Some of you won’t believe it, but in 1970 this pink and black structure at 2827 East South Boulevard was the Montgomery presence of the University of Alabama. At the time this was a hot property, situated directly across the boulevard from highly successful neighbors Wal-Mart, Gulf American Insurance and the Governors House Motel. The University had operated a “Montgomery Center” for at least 20 years before that. In 1963 the Capstone’s Center was at 435 Bell Street, where it conducted classes in Arts & Science, engineering, nursing, business administration and adult ed. At that time Auburn did not even have a listing here. Then, someone with clout asked the U of A to expand its Monkey Town operation to a full blown university, but the University (bless its heart), with an eye on opening campuses at Birmingham and Huntsville, declined the invitation. Ergo, Auburn took over the Bell Street facility, which went on to become AUM. Shortly after its Bell Street Center was ceded to Auburn, the U of A built (moved into?) the above depicted teaching center on South Boulevard. It was open for only a few years, because in 1974 the University bought a building on Commerce Street downtown, from which it thereafter conducted only “government relations”.

-Charles Humphries