Bryant-Denny Stadium
University of AlabamaInitially named after George H. Denny, who was the University of Alabama’s president from 1912-1932, the stadium was built in 1929 and seated 12,000 fans. Only 6,000 people attended Alabama's first game in the new stadium, a 55-point victory over Mississippi College. The university expanded the stadium in 1937, 1950, 1961, 1966, and 1987 when the stadium reached a capacity of 70,123 seats. In 1975, the Alabama legislature voted to add head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s name to the stadium. In 2006 and 2010, the stadium underwent further expansion and renovation of the north and south end zones. Currently, Bryant-Denny Stadium seats more than 102,000 people, making it the fourth largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference, the fourth largest stadium in the United States, and the eighth largest stadium in the world.-Open Times: N/A-Address: 920 Paul W Bryant Dr., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401-Handicap Accessible: Yes-Contact Phone Number: 205-348-3600-Website Link: http://www.rolltide.com/sports/2016/6/10/facilities-bds-tour-request-html.aspx-Tour Time/Visitation: Every Monday-Friday at 11 am only. No tours are given on Fridays before home football games, on UA holidays, or special events.Parking Accessibility: Street parking on University Blvd west of 10th AveCost: $12 person or $10 per person with a group larger than 15. Private tours are $250 for up to 25 people and $10 for each additional guest. Private tours must be requested at least one month prior to the desired tour date. Non-profit and University groups may be subject to a discounted rate. Please email tours@ia.ua.edu for private tour information
Site of the State Bank of Alabama
Historic Downtown BuildingThe State Bank of Alabama was first created by the State Assembly at Cahaba in 1820. When the state capital moved to Montgomery, the State Bank moved as well. William Nichols designed the State Bank in a similar fashion to the Old State Capitol. The State Bank failed due to political controversy and the panic of 1837. In 1845, the state charter allowed the State Bank to expire. In the 1860s, James Fitts purchased the building to house his personal bank. In 1887, Fitts moved his bank into another building towards 23rd Avenue but still occupied the Old State Bank as his residence. The building was demolished in the 1970s, but you can learn more about the building in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel where there is a display on the archaeological work done before the hotel was built.• Open: N/A• Broad Street (now University Boulevard)• Handicap Accessible: N/A• Phone Number: (205) 758-2238• Website: https://tavm.omeka.net/items/show/342• Tour time/Visitation: N/A• Parking Availability: N/A• Cost: N/A
Site of Augustin Lynch's Cabinet Shop
Downtown Tuscaloosa, Embassy SuitesThe Embassy Suites Hotel stands where the Lynch shop was once located. The shop belonged to Augustin Lynch, a prominent and successful cabinetmaker in Tuscaloosa during the mid-1800s. Lynch was born on July 7, 1801, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to James and Finette Lynch. By 1821, after several moves around Tennessee, the family settled in Alabama. Lynch often worked with his father doing carpentry, during which time he refined his skills and technique. Lynch became a prominent carpenter; as he expanded his business, he received contracts from the newly founded University of Alabama. Lynch’s business grew, working with the Alabama legislature and the Alabama Supreme Court, which was located in Tuscaloosa from 1826 to 1846. During the Civil War, Lynch assisted the Confederacy by transitioning his business to producing drums, tents, and coffins. Lynch’s cabinetry business lasted through the Civil War, as his advertisement appeared in the Tuscaloosa Independent Monitor until his death in 1870. Some of Lynch’s furniture is still displayed today. In the Old Tavern, a bookcase and a yellow pine combination secretary show the early design style of mid-1800s Tuscaloosa. The furniture Lynch produced included mahogany and walnut étagères, frames, looking-glass plates, and cottage chairs, a walnut French bedstead, and a large mahogany Elizabethan bedstead. After Lynch’s death, his son, William Penn Lynch, continued his business under his own name. Although the Lynch shop is gone, the Embassy Suites Hotel’s lobby has a display that discusses Augustin Lynch and his shop. If you want to visit this display, there is parking along the street across from the hotel. There is additional parking at the rear of the building.As you continue your tour of Tuscaloosa’s historic downtown, please visit some of Tuscaloosa’s shops and eateries that make up much of the thriving downtown scene. Thank you so much for visiting Tuscaloosa and please enjoy the rest of your tour.-Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes-Address: 2410 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401-Phone Number: (205) 561-2500-Tour Time: N/A-Cost: Free-Website: http://embassysuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/alabama/embassy-suites-by-hilton-tuscaloosa-alabama-downtown-TCLRTES/index.html
