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Robert Jemison, Jr. papers 1835 - late 19th century About this collection The Robert Jemison, Jr. Papers span the period from 1797 to 1960 and include both the personal and business papers of Robert Jemison Jr., along with papers of Robert Jemison (grandfather), William Jemison (father), Priscilla Jemison (wife), Cherokee Jemison Hargrove (daughter), and Andrew Coleman Hargrove (son in law), and Robert Jemison Jr. of Birmingham (1878 1973). The papers reflect the varied business and political interest of Robert Jemison, Jr. and his family as well as their personal and family life. Included are the records of his grist and lumber mills, plantations, stage line, the Tuskaloosa Plank Road, toll bridges, ferries, postal contracts, and the North East and South West Railroad. His political activities are documented as well, including his anti secession stand at the Secession Convention in Montgomery, Alabama in 1861. The bulk of the material was passed down from Robert Jemison, Jr (1802-1871) and his wife Priscilla Cherokee Jemison to their daughter Cherokee Mims Jemison who married Andrew Coleman Hargrove and from them to their daughter Minnie Cherokee Hargrove who married Adrian S. Van de Graaff. Download the PDF HERE 👇👇

Venues Our Click on a venue below to get started Submit an Inquiry Rental Calendar Submit an Inquiry Getting Started Packet Tour Quiz The Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion With over 150 years of history and events, the Jemison is the perfect place to host your event. Learn More The Battle-Friedman House & Gardens The perfect combination of an elegant setting with the hospitality of a home. Learn More The Old Tavern Built in 1827, the Old Tavern is a quaint and intimate event venue full of history. Learn More Submit an Inquiry Event & Wedding Calendar Rental Calendar Submit an Inquiry Getting Started Packet Come Celebrate with Us First name I am inquiring information on the behalf of someone else Email Phone Type of Event arrow&v Please check which of the following applies to this event Specific. I have a specific date I am having this event on Flexible. I have alternative dates for this event Specific Date List Alternate Dates / Month I am interested in having my event / wedding at The Old Tavern The Battle-Friedman House & Gardens The Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion Not Sure Estimated Guest Count Choose an option arrow&v Additional information How did you find out about us? Select an option arrow&v Submit Inquiry Thanks for your interest with us! We'll get back to you soon. Be sure to to check your follow up email! Share Thank you for taking a tour with us for your event! Tell us what you thought about it. How satisfied were you with your tour? How helpful was our staff? Would you consider coming to future events? Yes No Your email Send Feedback Thanks for your feedback! Tour Quiz

Welcome to historic tuscaloosa Historic Tuscaloosa Mission ​ "To develop an awareness and appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage of Tuscaloosa County." Welcome Historic Tuscaloosa hopes you will find this site both useful and entertaining. It is designed to serve as a guide for visitors to Tuscaloosa County, as an introduction to discovering the county's history, and as an educational tool and resource center. We invite you to learn more about our colorful past and discover what makes Tuscaloosa County a special place. Read More Who We Are Who we are Historic Tuscaloosa is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Tuscaloosa area's heritage. ​ Founded in 1966, the Society's mission is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage of our community. ​ We operate and maintain five historical landmarks: ​ The Old Tavern Battle-Friedman House Jemison- Van de Graaff Mansion McGuire-Strickland House Murphy African-American Museum Learn More What we do Preserve Tuscaloosa Saving Tuscaloosa's history for future generations one building at a time. Protecting, preserving, and reviving our city's historic sites is one of our main missions. Read More Educate Citizens From school tours to local lecture series, we're focused on bringing the past back-to-life in fun and interesting ways for both today's and tomorrow's leaders. Read More Keep History Alive Record-keepers, archivists, and history nerds. We preserve more than just buildings. Visit our archive library in person or through our collaborative virtual site. Read More Local Involvement With everything from annual open houses, to graveyard tours, to regional sightseeing trips, we stay involved with our members and the local community. ​ Read More Private Events Our historical buildings are a great location for your next event! Support our mission and help keep our buildings alive by booking a party at one of our venues. Three of our renowned homes are available for rent: ​ The Old Tavern is a quaint venue, perfect for small groups or intimate gatherings. ​ Our Battle-Friedman House and Gardens are splendid both inside and out for weddings, parties, ladies' lunches, meetings, and networking events. ​ The Jemison- Van de Graaff Mansion is our largest and most versatile location, ideal for every type of event. We'd love to be a part of your gathering! ​ Historic Tuscaloosa operates as a non-profit organization. The funds acquired from event rentals goes right back into maintaining & preserving these historical landmarks. ​ We thank you and others for choosing to support not just your vision, but also ours. Learn More

