![The Fitzgerald Museum is tucked withing the Old Cloverdale Neighborhood of Montgomery. [Library of Congress, Carol M. Highsmith]](https://dhjhkxawhe8q4.cloudfront.net/alabama-heritage-wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/11152305/Fitzgerald-Museum.jpg)
Beneath the shadows of the towering oak trees in the Old Cloverdale Neighborhood of Montgomery, Alabama, a unique experience lies in the halls of a 1910 Craftsman-style home. The Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, the only museum in the world dedicated to the lives of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, stands among other historical homes of the area, but the interior feels as if it has stayed frozen since the two writers occupied the adobe from 1931 until the spring of 1932.
The couple met and courted in Montgomery, and their romance advanced alongside the Jazz Age, the period in which both Scott and Zelda would become icons. Though Scott and Zelda, along with their daughter Scottie, would live anywhere from Paris to Connecticut, the Montgomery house would be the last home where the Fitzgeralds lived together as a family. This building also saw the creations of two novels, Tender is the Night by Scott and Save Me the Waltz by Zelda. Unfortunately, the death of Zelda’s father and the split of the marriage between Scott and Zelda would be detrimental to Zelda’s mental health, forcing her to the Phipp’s Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland.
Despite their short amount of time in the home, the Fitzgeralds left a lasting impact on the city. When the house was scheduled to be demolished in 1986, the McPhillips, the future founders of the museum, purchased the home and later donated it as the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum.
Today, the museum preserves and continues the legacy of the Fitzgeralds by supporting the fine arts through literature prizes, book launches, dance lessons, and more. The museum is open to the public for a $5 entry fee which gives the viewer access to first-edition books, family photos, personal possessions, and original artwork by Zelda. For avid fans of the writers, the second story of the home is available to rent as two Airbnb’s, aptly named the Zelda and Scott Suites. Whether staying in the Zelda Suite or stopping by for a quick tour, the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum transports you to lives of two of Alabama’s most famous residents.
Photo Credit: The Fitzgerald Museum is tucked within the Old Cloverdale Neighborhood of Montgomery. [Library of Congress, Carol M. Highsmith]
About the Author
Jolie Money is a graduate of The University of Alabama. Originally from Headland, Alabama, she is fascinated by the stories of her home state.