Tuscaloosa Federal Building and Courthouse
The Tuscaloosa Federal Building and Courthouse was completed in 2011 as the crown jewel of the city’s Downtown Urban Renewal Project. This impressive 127,000-square-foot building is home to the offices of United States Senator Richard Shelby, the US District Court, The US Bankruptcy Court, and many other government agencies. It was modeled after the Greek Temple of Zeus in Nemera. The east and west sides of the second-floor atrium showcase paintings by artist Caleb O’Connor. The sixteen murals, measuring nine by thirteen feet each, present the chronological history of the city and county of Tuscaloosa and of the state of Alabama. The 1865 burning of the university, legendary football coach Bear Bryant, and the 2011 tornado are all depicted in this collection.2005 University Blvd
The Bama Theatre
The Bama Theatre was constructed in 1938 with funds from the Public Works Administration, a New Deal agency. The building consists of two sections, one housing a movie theatre and the other which housed the municipal court and city hall. The 1,200-seat theatre was one of the last great movie palaces built in the South. The zig-zag floor pattern combined with paintings of Mediterranean vistas reflects both Renaissance and Art Deco influences. The municipal court moved in 1964. The theatre was converted to Tuscaloosa’s performing arts center in 1976. Currently, the building is managed by the Tuscaloosa Arts Council, which hosts theatre, dance, and musical performances along with independent film showings throughout the year.600 Greensboro Avehttps://bamatheatre.org/
City Hall
Originally constructed as the Post Office in 1909, the building housed the Federal Courts until 1964, when a new courthouse and post office were built, and the City of Tuscaloosa obtained the building (vacating the earlier city hall housed alongside the Bama Theater). The centerpiece of the building’s façade consists of 12 marble Corinthian columns. Marble floors, refinished wood, and brass fixtures add to the building’s weight and elegance. The lobby boasts several artifacts of Tuscaloosa's history and is open to the public. The building, with its many additions, continues to serve as Tuscaloosa City Hall.www.tuscaloosa.com2201 University Blvd
Paul R. Jones Art Gallery
The Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art at The University of Alabama includes one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of 20th-century African American art in the world, amassed over decades by Paul Raymond Jones, who has been described by Art & Antiques magazine as “one of the top art collectors in the country.” Jones donated the 1,700-plus piece collection valued at more than $10.3 million to the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama in October 2008. An additional 300 works were added in 2013, bringing the total to over 2,000 works. The collection includes art in a variety of media from more than 600 artists.With these gifts, Jones wished to preserve the legacy of artists, especially African-American artists, spark the interest of future art collectors, and help elevate African-American art in the eyes of the art world. Jones also wanted to ensure that this genre of art, an intrinsic part of the history and totality of American art, is never lost or forgotten.The Paul R. Jones Collection is designed to share the works of American artists and their significance with the people of Alabama and beyond and to be used to educate students on the importance of art in life. Works from the collection are on exhibit year-round at the Paul R. Jones Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and are exhibited in galleries and museums on the University of Alabama campus and at other educational institutions and venues. The collection is incorporated into curricula at The University of Alabama, providing students with opportunities to learn and experience the significance of the art firsthand.
