The Pell City Historical Society toured downtown with nearly 20 visitors, Saturday, April 1.

The walking tour was the first of several being offered by the society in the month of April.

The April 1 tour started with a brief history of Pell City, told by Pell City Historical Society President Vicki Harmon.

Visitors learned about the city founders, the first few families to settle the area, most notable mayors and a brief telling of the unsavory history of George H. Pell, whom the city was named after.

According to Harmon, Pell served time behind bars in New York for bank fraud after the city was named for him.

Visitors also learned about the 1902 dynamite explosion at the train depot.

The dates for the next tours are April 15, April 22 and April 29.