Exploring Montgomery

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Library Museum — The downtown Library Museum was built in the 1960s, and it extended thru the block. The library had the lower level and faced South Lawrence Street; the Museum occupied the upper level and faced McDonough. This was the face of the museum. When the museum moved out to Blount Park, the library […]

Downtown Library-Museum

RSA Union — The ten-story RSA Union office building stands at the intersection of Monroe and Union streets, diagonally adjacent to and behind the State Capitol. It turned out to be my favorite of the Retirement Systems buildings which PH&J designed. Perhaps my favor resulted from its low-keyed elegance. Possibly it was […]

RSA Union

This tiny odd-shaped park utilized the last scrap of land assembled by RSA for its mammoth Monroe Street undertaking in 1992. The park, dedicated in January of 2000, acknowledges Montgomery’s seven historical eras and honors six unsung heroes who contributed to the progress of each era. I am afraid that […]

RSA Pavilion Park

…at the corner of Court and Scott Streets. Built ca 1950. Award winning design. Prestigious address. Successful real estate. A decade or so later a deal was made to build a clone of Birmingham’s successful restaurant, Dale’s Cellar, as a penthouse on the building. Ergo, a glass enclosed restau-rant, Dale’s […]

Walter Bragg Smith Apartments

Winter Buidling — …at No. 2 Dexter Avenue, sort of dominates Court Square, based on its age, its Early Italianate Style, and its role in history. It was from this building in 1861 that was sent the telegram which authorized the firing on Ft. Sumter, and thus was started the War Between the […]

Winter Building

…built ca 1937 by Montgomery contractor Algenon Blair, a friend of my Grandfather Banks. Montgomery’s city hall burned in 1932, and this was the replacement. For 30-odd years this auditorium was the scene of Montgomery’s big events, balls, and productions. It was cooled by sliding huge blocks of ice into the […]

City Auditorium (City Hall)

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the ramp down to the river at the foot of Commerce in the mid-1800’s. Each year, cotton bales by the hundred made their way to river steamers down the ramp, pulled by slaves, on to worldwide markets. Trade goods came the other […]

Commerce Street Tunnel (Riverfront)

…at 221 South Court Street is typical ante-bellum Greek Revival. It was built in 1845 by the same John Figh as is mentioned as contractor for several other buildings covered herein, for his personal residence. But Figh sold it even before he moved in for the princely sum of $5,800. […]

Lomax House

Montgomery Zoo — is located at 2301 Coliseum Parkway out in Chisolm, probably on land that was one time a part of the Kilby reservation. It was founded as part of Oak Park in 1920; declared to be the Montgomery Zoo in 1935, and moved to this 48-acre site in Chisolm in 1974. […]

Montgomery Zoo

Martins Restaurant — has been in operation since the 1930s, and is located on Carter Hill Road at Narrow Lane, in the Country Club Shopping Center. In the 1950s it was in an old house about three blocks further West on Carter Hill. I had a business partner who adored the place, and […]

Martin’s Restaurant