Huntsville Botanical Garden is a 118-acre nonprofit garden in Huntsville that grew from a local civic campaign begun in 1979. After organizers quickly met a fundraising challenge backed by the city, the site was established on land leased from the Alabama Space Science Commission, dedicated in 1985, and opened in 1988. From a simple drive-through landscape with few facilities, it expanded into one of Alabama’s most visited paid attractions. Its themed gardens, woodland paths, butterfly and children’s areas, major guest center, and preserved limestone columns from the 1914 Madison County Courthouse make it both a horticultural destination and a visible product of long-term community effort.