Our Organization Our Objectives Our Vision Our Members Our Properties Our History Since 1966, Historic Tuscaloosa has been preserving and promoting Tuscaloosa County’s historic resources. A non-profit organization, the society's mission is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage of our community. ​ Our Society has enjoyed steady growth over the years and is recognized as one of the strongest preservation groups in the Southeast. Our Objectives Specific objectives of Historic Tuscaloosa include: ​ To seek to educate all citizens of the county about its heritage To collect, organize, and catalog information and materials related to local heritage To encourage tourism by arranging and organizing tours and pilgrimages; Maintaining information files regarding the heritage of our community. To encourage and participate in the identification and preservation of old homes, buildings, and historic sites throughout Tuscaloosa County and to promote the use and appreciation of these assets; To involve local governments, educational institutions, and other organizations in specific projects promoting the purpose of Historic Tuscaloosa. Our Objectives Our Vision Our Vision Our vision is for the Tuscaloosa County community to understand and appreciate the irreplaceable value of historic buildings and places and their relevance to modern life and recognize the economic and cultural benefits of preservation. We envision communities where new development complements and reinforces thriving downtowns and our historic neighborhoods Our Members Our members are what keep Historic Tuscaloosa alive. Members help run our society through a recommendation board and donate their time and efforts to help us preserve our historical sites. ​ Our members enjoy free tours of all Society structures, free admission to lectures, and premier access to Society-sponsored events, such as our annual homes tours, fundraisers, member-only parties, and our yearly Ramble trip. ​ We would love to have you as a member of the Historic Tuscaloosa! Our Members Our Properties Historic Tuscaloosa staff operates and maintains five historic landmarks : ​ Old Tavern Battle-Friedman House Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion Murphy-Collins House McGuire-Strickland House Our Properties Our History On March 24th, 1966, in the auditorium of the Alabama Power Company Building on Broad Street, the citizens present voted unanimously to adopt a resolution incorporating the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society. The Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society was born in 1966 from a committee during a study regarding possibly moving and saving the old Tavern, which was then deemed to be torn down. After many meetings, letters consulting with National Trust of. Historic preservation was voted at a meeting being held at the residence of the then senator. And Mrs. Bill McCain to incorporate and pursue preservation of the old Tavern. The first event, planned and sponsored by the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society, was an open house one Sunday afternoon at three empty rundown houses after a special one-hour radio and TV program. With tremendous community interest shown from the event, the committee had confidence that the old Tavern could be saved by relocation. At the same time, the group launched efforts to raise money to relocate the old Tavern. The Preservation Society sought and obtained endorsements from local governing bodies for historic preservation efforts and initiated a survey of important historic landmarks in this area. By mid-1966. The society had obtained approval from the University and City of Tuscaloosa to relocate the old Tavern to Capitol Park and had almost enough money to initiate this historic move. After a contract was signed with B&C Company to dismantle and move the old Tavern, there were months of waiting because of weather and utility line clearance. Finally, on one very cold Sunday morning in December 1966, this move took place. The Preservation Society was then on its way to doing many things. The Old Tavern was dedicated October 13th, 1968. This same year, the Preservation Society took a lead and preservation efforts of the Battle-Friedman House now completely restored and a useful structure in the community. Our History Meet The Faces of Our Organization Since the organizations inception in 1966, the team at Historic Tuscaloosa has worked tirelessly to promote our cause. We are fortunate to have volunteers and staff from all walks of life who bring their unique expertise and resources into everything we do. This is what enables us to achieve our goals year after year. ​Meet the Team See what it's all about..... Every event we organize is unique in its own way, and we’re happy to share some of the highlights from past fundraisers. Take a look at the gallery below to get a better idea of what you can expect at our upcoming event. View Support Our Mission Our mission is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage of Tuscaloosa County. We are a non-profit that operates based on grants, gifts, and the support of our community. If you are unable to participate as a member but would like to support our cause, donations can be made at the link below. Donate Here