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We’re in the business of creating experiences you and your guests will want to remember forever. We believe that every element of your celebration should be special, starting with the venue. Take a look at previous floorplans used by other patrons for their wedding or event! Building Details circa 1862 The Jemison-Van de Graaff mansion and grounds contains a total of 28,800 square feet. The mansion, including the porch, consists of 16,919 square feet. There are twenty-six rooms located on three floor levels of the home, linked together by six staircases. The chandeliers are of bronze, some still holding the same hurricane glass shades of long ago. The front porch contains 1,452 square feet and slender pillars, laced together by carved fretwork, which reach across the long veranda on the front. The double entrance doors are striking-like cathedral doors, very wide, heavily carved, reaching to the ceiling, allowing only for transom and sidelights. The first floor contains 6,056 square feet with 15-foot ceiling height, six panel colonial doors, 1 x 12" molded trim. The double parlors have 18-foot ceilings with original wooden pocket doors. Beautiful handmade moldings and fresco are arranged throughout the house. Containing deep cut paneling of various wood, several rooms feature paneling of walnut, light oak, and chinaberry and all the doors in the home are elaborately carved. An interesting feature of the first two floors is a large light-filled octagonal conservatory. An oval cut in the main floor of this reveals duplicate conservatory space beneath, the two floors being linked by a stairway. Twin bays project into the yards on the north and south sides of the home. In the dining room there is an antique banquet table of mahogany, with drop leaf ends and leaves. The private bridal/hosts loft is located on the second floor of the mansion. It contains 3,205 square feet with 12' ceiling height, six panel colonial doors, 1 x 12" molded trim. The second floor of the mansion is where the private host's loft is located. Floorplans Regier-Way Wedding April Oswalt-Prill Wedding Zavala-Barrett Wedding November Seth & Sara's Wedding Reception August Baker Rehearsal Dinner April Fikes-Gilliand Wedding October Gibson-Owens Wedding November Perry Rehearsal Dinner April Brewer-Creel Micro Wedding October Micro-Wedding #1 Micro-Wedding #2 Micro-Wedding #3 Mansion Outside Dimensions Theta Tau Winter Formal November Theta Tau Winter Formal November Graduation Party December Mind Changers Fundraiser October Chi Alpha Winter Formal December Progressive Dinner Junior League : Tulips and Juleps May Century Club Party April Johnson-Coleman Wedding October Kennedy-Hendricks Wedding June Keyes-Bonner Wedding Reception May Nixon-Stone Wedding June German-Bilbro Wedding September Landers-McCann Wedding May Lugo Wedding October Pearson Baby Shower October Fulgham Wedding Shower October Martin-Bennett Reception December German-Bilbro Wedding September Brand Baby Shower July Alpha Delta Chi Fall Formal November Alpha Gamma Delta Initiation September The Jasmine Turner-Clark Foundation Event May Shaw Wedding July Coe-McKelvey Wedding September Myers Engagement Shower October Bliss-Darling Receptiion December Parson-Price Wedding November Stokes-Tribble Reception April Mansion of Mystery : A Masquerade Ball April Graduation Party December Omega Psi Phi June AOE Semiformal November Homecoming Party February Brand-Williams Wedding September Rain Plan_1 Rain Plan_2 Show More Take a look at our floorplans below where you will find various table set-ups and previous layouts!! These floorplans are used as a reference for those creating their own custom floorplan here at the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion!

In April 2025, history came alive every Saturday as Visit Tuscaloosa teamed up with Historic Tuscaloosa for an exciting new activity: the Historic Tuscaloosa Downtown Walking Tours. This special series was part of the Alabama Tourism Department’s statewide history-focused walking tour program. It was the perfect opportunity to dive deep into the stories that have shaped the area. Historic Tuscaloosa Downtown Walking Tours In April 2025, history came alive every Saturday as Visit Tuscaloosa teamed up with Historic Tuscaloosa for an exciting new activity: the Historic Tuscaloosa Downtown Walking Tours. This special series was part of the Alabama Tourism Department’s statewide history-focused walking tour program. It was the perfect opportunity to dive deep into the stories that have shaped the area. The walking tours took place every Saturday in April at 10:00 a.m. at the historic Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion . The tour lasted about 90 minutes and offered a fascinating journey through more than 200 years of Tuscaloosa’s history. Each tour was limited to 20 participants. These intimate walks ensured a personal and interactive experience as attendees discovered the city’s most historic landmarks and hidden gems. Leading the tours was Will Hawkins, the Executive Director of Historic Tuscaloosa. With his expertise and passion for the city’s past, Hawkins guided guests through Tuscaloosa’s transformation, from its time as Alabama’s state capital to its vibrant architectural and cultural evolution. He said, “The Downtown walking tour will be an informative, fun, and entertaining experience. We’ll cover as much of Tuscaloosa’s 200-year history as possible and dive into some captivating stories from our shared past. Come learn something new and walk away with a better understanding of Tuscaloosa’s glorious history.” While the tours were free to attend, donations to Historic Tuscaloosa were encouraged to help preserve the city’s historic landmarks. This event served as a great way to give back and support the ongoing preservation of the city’s heritage.

Historic Tuscaloosa has been preserving and promoting Tuscaloosa County’s historic resources since 1966. A non-profit organization, the society's mission is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the historical and cultural heritage of our community Welcome to historic tuscaloosa Historic Landmark Plaques Now Available from Historic Tuscaloosa Historic Tuscaloosa is pleased to announce that plaques designating local historical landmarks are now available at our office in the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion. These attractive plaques are designed for homes, buildings, and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as for structures located within locally designated historic districts. They serve to identify and celebrate the historical significance of Tuscaloosa County's rich architectural and cultural heritage. Property owners of National Register sites and structures within local historic districts are eligible to apply. Applications will be reviewed, and upon approval, plaques may be purchased through the preservation office for $75 each. To apply, please complete the application and either email it to info@historictuscaloosa.org or deliver it in person to our office, located in the basement of the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion. For more information, visit us at Historic Tuscaloosa or contact our office directly at 205-758-2238 Application 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

00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000005 In the News... We work hard to get our efforts noticed by the media and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. Take a look at some of our latest coverage and help spread the word about all the amazing developments at Historic Tuscaloosa!!

00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000004 In the News... We work hard to get our efforts noticed by the media and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. Take a look at some of our latest coverage and help spread the word about all the amazing developments at Historic Tuscaloosa!!

< Back William Hawkins Executive Director will@historictuscaloosa.org 205-523-2166

< Back Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society Announces Name Change https://patch.com/alabama/tuscaloosa/tuscaloosa-county-preservation-society-announces-name-change Previous Next

< Back Tuscaloosa At Its Own Pace https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/06/t-magazine/tuscaloosa-at-its-own-pace.html Previous Next

< Back Historic Tuscaloosa Hosting Dinner Tour Event Thursday https://patch.com/alabama/tuscaloosa/historic-tuscaloosa-hosting-dinner-tour-event-thursday Previous Next

68d76bc7-691b-4ee6-8fd4-7596d86e6178 In the News... We work hard to get our efforts noticed by the media and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. Take a look at some of our latest coverage and help spread the word about all the amazing developments at Historic Tuscaloosa!!

bda55947-e32e-4463-8a56-b071a832791a In the News... We work hard to get our efforts noticed by the media and are so proud when this goal comes to fruition. Take a look at some of our latest coverage and help spread the word about all the amazing developments at Historic Tuscaloosa!!

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