Tuscaloosa County

US States / A-G / Alabama / Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa County is named for the Tuscaloosa River, which is named after the Mississippian paramount chief Tuskaloosa whose name meant “Black Warrior” in Muskogen.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Fayette County and Walker County

E – Jefferson County and Bibb County

S – Hale County and Greene County

W – Greene County and Pickens County

 

Created:   February 6, 1818                                                       Map of Alabama highlighting Tuscaloosa County

County Seat:        

Newtown       1818 – 1819

Tuscaloosa    1819 – 1822

Newtown       1822 – 1826

Tuscaloosa    1826 – present

 

County Courthouse – Tuscaloosa

 

Location:  714 Greensboro Avenue / 7th Street

Built:  1963 – 1964

Style:  Modern

Architect:  Charles H McCauley

Contractor:  Daniel Construction Company of Alabama

 

Description:  The building faces east and is a seven story concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Tuscaloosa. The northeast and southeast corner sections project from the main building and rise four stories. The east front has a small canopy over the first story entrance. Above rises a vertical window section to the roof line. The windows are vertical. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 6th Judicial Circuit and the County District Court and County Probate Court. 

 

History:  The county was created in 1818 and Newtown was selected as the county seat. The county seat was moved to Tuscaloosa in 1819.  The first courthouse was a small building built in 1820 close to the corner of Fourth Street and 22nd Avenue in Tuscaloosa. The second courthouse was the Masonic Hall and in 1822 the third courthouse was built in Newtown when the county seat was returned. The courthouse was moved to Tuscaloosa when the county seat was changed and the courthouse was destroyed by a tornado in 1842. The fourth courthouse was a hotel on University Boulevard on the site of the Tuscaloosa City Hall. The fifth courthouse was constructed in 1845. The sixth courthouse was constructed in 1907 to 1908 on the site of the eighth present courthouse and was designed by William Earnest Spink and constructed by Carrigan & Lynn. The seventh courthouse was the old McLester Hotel during construction of the present courthouse from 1962 to 1964. The eighth and present courthouse was constructed in 1963 to 1964.

 

 

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County Courthouse – Tuscaloosa

 

 

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Photos taken 2010 and 2018