University of Alabama

The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is probably best known for its national championship Crimson Tide football teams under legendary coaches Paul "Bear" Bryant (1958-1982) and Nick Saban (2007-present). Below are two shots of Bryant-Denny Stadium, which holds over 100,000 fans and recently received a $100 million renovation.

The U of A is also known historically for other things than football. Alabama was among the many Southern universities that were linked to slavery and practiced Whites-only admission until the early 1960s (or thereabouts). Today, the University features historical markers and programs to acknowledge these facts.

Two weeks ago, my wife attended an academic conference at the U of A and kindly took several pictures for this website (including the ones above). The first two photos below are named after members of the Gorgas family (information on the buildings' histories from here). Immediately below is Gorgas House, named after former University President (and Confederate General) Josiah Gorgas...

The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library appears next. Ms. Gorgas was a University librarian and wife of Josiah.

Next is the Little Round House. This small building has served many purposes over the years, which are described on the associated plaque.

One of the few exceptions to the campus's predominant red-brick motif is the President's House...

For those seeking a quiet area for reflection and introspection, the benches in the following photo would fit the bill...

Finally, we have the Elephant Statue near the football stadium. How an elephant mascot came to be associated with U of A is described here.

Alabama.com has a photo essay on 41 campus buildings for those of you wishing to see more of the U of A.