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World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

Aug 19, 2023
World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

Dothan, Alabama, United States--The "World's Smallest City Block" is behind the Dothan City Civic Center between North Appletree Street, North College Street, and East Troy Street; the block was once home to a single two-story building measuring 38 feet long and 27 feet wide; at present, it features a granite monument erected by Dothan's Camellia Garden Club, and sets the world record for being the World's Smallest City Block, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

"A granite monument set at the convergence of three streets in downtown Dothan proclaims the small triangle to be "the World's Smallest City Block." The modest triangle, formed by Troy, Appletree and Museum streets, is a Dothan tourist attraction, although the city is better known for being the Peanut Capital of the World," the Al.com says.


"This patch of land rose to fame in 1964, when the Camellia Garden Club of Dothan honored the site as the "world's smallest" after it was so proclaimed by "Ripley's Believe It or Not," which at the time was a newspaper column listing oddities across the country.


"The Dothan Convention and Visitors Bureau says the block was certified as the smallest by Guinness Records, but no records are available online to support that claim. Dothan is also not the only town to claim to have the smallest city block."

World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

"Established in 1885, Dothan is the county seat of Houston County, Alabama. This city is known for many things, but not many people are aware of one of its quirkiest attractions - the "World's Smallest City Block," the Only In Your State says.


"That's right! Dothan is home to the world's smallest city block, which consists of Troy, Appletree, and Museum streets. This triangular patch of land has attracted numerous visitors over the years because of its uniqueness.


"The site of this city block was once the home of some pretty successful businesses. For example, in the 1920s, it was home to a snack shop. And in 1941, a service station. Today, this city block is home to a granite monument, a stop sign, a yield sign, and a street sign."

World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

"A tiny gravel triangle crammed with a stop sign, a yield sign, a street sign, and a tombstone-like marker. For something so small, there's a lot to see...," the Roadside America says.


"Blink and miss it. Just watch out for one-way streets trying to find it. The block was once home to a single two-story building measuring 38 feet long and 27 feet wide.


"The monument's still there. The streets and parking lots right around it are pretty empty, so it's easy to find somewhere to park and walk over. Really close to downtown Dothan and several of the city's wall murals."

"World's Smallest City Block is located at the intersection of North Appletree, Museum, and Troy streets in Dothan," the Road Trippers says.


"This land triangle features a stop sign, a yield sign, a street sign, and a granite marker placed by the Camellia Garden Club on May 1, 1964 stating that the block is the World's Smallest City Block."

"The tiny block is not just a special place for roadside attraction seekers, it’s also packed with incredible things to see. There is a stop sign, a street sign, a marker celebrating its status as the world’s smallest city block (that looks rather like a tombstone), and the pièce de résistance, a big red yield sign. You must certainly be asking yourself if there is really a yield sign, and we can assure you that the rumors are true, there is indeed," the Buyoya.com says.


"The world’s smallest city block is actually a pretty great roadside attraction and is well worth the visit if you happen to be in the neighborhood. It’s the kind of place where someone has taken it upon themselves to find wonder and draw attention to something that would otherwise be overlooked. There’s a unique beauty on display here. It’s the beauty of people visiting the little quirky piece of land in the middle of the street, solely because it is fun."

"Dothan is a city in and the county seat of Houston County in the U.S. state of Alabama. A slight portion of the city extends into Dale and Henry counties. It is Alabama's eighth-largest city, with a population of 71,072 at the 2020 census, and the 5th largest in Alabama by total Area. It is near the state's southeastern corner, about 20 miles (32 km) west of Georgia and 16 miles (26 km) north of Florida. It is named after the biblical city where Joseph's brothers threw him into a cistern and sold him into slavery in Egypt.

"Dothan is the principal city of the Dothan, Alabama metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Geneva, Henry, and Houston counties; the small portion in Dale County is part of the Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area. Together they form the Dothan-Ozark Combined Statistical Area.

"The "
World's Smallest City Block" is behind the Dothan City Civic Center between North Appletree Street, North College Street, and East Troy Street." (Wikipedia)

"One of Dothan's unusual attractions is the "World's Smallest City Block," the World Atlas says.


"This triangular patch of land is placed behind the Dothan City Civic Center between East Troy Street, North College Street, and North Appletree Street. The site of this city block was once home to some successful businesses.


"At present, it features a granite monument erected by Dothan's Camellia Garden Club, and street, stop and yield signages. One must not forget to bring one's camera, as this place has become a popular spot for photo opportunities."

Reviews from TripAdvisor

"Interesting. Easy to find. Streets weren’t busy when we were there. Cute place for photos. Blink and you’ll miss it!"


"We think its fun to find the little kitchy things to do in smaller towns that make a claim to fame. Took our three kids here (mostly as an excuse to get out of the car on a long trip). It was exactly what we thought... a little monument to the smallest block. Something funny for us to remember years from now. Expect to be here less than 5 minutes :)"


"Not much to see....Just a marker on a “block” of land. But, if you’re into this kind of thing, like me, it’s a quick little trip. Fun photo op."


"This is smaller than I envisioned as an attraction but worth the drive by or stopping for a picture pose. There is parking across the street then walk over."


"I found the World's Smallest City Block on a google map and had to go find it. I have taken many photos of it and sent them to friends. This might be my Christmas card this year."

World's Smallest City Block: Dothan, Alabama


Address: E. Troy St., Dothan, AL

Directions: From downtown Dothan, which is the intersection of US Hwys 84 and 431/231, drive east three blocks along Main St. to Museum Ave., turn left, and drive north one block. The tiny triangle is one block north, on the left, at the intersection of N. College St., N. Appletree St., and E. Troy St

Facebook: City of Dothan Government

Phone: +1 229-308-4121

Photos: World's Smallest City Block: world record in Dothan, Alabama

(1) Wikipedia/An Errant Knight

(2) Top Brunch Spots

(3) Fotospot

(4) Pinterest/Lia Dearing-Berenguer

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