By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

MT LAUREL—Known for its tree-lined streets and quaint town center, Mt Laurel was recently selected as a Southern Living Inspired Community. The Shelby County town is one of two communities chosen from Alabama, and the only one from the Birmingham area.

Mt Laurel joins 13 other communities from across the south to earn the distinction as a Southern Living Inspired Community.

“It’s very exciting,” Mt Laurel Marketing and Community Relations Manager Julianna Vance said. “Our neighborhood is a true community… we live the ideals Southern Living treasures.”

Southern Living selected the 14 Southern Living Inspired Communities based on their commitment to embracing the natural landscape, displaying “the best of Southern Living inspired architecture” and cultivating “an environment that fosters gatherings, interactions and celebrations,” Mt Laurel Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ray Jackson explained.

“It falls right back on the lifestyle that we’ve created for the residents that live here,” Jackson said. “It’s something you don’t see a lot of anymore.”

With ample sidewalks, Mt Laurel’s town center—complete with medical offices, a library, a church, shops and restaurants—is just down the street.

“You can really not leave Mt Laurel and have all your basic needs met,” Vance said.

Additionally, Mt Laurel is home to two schools, Hilltop Montessori School, a private independent school; and Mt Laurel Elementary, a kindergarten through fifth grade school in the Chelsea school system.

“The school systems are top-notch,” Jackson said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Jackson and Vance also noted Mt Laurel’s friendly, neighborhood environment, cultivated by the “front porch” architecture of the homes.

“Mt Laurel has a unique identity,” Jackson said. “We build front porches on almost every one of our homes…our homes reflect relaxed living.”

With a private mountain lake and numerous parks and green spaces, Mt Laurel offers residents opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities, from playing catch with the family dog to fishing with neighbors.

“It’s different than living in a standard subdivision,” Jackson said. “The essence of living in the south is a great experience for families… it’s more than just a home.”