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Tuscaloosa during: a. The Capital Era (1826 - 1847) and b. The Late Antebellum Period (1850 - 1861) Goals: to familiarize students with early architecture in the city during two periods of prosperity before the Civil War. Objective: To enable each student to identify architectural elements used in early buildings. To understand the origins of these elements and to recognize their continuity in modern structures. Activities: This unit can be completed using pictures available on the website or on a field trip using the maps. Tuscaloosa had two periods of prosperity before the Civil War. During the Capital Era (1826-1847) the city served as Alabama’s seat of government. A state house was built, the University of Alabama was located near the town and a number of fine houses were built in the Federal and Greek Revival styles. When the capitol was moved to Montgomery, Tuscaloosa went into a rapid, although brief, economic decline. Stores and other businesses closed and people moved away. During the 1850’s the Alabama Insane Hospital (Bryce Hospital) was located outside the town. Construction of this huge building created hundreds of new jobs and boosted the economy. During this era of prosperity many fine new houses were built in the Italianate and Gothic Revival styles.
The Capital Era. The most important structure built during this period was the Alabama State House located at Capitol Park in downtown Tuscaloosa. It was designed by architect William Nichols. PHOTO. This building had many similarities to the national capitol in Washington. What are some of these? It looks like the national capitol because state governments are based on the Federal government with a bicameral division of House of Representatives and Senate. These were housed on the main floor in the left and right wings of the building and joined by a common ceremonial space, the rotunda under the symbolic dome. The ground floor contained offices of the governor, secretary of state and comptroller. The United State Capitol and the Alabama capitol were both built in the classical style. This style was used for symbolic purposes. It was based on the style developed by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Greeks originated the concept of government by the people (democracy) and the Romans originated the concept of the republic. Therefore the classical style seemed the most appropriate style for a new capitol. The classical style is divided into five orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan and Composite.) These orders refer to the proportions of the buildings and to their distinctive columns. The Alabama Capitol was designed in the Ionic order which has very distinctive columns. The upper part of the columns (capitals) have decorative coils or volutes (like rams horns). The earliest houses built in Tuscaloosa during the Capital Era were in the Federal Style. Most have been demolished or remodeled. One which survives is the McGuire-Strickland House in Capitol Park. Structures built in this style often had delicate proportions and slim wooden classical columns. These are of the Tuscan order. The McGuire-Strickland House is in a style called “raised cottage” because the main floor of the house is on the second level. This allowed for ventilation and was popular in the deep south because of the hot climate. During the later years of the Capital Era the Greek Revival style became popular in Tuscaloosa. Wealthy businessmen and political figures built large and impressive houses in this new style. The Ionic order was particularly popular in Tuscaloosa during this time. The following large houses built in this style survive in Tuscaloosa: the James H. Dearing House (University Club), the Dearing-Swaim House and the President’s mansion at the University of Alabama. What other similarities do these houses have? Besides using the Ionic order they are all two-story brick. The columns were built with special pie shaped bricks which were then stuccoed to imitate stone. Note the louvered blinds on the windows. Although usually referred to as shutters, technically they are blinds. Shutters are solid panels where blinds are usually made with moveable louvers. Blinds were part of the “air conditioning” system of early nineteenth century buildings. They were kept closed during the heat of the day to keep out light and heat. At night they were opened to let in cool air. A number of large houses built during this era had a popular alternative to round columns. These were called piers or boxed columns. The Battle-Friedman House and the Mildred Warner House both have columns of this type. Can you name others? Why would a carpenter find it easier to build square rather than round columns? When working with wood it is easier to cut right angles than arcs or parts of circles. Also the simple capitals of these columns were made from molding which could be cut using a plane. They were easier to make and less expensive than the hard carved wooden or stone classical column capitals. There is something unusual about the Battle-Friedman House. What is it? Faux stone finish. The front of the house is actually built of brick which has been stuccoed over and then painted to resemble expensive red marble blocks. “Faux is the French word for fake. Such finishes were once common in Tuscaloosa. Notice the faux finish restored to the Jemison-Van de Graaff House just down the street. It is also built of brick but many people think it is stone because the entire house is covered with stucco and then painted to resemble gray Tuscaloosa sandstone. Notice that there are even faux mortar joints between the sandstone “blocks.” During the Late Antebellum Period (1850 - 1861) two new architectural styles became popular is Tuscaloosa, the Italianate and the Gothic Revival. The largest local structure built in the Italianate style was the Alabama Insane Hospital (Bryce). Some of the most distinctive features of this style were the wide roof overhangs and the decorative brackets located under the eaves. Large towers and Belvederes were also features of this new style. The large structure on top of Bryce Hospital is an enormous belvedere where patients and visitors could enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. Senator Robert Jemison, Junior, Tuscaloosa’s wealthiest citizen of this period built a large and impressive house of this style on Greensboro Avenue. This house, the Jemison Van de Graaff Mansion also has a belvedere on its roof. Note also the decorative brackets under the eaves. The Drish House is an example of a house built in two styles. It was originally a Greek Revival style house with columns front and back. An Italianate tower and brackets were later added. Also popular in this period was the Gothic Revival style. The Turner-McAlpine-Fellows House on Queen City Avenue, the Glascock House and the William Jemison Houses are good examples. Tuscaloosa once had many other examples but they have been demolished. Decorative details include steeply pitched roofs, decorative barge boards along the gable edges, pointed arches and fanciful ornamental wooden posts rather than columns. The Guard House, built ca. 1861 on the University of Alabama Campus is a good example of the Gothic style. Note that it looks like a miniature medieval castle with its battlements. The largest surviving Gothic Revival style building in Tuscaloosa is Wood Hall at the University. It was built in 1868, just after the Civil War, and features arches, battlements and towers.
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