On the state level, the city is split among the 5th, 21st, and 24th Senate districts and 62nd, 63rd, and 70th House districts in the Alabama State Legislature. and is set to be opened on December 13, 2069, the city's 250th birthday.[56]. L. Adams was the first lawyer that came to the county, John L. Tindall the first physician, John Click the first merchant, Richmond Carroll the first blacksmith, and Nathan Roberts the first printer. Stories from Tuscaloosa’s History Tunnel Story Persists. By the advent of the 20th century, the growth of The University of Alabama and a strong national economy fueled steady development in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years. "[43] The same tornado later went on to cause major damage in the Birmingham area. Acquired by the City of Tuscaloosa at the end of World War II, the airport continues to be a vital part of the city's growth. The Tuscaloosa Public Library is a joint city-county agency with nearly 200,000 items on catalog. The Tide won the College Football Playoff in the 2015, 2017, and 2020 seasons. Since 1923, the state-run William D. Partlow Developmental Center has served the intellectually disabled, offering these citizens a public education as well as seeing to their other needs. It is powered by state law to consider policy and enact law and to make appointments to city boards. Tuscaloosa shared fully in the South's economic sufferings that followed the defeat. The Quad has hosted ESPN's College Gameday several times and also is a place to meet Alabama football legends on game day and perform the "Elephant Stomp" (a pre-game parade) to Bryant–Denny Stadium with the Alabama mascot "Big Al" and the Million Dollar Band. The 724 acre airport is home to … The history of Tuscaloosa, 1816-1880 by Archibald Bruce McEachin, unknown edition, A history of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1816-1949 The name is from the Choctaw words, tusca, warrior, loosa, black, hence Black-warrior. It is overseen by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education, which is composed of seven elected members. [10] Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, it was variously named the "Most Livable City in America",[11] one of America's "100 Best Communities for Young People",[12] one of the "50 Best College Towns", and one of the "Best Places to Launch a Small Business".[13]. The University of Alabama also currently fields championship-caliber teams in baseball, golf, women's gymnastics, and softball. 1816 - Site settled by Thomas York. In 1817, Alabama became a territory. It includes 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of walking trails through native piney woods and oak-hickory climax forest, a wildflower garden containing more than 250 species, ornamental plants, an experimental garden, a bog garden, an open-air pavilion, and a children's garden. Stillman College fields teams in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, among other sports, although the school discontinued the football program after completing the 2015 season. Two days after the storm, US president Barack Obama and Alabama governor Robert Bentley, and their spouses, Michelle Obama and Diane Bentley, respectively, accompanied Mayor Maddox on a tour of the damage and the recovery efforts, along with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and several Congressional dignitaries. It was created to ensure that Tuscaloosa’s historic resources are maintained in a … Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early December, tends to be similar to spring in terms of temperature and precipitation. All elected offices are nonpartisan. The Bama Theatre is a 1,094-seat proscenium theatre located in downtown Tuscaloosa and is operated by The Arts and Humanities Council. Tuscaloosa serves as home base to Alabama Public Radio, the state's largest public-radio network. [47] During this period, The Tuscaloosa News posted an on-line people finder to aid people to find each other, as well as determine who was still missing.[48]. Inevitably, a network of Native American trails converged upon the place, the same network that in the first years of the 19th century began to lead a few intrepid white frontiersmen to the area. There are also Presbyterian Church in America congregations in the city. Prior to Maddox, Alvin A. DuPont had served as mayor for 24 years. [82] Additionally, it hosts the Arts Council's Bama Art House movie series. During the Civil War following Alabama's secession from the Union, several thousand men from Tuscaloosa fought in the Confederate armies. [89] Tidesports.com focuses on University of Alabama sports. In 1833, the legislature enacted slave codes to regulate the lives of enslaved people as well as free per sons of color. Some Muscogee in Alabama live near Poarch Creek Reservation in Atmore (northeast of Mobile). His other duties include preparing an operating budget each year for approval by the city council and acting as ambassador of the city. [42] Referring to the extent and severity of the damage, Mayor Walter Maddox stated that "we have neighborhoods that have been basically removed from the map. Enrolling approximately 40,000 students[77] on a 1,970 acres (8.0 km2) campus, UA has been a part of Tuscaloosa's identity since it opened its doors in 1831. The City of Tuscaloosa Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) was formed in fall 2004. The Army Corps of Engineers has maintained a system of locks and dams along the Black Warrior River for over a century to allow navigability all the way up to Birmingham. The Westervelt Company, a land resources and wildlife management company, has its headquarters in Tuscaloosa. Following Congressional passage of the Indian Removal Act, in 1832 the Creek National Council signed the Treaty of Cusseta, ceding their remaining lands east of the Mississippi to the U.S., and accepting relocation to the Indian Territory. The “Big Gully” and “the Big Ravine”. [45][46], In the immediate aftermath of the tornado, thousands of rescue workers dug through the wreckage looking for survivors and recovering bodies. It also provides services for special needs students at Sprayberry Education Center. The Amphitheater has also held events such as the Blues and Brews Music Festival and a pro boxing match. [20][21] The State House was built at the corner of 6th Street and 28th Avenue (now the site of Capitol Park). Males had a median income of $36,231 versus $30,552 for females. Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for the area of west-central Alabama known as West Alabama. Tuscaloosa is also served by several private schools, both secular and religious, including Tuscaloosa Academy, American Christian Academy, Holy Spirit Catholic School, North River Christian Academy, the Capitol School, and Tuscaloosa Christian School (in neighboring Cottondale). Like some of the generations before them, they built large earthwork mounds in planned sites that expressed their cosmology. SR 297 will be the future loop road around Tuscaloosa. The University of Alabama also houses WVUA-FM, a 24/7 college radio station run completely by students. NOAA Weather Radio station KIH60 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Tuscaloosa and the surrounding vicinity. [37][38][39] The tornado's top winds were estimated by the US National Weather Service at 190 mph (310 km/h). On December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuskaloosa,[1] one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state. Tuscaloosa has a strong-mayor variant mayor-council form of government, led by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The city council acts as the legislative body of the city. Education and healthcare account for only 7.2% of the area workforce with the remainder employed in other services. The city is built on a history of progress and growth that precedes its athletic excellence. The state legislature established Alabama State Hospital for the Insane (now Bryce Hospital) in Tuskaloosa in the 1850s, which helped restore the city's fortunes. Major areas of Tuscaloosa city proper include: Tuscaloosa is served by many major highways, including I-20, I-59, and U.S. Route 82. On average, the low temperature falls to the freezing mark or below on 46 days a year, and to or below 20 °F (−7 °C) on 4.4 days. [51] Actor Charlie Sheen visited the city to pay his respects on May 2 and donated supplies for relief efforts, along with several other actors, musicians and athletes. The city is steeped in Alabama history and acknowledges and honors its heritage. An F4 tornado struck Tuscaloosa County in December 2000, killing eleven people.