritage Museum in April 2025. The Encyclopedia of Alabama notes the A.H. Bean photo collection and a military uniform collection among its holdings. Check with the City of Northport for current hours.
Umbria Schoolhouse
The Friends of Historic Northport moved the 1830 Umbria Schoolhouse from Sawyerville to the park at the Northport Community Center in 2006. The Encyclopedia of Alabama says it is “believed to be” the oldest school structure in the state. The community center beside it dates to about 1953 and was rededicated in 2024. The original Northport library branch opened in a corner of the community center in 1955. Northport has had no public library branch since 1998.
Kentuck Art Center
Kentuck’s main campus at 503 Main Avenue occupies several repurposed buildings with artist studios, galleries, classrooms and a gallery shop. It grew from the 1971 Northport Heritage Festival, held for the city’s incorporation centennial. “Kentuck” was an early name for the settlement. Kentuck also runs two galleries in Tuscaloosa, Kentuck at Queen City and a gallery at Hotel Indigo, both in 35401.
The art center and the festival are separate. The Kentuck Festival of the Arts was held at Kentuck Park in Northport through 2023 and moved to Snow Hinton Park in Tuscaloosa in 2024. Visit Kentuck’s official site for festival details.
Parks, trail and the historic bridge
Van de Graaff Arboretum & Historic Bridge Park
The King Bridge Company’s iron bowstring bridge opened between Northport and Tuscaloosa on December 25, 1882. It was retired in the mid-1890s when a draw span became necessary, and its spans were reused around the county. In 2008 the Friends of Historic Northport pulled the last surviving span from North River, restored it, and reassembled it on donated land. The park opened in September 2010. PARA has managed it since 2014 under a long-term lease. PARA notes a gravel access road and limited parking.
Kentuck Park and the Platt Levee Trail
PARA lists Kentuck Park at 3401 5th Street with tennis and pickleball courts, a playground, shelters and restrooms. For more than five decades it was the home of the Kentuck festival. The Richard L. Platt Memorial Levee Trail is a riverfront path, about 2 to 2.5 miles long depending on the source. It follows the north bank, with its west trailhead and parking next to Kentuck Park.
River Run Park
River Run Park, at 300 River Run Park S, held its grand opening in August 2025. It has nine turf baseball and softball fields with batting cages and is part of the larger Northport Shore riverfront development. The park’s site does not name its operator, though its contact email uses a City of Northport domain. Check its official site for tournament schedules.
Civic landmarks
Northport City Hall at 3500 McFarland Boulevard is the seat of the mayor-council government and has a Tuscaloosa Public Library book-vending machine. DCH Northport Medical Center at 2700 Hospital Drive is the city’s hospital. These are working public buildings, not historic sites, but they are well-known 35476 addresses. The 35476 ZIP code guide covers the surrounding streets, schools and postal details.
Nearby landmarks outside 35476
- Tuscaloosa National Airport sits beside Van de Graaff Arboretum, but county data places its 7601 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd address in Tuscaloosa 35401, inside Tuscaloosa city limits.
- Faucett Brothers Park and Sharpes Landing on Lake Tuscaloosa are in the 35473 area; see the 35473 landmarks guide.
- Byler Road and Binion Creek Landing are farther north, covered in the landmarks in 35475 guide.
- River crossings and locks. The Hugh R. Thomas and Woolsey Finnell bridges link Northport and Tuscaloosa across the river. The Black Warrior River landmarks guide covers the river by ZIP code.
For a citywide list of museums by ZIP code, see the museums and historic sites directory.
Facts in this guide were checked against the sources below on October 10, 2026. Addresses, programs and boundaries can change; confirm with the official source before relying on them.
Sources
- Kentuck — Visit (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority — Kentuck Park (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority — Historic Bridge at Van de Graaff (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority — Parks (accessed October 10, 2026)
- River Run Park — Official site (accessed October 10, 2026)
- City of Northport — Official site (accessed October 10, 2026)
- City of Northport — Visitors (accessed October 10, 2026)
- DCH Health System — Locations (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa Public Library — Locations and hours (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa County — Tuscaloosa City and County Unified Address Points (911 address data) (accessed October 10, 2026)
- National Park Service — Northport Historic District (NRIS 80000736) (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Encyclopedia of Alabama — Northport (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Encyclopedia of Alabama — Kentuck Art Center and Festival of the Arts (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Visit Tuscaloosa — Experience Northport (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa Thread — Northport Heritage Museum opening (accessed October 10, 2026)
- WBRC — Northport rededicates community center (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Tuscaloosa Area Virtual Museum — Northport library history (accessed October 10, 2026)
- TrailLink — Richard L. Platt Memorial Levee Trail (accessed October 10, 2026)
- Wikipedia — National Register of Historic Places listings in Tuscaloosa County (accessed October 10, 2026)
- WBRC — Kentuck Festival and City of Tuscaloosa sign long-term agreement (accessed October 10, 2026)
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