Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is the county seat of Tuscaloosa County and is situated on the banks of the Warrior River. It is a city in the friendly southern state of Alabama of the United States. Part of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, the city has been the former capital of the state.
Named after the chief of the indigenous Muskogean people, Tuscaloosa is Alabama's center for industry, trade and commerce. The University of Alabama is located here, and so is the assembly plant of Mercedes Benz. Tuscaloosa is predominantly a university city, with plenty of students coming in every year for academics. On account of the university a cultural theme of youth and exuberance has developed in the city, and drives it even now.
Tuscaloosa scores high on the quality of life it affords for its residents and visitors. Having won numerous awards, it's also a great place to set up small businesses. Investors need not come in with huge capital. A small working capital is enough to sustain oneself through self-employment here. Currently, Tuscaloosa is voted as the most livable city in the United States. Druid City, another alternative name for Tuscaloosa has persisted over the years, given the large number of oak trees in the city.
Tuscaloosa is an attractive city for both local residents as well as tourists. It has something to appeal to everyone's senses. It is also an area of history and culture.
Tuscaloosa History
In ancient times, Tuscaloosa was considered part of an area called the Deep South. Inhabited by Native Indians 12,000 years ago, these traditional hunter-gatherers were dependent on large animals for their sustenance. When such large animals became extinct, these Native Indians resorted to agriculture.
Their agrarian culture inspired a lot of associated beliefs. Even now a lot of artifacts relative to their belief system are found in museums. Beside the banks of rivers in Mississippi, large earthworks stand testimony of these ancient people.
After the war of 1812, the white population increased their presence in this area. Log cabins, which served as place of residence, started to come about. Most of these were in and around the Creek village. By 1817, Alabama was surveyed. It officially became a territory in that year. Two years later Tuscaloosa was incorporated as a town and included in the territory of Alabama by the territorial legislature.
Tuscaloosa was the capital of the state for a long time, almost twenty years, between 1826 and 1846. During this time, a thought came about to build a university. And in 1931, the University of Alabama started operations.
Shortly, Tuscaloosa lost it capital status. Montgomery was chosen as the capital and Tuscaloosa lost some of its population to Montgomery. But in the 1850s a saving grace for Tuscaloosa was the Bryce State Hospital. This prompted a lot of healthcare activities to take place here and people started coming back to Tuscaloosa.
Tuscaloosa has had an active role in the Civil War. During this time Alabama was separated from the Union. Thousands of soldiers from Tuscaloosa laid their lives on the line to fight the war. Tuscaloosa suffered a lot of damage during the war when the Union brigade raided it and destroyed buildings including the university.
Tuscaloosa soon became actively involved in metal-extraction and mining. The opening up of the city to Mobile did this. Mobile was a Gulf seaport and was connected to the Black Warrior River. A system of locks and dams connected the seaport to the city by way of the river.
Tuscaloosa benefited immensely from the university. It became a place for mental care and allied facilities. Fueled by a robust American economy, Tuscaloosa started to prosper.
Disaster struck Tuscaloosa in 2011, when it was hit by a tornado leaving many homeless and a handful of people dead. The massive devastation was caused by a tornado moving at speeds well over three hundred miles per hour. In the aftermath, the people of Tuscaloosa are re-building their future again with fervor and dedication.
About Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa always has something going on all year round. Each month there is an event or festival happening here. Fall months attract the highest number of events as people get into the mood to prepare for the coming season. Locals know that when a change of seasons come, there is a lot of action happening in Tuscaloosa.
The Mercedes-Benz US International Visitor Center and Factory Tour get visitors an in-depth view of how Mercedes Benz manufactures their cars. From component manufacturing to fixing the car, and eventually manufacturing it, visitors get to see everything.
Bryant Denny Stadium is a good stopover place. A beautiful stadium, it is used for university football matches. Operational from 1929, the stadium is named after a former president of Alabama. It is a great place to sit and get a bird's eye view of football matches from any part of the stadium.
Like Bryant Denny Stadium, another stadium that is unforgettable in the collective memory of the local people is Paul W. Bryant Museum. It is the home ground of the University of Alabama team, and also a stadium dedicated solely to late ace coach - the invincible Paul 'Bear' Bryant, who coached the team into becoming next to infallible.
A place that stimulates curiosity amongst children is the Children's Hands-On Museum. Children get to discover, explore and learn as they try out the various activities in the museum. Most exhibits are hands-on, or in other words, they inspire action from children. Children learn many things whilst playing; the best way to teach children as any child psychologist would tell. Apart from exhibits there are holiday celebrations, floor activities and plenty of events for families.
Tuscaloosa's cityscape is diverse with some major areas being West Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama, and Alberta City. Geographically unique, the fact that the city is located on the peripherals of the Appalachian Highland adds to the diversity. Tuscaloosa's close proximity to the Gulf Plain means the city has a good mix of flora and fauna from the highlands and plains. Quite contradictory but very exciting, Tuscaloosa has everything: heavily wooded hills, marshy plains, and lush meadows.
Tuscaloosa's climate is dependent in many ways on the weather in the Gulf of Mexico. During the monsoons and for the large part of summer, Tuscaloosa has moist weather. This means there is a lot of humidity here. But with the Appalachian Mountains nearby, Tuscaloosa also has extremely windy days. The mountains capture and spiral the winds, giving relief to the people during the summers.
A city of different facets, Tuscaloosa is unique, diverse, and unforgettable.
About Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is located in Tuscaloosa County, which is situated in Alabama. Named after chief Tuskaloosa, Tuscaloosa County is the second largest in Alabama.
Established in 1818, Tuscaloosa County has a sizeable agrarian community. Primary agricultural produce includes hay, cotton and wheat.
Important tourist attractions in Tuscaloosa County are the University of Alabama's football games where people from all around the country attend. Occasionally, they're aired on ESPN and other television networks.
Another popular attraction is the Paul W. Bryant Museum, also known as the Bear Bryant Museum. Located in the University of Alabama, the museum houses historical artifacts of the university's football team. Vintage football shirts of some famous players, memorabilia, and an assortment of items can be found here. More importantly, the museum is a tribute to the much-loved football coach, Bear Bryant.
Bear Bryant (Paul William "Bear" Bryant), was a longstanding coach of the university's football team. For more than 25 years, he coached the team into reaching its pinnacle. By the time he retired he was the coach with most wins. All of his accolades are on display in this museum.
Geographically, Tuscaloosa County is situated in a common region called West Alabama. The county touches the Appalachian Highlands. A good part of the county is also situated in the vicinity of the Gulf Coastal Plain.
Tuscaloosa County is bounded by seven counties. To the north are Walker County, and Fayette County. To the south are Bibb County, Hale County, and Greene County. To the east is Jefferson County, and to the west is Pickens County.
The Talladega National Forest is located in Tuscaloosa County and is a protected area for conserving natural heritage. Located on the southern part of Appalachian Highlands, it was used extensively in the early nineteenth century for logging. From a wasteland to a wonderland, the forest boasts of a wondrous ecosystem.