Pinehurst Neighborhood
Completed in 1913, the Pinehurst Neighborhood is a quiet, lush group of houses just off University Boulevard. This area had previously been un-improvable due to a large gully which divided the University of Alabama from the rest of the city. Once the erosion issue was solved, the Pinehurst Company was formed to develop the area.The neighborhood was one of the first to feature cement sidewalks and curbs. Distinctive white brick columns mark the entrance to this community, both of which are on University Boulevard. The houses are vibrant examples of the diversity and timelessness of early 20th Century architecture and landscaping. Take a moment to enjoy the various residences on a walk or drive, and keep in mind these remain private residences.• Pinehurst Drive through 17th Ave• Street parking
Audubon Place
Historic NeighborhoodThe Audubon Place Neighborhood is a residential enclave of detached, single family homes built primarily during the 1920s. These houses (which are all private residences) range in size and architectural style from the late 19th and 20th centuries. It is accessible both from University Boulevard as well as from 7th Street.Address: 1515--1707 (odd) University Blvd. & #8--37 Audubon Pl. , TuscaloosaHandicap accessibility: YesTour time/visit duration: 10-15 minutes walkingParking availability: Street-side
University Club
James H. Dearing, a local steamboat captain and member of the Alabama legislature, built this residence in 1834. The structure is a classic example of the Greek revival style commonly associated with antebellum homes built in this region. The house boasts six Ionic columns, a hipped roof, and is built with slave-made brick coated in plaster and painted white.Disturbances caused by the proximity to campus promoted the Dearing's to build a new home to the south and away from the main line of traffic between the University and town, eventually selling the house to Richards H. Lewis in 1836.Lewis sold the house to Governor Arthur Pendleton Bagby. Because Bagby was not provided with an official residence by the state, the building earned the nickname “The Governor’s Mansion” during his four-year term from 1837 to 1841. Tuscaloosa was the state capital of Alabama from 1826-1846.After Governor Bagby moved away, the house went through many owners and several renovations. In 1944 the Warner family donated the building to The University of Alabama to use as a social space for faculty and staff. The Warners generously helped furnish the structure. During the 1970’s, Jack Warner, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Warner, oversaw further improvements and decorative embellishments. Under Mr. Warner’s direction interior changes were made to the second floor of the building resulting in a new bar, ladies and gentlemen lounges, and a “Taproom Smoker." Warner pursued a Steamboat Gothic theme for these dchanges and gathered antiques, paintings, and artifacts from across America to create the present second floor. The Warners continue to show great interest in the club and often contributed or loaned additional pieces of art and furnishings. Today, the College of Human Environmental Sciences manages the operations of the house. According to the University, “Students participate in the preparation of the excellent cuisine and service of private dining, catered functions, and daily lunch service. Undergraduate and graduate interns participate in the management and gain hands-on experience in all aspects of club operations.”• 421 Queen City Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 3540• http://www.universityclub.ua.edu/history.html• Parking available in the shopping center across the street
Bicentennial Square at Government Plaza
More information coming soon!
Battle of Tuscaloosa Marker
Toward the end of the Civil War, federal troops considered Tuscaloosa a prime military target because the University of Alabama had been transformed into a military academy. In the late evening of April 3, 1865 (one week before General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox) 1,500 Yankee troops under the command of General John T. Croxton arrived at the covered bridge north of Tuscaloosa (which you can learn about at the Site of the Horace King Bridge on this tour).There they met 14 Confederate guards attempting to dismantle the bridge. After a skirmish that resulted in one Confederate death, federal forces crossed the bridge into Tuscaloosa. That night the factories, mills, and bridges of Tuscaloosa were destroyed along with many of the buildings on campus (The President’s Mansion, Round House, Gorgas House and Observatory were spared). The library, home to texts that dated back to antiquity, was not spared, as Croxton ordered it to be set ablaze. In the weeks that followed the night of April 3rd, Union troops occupied the town, leading to the emancipation of thousands of enslaved peoples in the region.
