Exploring Montgomery

The storytelling continues… a collection of stories and photos from Exploring Montgomery!

Yearly Archives: 2016

Green Lantern — It’s at the corner of Carter Hill and McGehee Roads and where I banked. Back as far as the “Roaring 20s”, out on the outskirts of town, there was this notorious dive called the Green Lantern on this site. It was “gangster built”, dark inside, had a dance floor, served platter-sized steaks. […]

Green Lantern Branch Bank

March 14, 2016 in Commercial tagged bank / dining / green / lantern

2nd spencer longshore — This is the second Spencer Longshore House . . . and this one is at 3284 Bankhead Avenue. The first one, a standout two-story Federal Style at 3285 Bankhead, was posted earlier. Spencer liked Bankhead, but as he aged, the two-story climb became burdensome, so circa 1963 he built this long, […]

Second Spencer Longshore House

March 13, 2016 in Residential tagged coastal / longshore / spencer

Spencer Longshore — The beautifully kept Spencer Longshore House . . . at 3285 Bankhead Avenue. It was designed in the late 1930s to resemble the Federal Style popular along the Atlantic Coast during the 50 years following our Revolutionary War. However, the “broken-scrolled pediment” framing the entrance is a holdover from the […]

Spencer Longshore House

March 13, 2016 in Residential tagged colonial georgian / federal / longshore / spencer

Klein Clock from afar — The Klein Clock is back at No. 1 Dexter! From this late afternoon view across Court Square, we can see the former Klein’s Jewelers, nee Central Bank, standing proudly with its landmark clock restored to its rightful place at the foot of Dexter Avenue. Kudos to Kleins for this contribution […]

Klein Jeweler’s & Klein Clock

March 12, 2016 in Commercial / Places and Things tagged central bank / clock / jewelers / klein

Knox Hall — …on South Perry is said to be the finest example of a Greek Revival mansion in Montgomery. Its architect, Stephen Decatur Button, was from Connecticut, and he also designed the 1847 Capitol here. It was built in the 1840s but underwent a restoration in 1981. Knox Hall was one of […]

Knox Hall

March 12, 2016 in Residential tagged greek revival / knox hall / mansion

Pete Peterson Lodge — situated in the NE corner of Lagoon Park, on the lake edge and sort of tucked up under the plateau formed during WW II to facilitate extension of the Gunter Field runways. The lodge started as a picnic place and rec area which the AF provided for its airmen. I […]

Pete Peterson Lodge

March 11, 2016 in Government tagged lagoon / lodge / park / pete / peterson

Armory Learning Arts Center — on Madison Avenue between the old curb market and Cramton Bowl, was built around 1935 as a National Guard Armory to replace the drill hall of the renowned Montgomery Grays. Their drill hall was located on the third floor of city hall, and the building burned down in 1932. WPA […]

Armory Learning Arts Center

March 10, 2016 in Education / Government tagged armory / arts / learning

Crampton Bowl — Cramton bowl is on Madison Avenue, and long past its glory, but it did have its era. It was built in 1922, and officially seats 25,000 or so. Both API (Auburn) and Alabama played here up until the late 1930s, and API continued to schedule non-conference games here until the late 1940s. […]

Cramton Bowl

March 10, 2016 in Commercial / Education / Places and Things tagged asu / bowl / crampton / faulkner / stadium

City Water Works — at 608 North Court Street, was built in 1886 as part of a new city water works system installed by the A H Howland Company of Boston, in contract with Montgomery Mayor Warren S. Reese. The system included the 100-foot tall standpipe tank located on a city hi-point on Monroe, […]

City Water Works

March 9, 2016 in Government tagged robert west / terra cotta / water / works

Old Montgomery Theatre — at the corner of Perry and Monroe Streets, is one of the three pre-war buildings still standing in the City Hall neighborhood. When it was built (by female slave masons) in 1860, the Post Office occupied the street floor, and the upper two floors were taken up by the theatre […]

Old Montgomery Theatre

March 8, 2016 in Commercial / Education tagged collapse / dixie / old / theatre

Carnegie Library — …was completed in 1904 using a $50,000 gift to the local “Library Association” from steel magnet Andrew Carnegie, for construction of a “free library”. Objection was made to the use of “Yankee charity”, but that reservation was soon overcome. Carnegie funded 2500 such public libraries, and 14 were in Alabama. […]

Carnegie Library

March 7, 2016 in Education / Government tagged beaux electric / carnegie / library

Edgewood — …at 3175 Thomas Ave is Federal Style, was built as early as 1821 on a plantation several miles from the tiny settlement of Montgomery. In 1855 it was bought by Peachy Gilmer, brother of Gov Gilmer of Georgia. I think that would make Peachy bro-in-law to Alabama’s first two govrenors. […]

Edgewood

March 6, 2016 in Residential tagged edgewood / federal style / historic registry / oldest

Windchime — In 1987 when the Courthouse was approaching completion, County Fathers authorized the creation and installation of the world’s largest wind chime. Renowned chime artisans were located in upstate New York. The New York Times and many other news sources wrote articles and sent reporters,Great publicity. . . Click on image at […]

The Wind Chime (That Never Was)

March 6, 2016 in Government / Places and Things tagged windchime / woodstock chimes / WSJ. New York Times

