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. [22] The larger town was also damaged in the battle and shared fully in the South's economic sufferings which followed the defeat. Despite a looming court challenge for District 7, the Tuscaloosa City Council on Tuesday certified the results of the March 2 municipal election. WUAL serves Tuscaloosa, portions of the Birmingham metro area and several counties of west-central Alabama. Tuscaloosa Steel Corporation was one of the first U.S. steel companies to implement the Steckel Mill Technology. The pace of white settlement in the Southeast increased greatly after the War of 1812 and the Treaty of Fort Jackson and the subsequent availability of land previously settled by Native Americans. Rare snowfall at Government Plaza, downtown. While the city attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced on September 30, 1993 that it would build its first automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa County,[8] the University of Alabama remains the dominant economic and cultural engine in the city, making it a college town. Founded: February 6, 1818 . There were 34,857 housing units at an average density of 619.8 per square mile (239.3/km2). Darryl McKinstry, husband of Tuscaloosa City Councilwoman Sonya McKinstry and a career law … A decision has been made on who will fill the vacated District 5 seat on the Tuscaloosa County School Board. [80] The Arts Council also operates the Bama Theatre. The county seat and largest city is Tuscaloosa. They form a chain of narrow reservoirs, providing aids to navigation and barge handling as well as hydroelectric power and drinking water. Thank you all for making this possible for me! There are no railway connections at this port as they primarily concentrate on the shipment of dry bulk commodities, including lignite, coal and coal coke. [74][75], Tuscaloosa was ranked in the November 2009 issue of Fortune Small Business as one of the "50 Best Places to Launch a Small Business" (ranked #11 among metro areas with populations of 250,000 or less).[76]. Tuscaloosa also contains one toll road on the Black Warrior Parkway (I-20/I-59), charging $1.25 for automobiles, and one toll bridge (Black Warrior Parkway bridge). DCH Regional Medical Center is the main medical facility in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa has been traditionally known as the "Druid City" because of the numerous water oaks planted in its downtown streets since the 1840s. The current Mayor of Tuscaloosa is Walter Maddox, who was elected to office in September 2005. First Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist Church, Alberta Baptist Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and First African Baptist Church are five of the many Baptist churches in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa is located at 33°12′24″N 87°32′5″W / 33.20667°N 87.53472°W / 33.20667; -87.53472 (33.206540, −87.534607),[57] approximately 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Birmingham. Two greenhouses contain collections of orchids, cacti, and tropical plants. Previously the Tuscaloosa Saturday School, a weekend Japanese educational program, provided Japanese language instruction for Japanese citizen children and other children in the area.[79]. Previous professional teams calling Tuscaloosa home included the World Basketball Association's Druid City Dragons in 2006, and Tuscaloosa Warriors football team in 1963, with both folding after one season. Because the City of Tuscaloosa does not have a civic center, the demand for events grew rapidly and the Coliseum doubled its capacity in the 1970s. Some Muscogee in Alabama live near Poarch Creek Reservation in Atmore (northeast of Mobile). [82] Additionally, it hosts the Arts Council's Bama Art House movie series. Descendant Native American tribes include the Creek or Muskogee people. In 2013 the school system hired its first minority superintendent of Hispanic/Latin origin who is also only the second female. Includes illus. The University of Alabama Arboretum is located on 60 acres (243,000 m2) of land at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Pelham Loop Road, adjacent to the VA Hospital. Hubbs, Guy (Spring 2009). Based on the 2010 census, 194,656 people live in this county. It awarded posthumous degrees to six students who died in the tornado. The arboretum's primary emphasis is on Alabama's native flora and fauna. [44], The tornado was part of the 2011 Super Outbreak which affected large parts of the eastern United States and was the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded. [16] Jackson abandoned the policy of his predecessors of treating different Indian groups as separate nations. Mills Co. was founded and is located in Tuscaloosa. It was created by sculptor and architect Craig R. It also provides services for special needs students at Sprayberry Education Center. Health-care and education serve as the cornerstone of Tuscaloosa's service sector, which includes the University of Alabama, DCH Regional Medical Center, Bryce Hospital, the William D. Partlow Developmental Center, and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. The Tuscaloosa County School System serves the county excluding the city. Tuscaloosa (/tʌskəˈluːsə/ TUS-kə-LOO-sə) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama (in the southeastern United States). [20][21] The State House was built at the corner of 6th Street and 28th Avenue (now the site of Capitol Park). Twenty-five percent of the labor force in the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area is employed by the federal, state, and local government agencies. U.S. Highway 43 runs north-south through the middle of the county, and U.S. Highway 82 runs east–west, bisecting Tuscaloosa County. National Register of Historic Places: Tuscaloosa County, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum. Lime Cola Bottling Plant Tuscaloosa was designated as the county seat of Tuscaloosa County in 1819, and in 1822, the county seat was moved to Newton, just a few miles from Tuscaloosa. Total Area: 1,351 mi². Additionally, the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College have campus libraries that are open for non-circulation use by the public. The Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, on the north side of the Black Warrior River west of downtown Northport, is equipped with two lighted runways (6499' and 4001') and provides full facilities for the general aviation which the airport mainly serves. World renowned putter company, T.P. Some of the oldest churches in Tuscaloosa are St. John's Roman Catholic Church (founded c. 1845), Christ Episcopal Church (c. 1828), and First Baptist Church (c. 1818). Links to Tuscaloosa County meeting agendas. Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Tuscaloosa though the Crescent line, which connects the area to major cities along the east coast from New York to New Orleans. More than 250 people were killed in Alabama, including 39 people in Tuscaloosa and surrounding communities. Tuscaloosa was struck by an F2 tornado in January 1997, which resulted in the death of one person. We have 1,170 cars for sale listed as seat tuscaloosa county, from just $7,234. In the post World War II era, African Americans increased their activism to regain their constitutional civil rights, and challenged southern segregation in numerous ways. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Other major medical centers in Tuscaloosa include the 702-bed Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Tuscaloosa, the 422-bed Bryce Hospital, Mary S. Harper Geriatric Psychiatry Center, and Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility.[95]. Also among the historical tribes living in the area of present-day Alabama at the time of European contact were the Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee in the interior, believed to have migrated south centuries before from the Great Lakes area. [37][38][39] The tornado's top winds were estimated by the US National Weather Service at 190 mph (310 km/h). County: Tuscaloosa County. [5] Located on the Black Warrior River at the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Piedmont meet, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with an estimated population of 101,129 in 2019. Additional museums and galleries are found across the river in Northport. The Kentuck Festival of the Arts began in 1971 and had … Gulf State Paper Company then restructured to form Westervelt. [59] Spring usually lasts from late-February to mid-May, becoming drier as the season progresses. "[43] The same tornado later went on to cause major damage in the Birmingham area. By the advent of the 20th century, the growth of the University of Alabama and the mental health-care facilities in the city, along with a strong national economy, fueled a steady growth in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years. county seat of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States. We have 30 cars for sale listed as seat 600 tuscaloosa county, from just $10,000. The courthouse was moved to Tuscaloosa when the county seat was changed and the courthouse was destroyed by a tornado in 1842. The median income for a household in the city was $27,731, and the median income for a family was $41,753. Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 91,605 in 2011. "Tuscaloosa on My Mind". Tuscaloosa County can be found in the west central region of Alabama. [14] They were hunter-gatherers who pursued the megafauna that became extinct following the end of the Pleistocene age. The Tide won the College Football Playoff in the 2015, 2017, and 2020 seasons. There are also Presbyterian Church in America congregations in the city. [89] Tidesports.com focuses on University of Alabama sports. WVUA-CD is the only station that originates its broadcast in Tuscaloosa; it is owned by the University of Alabama and its studios are part of UA's Digital Media Center. In the 1990s, marquee concerts and events that the arena had seen in the previous two decades grew scarce as the facility became more outdated and mostly devoted to Crimson Tide athletic events. 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. At the time of its construction in 1938, it was the only air-conditioned building in Tuscaloosa. But the fatality figure did not increase (and was later reduced). Capitol Park at 6th Street and 28th Avenue is home to the ruins of the former state capitol building or State House from 1826 to 1845. In 1817, Alabama became a territory, and on December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuscaloosa, one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state. Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama (in the southeastern United States). The University of Alabama is the largest university in the state of Alabama in terms of enrollment. Crow said he wants to keep the city "fiscally sound" by maintaining a high bond rating as well as being money-conscious and limiting spending. There were 31,381 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. The system consists of 24 schools: 13 elementary schools (12 zoned and 1 magnet), 6 middle schools (5 zoned and 1 magnet), 3 high schools (Paul W. Bryant High School, Central High School and Northridge High School), and 2 specialty schools (the Tuscaloosa Center for Technology, a vocational school, and Oak Hill School for special needs students). Update your Alabama voter registration. Perspective map of Selma, Ala. county seat of Dallas County 1887. Most Muscogee-speaking peoples were removed to Indian Territory during the Trail of Tears in 1834, although some remained behind. Based on the 2010 census, its population was 194,656. I-20/59 run west to east through the southern part of the city, leading northeast 58 mi (93 km) to Birmingham and southwest 96 mi (154 km) to Meridian, MS. Males had a median income of $31,614 versus $24,507 for females. The airport also supports private jetcraft and commercial charter flights, but passengers of regularly scheduled commercial aircraft from Tuscaloosa embark at either the convenient and well equipped Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, located 53 miles (85 km) away on the east side of downtown Birmingham, or the much larger and busier Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, located 210 miles (340 km) away in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. Interstate 359 spurs off from I-20/I-59 and heads northward, ending in downtown Tuscaloosa. Click Here for County Website. A view of "The Strip" during the 2005 football season. The coliseum has hosted a diversity of events including commencement exercises, a visit by President Ronald Reagan, alumni gatherings, student convocations, concerts, operas, ballets, appearances by political figures, WCW Saturday Night, etc. It is believed that the county received its name from Tascaluza, a Native American tribal leader in the area at the time of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto’s march through Alabama. Neither the mayor nor the members of the city council is term-limited. In addition, Alabama's senior senator, Richard Shelby (R), is a resident of Tuscaloosa. U.S. Highway 11 runs along Interstate 20/59. [34] In 2000, the university granted her an honorary doctorate of humane letters. The Tuscaloosa Trolley provides local public bus transportation with four fixed routes that operate Monday through Friday from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm. LC Panoramic maps (2nd ed. [9] The city has become known nationally for the sports successes of the University of Alabama, particularly in football. Operating with a $100 million budget, the system enrolls approximately 10,300 students. [2] The county is the second-largest in the state in terms of area (trailing only Baldwin County) and sixth-largest in terms of population (behind Jefferson, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery,and Shelby counties).