Autobiography of James Robert Maxwell https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu01501160&view=1up&seq=9
I'm attempting to better understand the layout of antebellum Tuscaloosa by comparing the 1887 aerial view city map with James Robert Maxwell's reminiscences of Tuscaloosa from before the Civil War. Most of Tuscaloosa's white students attended elementary and "Jr. High" in two buildings on the north side @ the present-day intersection of Greensboro Avenue (Market Street) and 7th Street (Union Street). The large 3-story building labeled "A" at the corner of Greensboro and 6th Street (Cotton Street) is the Rising Virtue #4 Masonic Lodge. The Tuscaloosa County Courthouse was on the 2nd floor of this building. The Alston Building now stands on this lot. On the opposite or SW corner of this block was the Little family house where Mrs. Barbara Little had her primary school (in the 20th century the Little family built what was known as "the Little Block" on this property. I believe this is the building where Mr. Bill's used to be located. James Robert Maxwell states that the Diamond Theater [not the Blacks-only Diamond Movie Theater that was on the corner of 7th and 23rd] was located on that corner at the time he was writing his autobiography in 1923. Maxwell states that the trees planted on the median were water oaks but I bet some of them were willow oaks. Maxwell also states that chinaberry trees were planted along the sidewalk on the south side of the Little House. You can see a group of trees on the SW corner of this block. The house located directly across 7th Street from the Little house was Dr. Leland's. I believe it is pictured here in 1887. Directly across Greensboro from the Little house was the Odd Fellows Hall located at the present-day site of the Allen-Jemison building. This was the location of Woodruff's school which was more advanced than Mrs. Little's. On the NE corner of his block was the building that housed the City Hall on the second floor. It is labeled "A". The ground floor was an open-air meat market. Next to the City Hall and Market building was the calaboose or jail where owners sent their slaves so they could be given their 39 lashes for minor offenses from the town constable. Maxwell states that no retail establishments were on Greensboro before the Civil War and that the building on the present-day Shirt Shop corner was a furniture factory.
Got a little mixed up about the location of one of Tuscaloosa's antebellum jails. It was next to the City Hall and Meat Market(Bama Theater) on Market Street (Greensboro Ave.). The fire engine house was between the City Hall and the Episcopal Church on Cotton Street(6th Street). Here's James Robert Maxwell's description:"City Hall now is was, at that day, the market house with butchers' stalls below, and rooms above for city offices. On the same northeast quarter square stood the city “calaboose,” a little brick cabin, isolated, perhaps twenty feet square, standing back from the sidewalk of Greensboro Avenue some twenty feet. It was in charge of the city marshal, at that date a Dr. Skinner; one of his duties was to apply the “cowhide” to the backs of negro servants who were sent to him for chastisement for small offenses not sub- ject to punishment by law—petty thefts, fighting amongst fellow servants, disobedience, etc. A note from the owner to the marshal and he would string the hands tied together up to a little pulley till the weight of body would almost be taken off the floor, and thirty-nine lashes, at the outside, on the bare back would be applied. I believe the law prescribed forty, but, to be on safe side, they would leave off one. There was a little window in the back wall of “cala- boose,” and the boys would get something to stand on, when they saw Dr. Skinner take in a patient, so they might witness the prescribed treatment. Next to the “calaboose,” in the southeast corner of that quarter square, was the office of Dr. William Leland. "
I'm attempting to better understand the layout of antebellum Tuscaloosa by comparing the 1887 aerial view city map with James Robert Maxwell's reminiscences of Tuscaloosa from before the Civil War. Most of Tuscaloosa's white students attended elementary and "Jr. High" in two buildings on the north side @ the present-day intersection of Greensboro Avenue (Market Street) and 7th Street (Union Street). The large 3-story building labeled "A" at the corner of Greensboro and 6th Street (Cotton Street) is the Rising Virtue #4 Masonic Lodge. The Tuscaloosa County Courthouse was on the 2nd floor of this building. The Alston Building now stands on this lot. On the opposite or SW corner of this block was the Little family house where Mrs. Barbara Little had her primary school (in the 20th century the Little family built what was known as "the Little Block" on this property. I believe this is the building where Mr. Bill's used to be located. James Robert Maxwell states that the Diamond Theater [not the Blacks-only Diamond Movie Theater that was on the corner of 7th and 23rd] was located on that corner at the time he was writing his autobiography in 1923. Maxwell states that the trees planted on the median were water oaks but I bet some of them were willow oaks. Maxwell also states that chinaberry trees were planted along the sidewalk on the south side of the Little House. You can see a group of trees on the SW corner of this block. The house located directly across 7th Street from the Little house was Dr. Leland's. I believe it is pictured here in 1887. Directly across Greensboro from the Little house was the Odd Fellows Hall located at the present-day site of the Allen-Jemison building. This was the location of Woodruff's school which was more advanced than Mrs. Little's. On the NE corner of his block was the building that housed the City Hall on the second floor. It is labeled "A". The ground floor was an open-air meat market. Next to the City Hall and Market building was the calaboose or jail where owners sent their slaves so they could be given their 39 lashes for minor offenses from the town constable. Maxwell states that no retail establishments were on Greensboro before the Civil War and that the building on the present-day Shirt Shop corner was a furniture factory.
Got a little mixed up about the location of one of Tuscaloosa's antebellum jails. It was next to the City Hall and Meat Market(Bama Theater) on Market Street (Greensboro Ave.). The fire engine house was between the City Hall and the Episcopal Church on Cotton Street(6th Street). Here's James Robert Maxwell's description:"City Hall now is was, at that day, the market house with butchers' stalls below, and rooms above for city offices. On the same northeast quarter square stood the city “calaboose,” a little brick cabin, isolated, perhaps twenty feet square, standing back from the sidewalk of Greensboro Avenue some twenty feet. It was in charge of the city marshal, at that date a Dr. Skinner; one of his duties was to apply the “cowhide” to the backs of negro servants who were sent to him for chastisement for small offenses not sub- ject to punishment by law—petty thefts, fighting amongst fellow servants, disobedience, etc. A note from the owner to the marshal and he would string the hands tied together up to a little pulley till the weight of body would almost be taken off the floor, and thirty-nine lashes, at the outside, on the bare back would be applied. I believe the law prescribed forty, but, to be on safe side, they would leave off one. There was a little window in the back wall of “cala- boose,” and the boys would get something to stand on, when they saw Dr. Skinner take in a patient, so they might witness the prescribed treatment. Next to the “calaboose,” in the southeast corner of that quarter square, was the office of Dr. William Leland. "
posted by robertoreg at 7:39 AM
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