In 1928 this was the site of a small “Great A&P Tea Co” grocery store, maybe in this very building. A decade later the A&P had built a much grander store directly across Hull Street, and this little structure had become the Hull Street Market. Their new owner, Rubin Hanan, struggled […]

Penny Profit Food Store

March 5, 2016 in Commercial tagged grocery / store

St Johns Episcopal — …at 113 Madison Avenue, was organized circa 1834, but its present sanctuary was constructed some 20 years later, in what might be called the “Episcopal Style”, foregoing the popular Greek and Romanesque Revival styles in favor of a more spiritual Gothic. It is truly a downtown landmark; its spire reaches […]

St. John’s Episcopal Church

March 4, 2016 in Religious tagged episcopal / john / organ / saint

Church of the Ascension — …at the corner of McDonough and Clayton Streets was established in 1909, supposedly for some 50 communicants of St John’s Episcopal that lived in the new suburb south of South Street (now I-85). Many of the transfers were not really effective until Genetta Ditch (Julia Street) flooded and the reluctant […]

Church of the Ascension

March 4, 2016 in Religious tagged ascencion / church / gothic / norman

Ordeman Townhouse — Purchase of this house by the Landmarks Foundation in 1967 signaled the birth of the Old Alabama Town Historic District in Montgomery. This residence, still in its original location, serves as the anchor piece of the district. The house, built circa 1850 by architect Charles Ordeman in the newly fashionable […]

Ordeman Townhouse

March 3, 2016 in Residential tagged historic registry / italianate / old alabama town / ordeman

Grain Silos — Today this one-time grain elevator is a police sub-station. It sits high up on the bank, benevolently overlooking the complex. But just 15 years ago this strange creation served as Montgomery’s train station…yes, Montgomery, which in 1900 boasted the two grandest railroad depots in all of central Alabama. Union Station […]

Grain Silos

March 2, 2016 in Places and Things tagged amtrak / depot / grain / silos

Cloverdale Bottom Park — I suppose one has minimal control of where his explorations take him, but none at all as to where his memories go. Take the currently popular Cloverdale “Bottom” Park, where the Live Oakes provide a spacious canopy, and the gazebo serves as band-stand for the weekly music program. Hundreds gather […]

Cloverdale’s “Bottom” Park

March 1, 2016 in Places and Things tagged cloverdale / ditch / murder / park

Gov Shorter House — …at 305 S Lawrence, adjacent to the County Courthouse, was built ca 1855 in the Italianate Style. But it was extensively remodeled in 1890 (Victorian), and again in 1910 (Colonial Revival). Poor house. Alabama Gov John Gill Shorter lived here 1861-62, and this was the official Governors Mansion for those […]

Gov. John Shorter House

March 1, 2016 in Residential tagged governor / mansion / shorter

Margaret Booth School — As sad as it is now, Sayer was a grand address in its day. The imposing American Four-Square structure (obviously added to on the side and rear) served Margaret as home and school from 1914 until her death in 1953. It stood as tall in the education of girls in […]

Margaret Booth School

February 29, 2016 in Education / Residential tagged girls / margaret / school

Old Advertiser — This was the offices of The Montgomery Advertiser / Alabama Journal for many years. It had multiple offset floor levels and was frightful to negotiate. Getting the huge 10k pound rolls of newsprint thru the basement to the giant printing press was a logistical nightmare. Now the building has been […]

Old Advertiser Building

February 29, 2016 in Commercial / Government tagged advertiser / annex / court

Sidney Lanier — Sixty years ago Lanier was known throughout the South as a bastion of academic excellence and athletic prowess. I grew up 120 miles to the West, went to high school in Tennessee, but I well knew of Lanier. My wife graduated from here, and she thought the school was a […]

Sidney Lanier High School

February 28, 2016 in Education tagged balwin / high school / lanier / sidney

Sayre Street School — This lot at the corner of Sayre and Mildred Streets has been the site of a school since 1855, maybe before that. The present structure was built in 1891 and is the oldest public school building in Montgomery. During its early years, it housed an elementary school on the first […]

Sayre Street School

February 28, 2016 in Education tagged chilton / lanier / sayre / school

Tyson Manner House — This house stands at the corner of High and McDonough Streets in mute testimony to its will to survive. It was constructed in 1888 in what was then a very fashionable neighborhood by a successful young Lowndesboro planter come-to-town in 1877, named Archibald Pitt Tyson. It is of many styles, but […]

Tyson Maner House

February 27, 2016 in Residential tagged helen keller / maner / tyson / victorian

This life-size bronze of little Helen Keller stands quietly, unlighted, virtually un-noticed, in the back, lower Lobby of the Alabama Public Library Service out on Monticello Drive. The piece was sculpted by South Montgomery County artist Clydetta Fulmer, a graduate of Alabama Christian Academy. It depicts a young Helen sitting […]

Helen Keller Bronze Statue

February 27, 2016 in Places and Things tagged helen keller / library / statue

City-County Main Library — It is now known as the Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library. When it was built in the early 1960s (?) as joint home of the Library and the Museum, the Library had only the downstairs, and its entrance faced Lawrence Street. When the Museum moved out to Blount Park, the […]

City-County Main Library

February 26, 2016 in Education / Government tagged city / county / library / morgan