President's Mansion (University of Alabama)
Encyclopedia
The President's Mansion is a historic Greek Revival
style mansion on the campus of the University of Alabama
in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
. It has served as the official residence of university presidents ever since its completion in 1841. The structure narrowly avoided destruction during the American Civil War
, making it one of the oldest surviving buildings on campus today. The mansion was added to National Register of Historic Places
on January 14, 1972, due to its architectural and historical significance.
in the late 1820s and early 1830s, he had left the state and was busy with new projects by this time. The new house was designed by Michael Barry, in a Greek Revival style complementary to the existing Nichols-designed campus buildings. The trustees chose a site adjoining what today is the south side of The Quad, in an area which had been originally designated in the Nichols' plan as the future medical school grounds. Construction on the building began in 1839 and was completed in 1841.
The first occupant of the mansion was Basil Manly
, the second university president. Serving from 1837 until 1855, Manly was widely considered to be a popular president. Nevertheless, he and the trustees were criticized by members of the Alabama Legislature
for the "unnecessarily lavish" structure. The next president to live in the house was Landon Garland
, whose tenure would see the destruction of the university in 1865. Disturbed by what he viewed as student discipline problems, Garland advocated the conversion of the university over to the military system as soon as he assumed the presidency. As tensions between Northern and Southern factions became heightened in the lead-up to the Civil War, the state legislature finally acquiesced to his request on February 23, 1860. This decision would prove disastrous, as it turned the school into a military target. During the war the university became known as the "West Point of the Confederacy
," sending roughly 200 cadets into the field each year.
On April 3, 1865, Union
Brigadier General
John T. Croxton
and 1500 cavalrymen approached Tuscaloosa. Croxton had orders to destroy all targets of military value in the town. Tuscaloosa was captured on that day, and all of its factories and the river bridge destroyed. On April 4 Croxton sent Colonel Thomas M. Johnston and two hundred men to burn the university. In the midst of carrying out his orders, university faculty pleaded with Johnston to spare the library rotunda
. Johnston sent a message via courier to Croxton, asking if he might spare the building. Croxton replied " “My orders leave me no discretion... My orders are to destroy all public buildings."
Although technically a private residence, the President's Mansion was also set on fire that day. Tradition maintains that the president's wife, Louisa Frances Garland, arrived at the mansion from the temporary refuge of Bryce Hospital just as soldiers were setting a pile of furniture inside the building alight. She persuaded them to douse the flames, thus sparing the house. The mansion was one of only seven buildings on the campus spared destruction; the others were the Gorgas House, Little Round House, Observatory and a few faculty residences.
ed brick structure features a high arcuated ground floor, with the stucco on the front of this level giving the appearance of ashlar
. It is surmounted by two upper principle floors, accessed by a centrally placed double staircase at ground level. The front facade is five bays
wide, with the two principal floors fronted by a monumentally scaled hexastyle portico, utilizing the Ionic order
.
The mansion has been renovated on numerous occasions in the more than 160 years since it was completed. One of the largest changes came in 1908, when the exterior assumed its predominantly white appearance.
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
style mansion on the campus of the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
. It has served as the official residence of university presidents ever since its completion in 1841. The structure narrowly avoided destruction during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, making it one of the oldest surviving buildings on campus today. The mansion was added to National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on January 14, 1972, due to its architectural and historical significance.
History
The history of the President's Mansion began in 1838 when the university trustees set apart funds for a residence suitable for the president of the young institution. While the plans for the university and its already completed buildings had been designed by William NicholsWilliam Nichols (architect)
William Nichols, Sr. was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his early Neoclassical-style buildings in the American South...
in the late 1820s and early 1830s, he had left the state and was busy with new projects by this time. The new house was designed by Michael Barry, in a Greek Revival style complementary to the existing Nichols-designed campus buildings. The trustees chose a site adjoining what today is the south side of The Quad, in an area which had been originally designated in the Nichols' plan as the future medical school grounds. Construction on the building began in 1839 and was completed in 1841.
The first occupant of the mansion was Basil Manly
Basil Manly
Basil Manly, Jr. was a southern United States Baptist minister and educator. He was one of a group of theologians instrumental in the formation of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in South Carolina.- Early life and education :...
, the second university president. Serving from 1837 until 1855, Manly was widely considered to be a popular president. Nevertheless, he and the trustees were criticized by members of the Alabama Legislature
Alabama Legislature
The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members...
for the "unnecessarily lavish" structure. The next president to live in the house was Landon Garland
Landon Garland
-Biography:He graduated with first honors from Hampden-Sydney College in 1829. He taught chemistry and natural philosophy at Washington College , c1829-1830, and taught chemistry and natural history at Randolph-Macon College, 1833-1834, eventually being elected chair of the department. In 1837, he...
, whose tenure would see the destruction of the university in 1865. Disturbed by what he viewed as student discipline problems, Garland advocated the conversion of the university over to the military system as soon as he assumed the presidency. As tensions between Northern and Southern factions became heightened in the lead-up to the Civil War, the state legislature finally acquiesced to his request on February 23, 1860. This decision would prove disastrous, as it turned the school into a military target. During the war the university became known as the "West Point of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
," sending roughly 200 cadets into the field each year.
On April 3, 1865, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
John T. Croxton
John T. Croxton
John Thomas Croxton was an attorney, a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and a postbellum U.S. diplomat.-Early life and career:...
and 1500 cavalrymen approached Tuscaloosa. Croxton had orders to destroy all targets of military value in the town. Tuscaloosa was captured on that day, and all of its factories and the river bridge destroyed. On April 4 Croxton sent Colonel Thomas M. Johnston and two hundred men to burn the university. In the midst of carrying out his orders, university faculty pleaded with Johnston to spare the library rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
. Johnston sent a message via courier to Croxton, asking if he might spare the building. Croxton replied " “My orders leave me no discretion... My orders are to destroy all public buildings."
Although technically a private residence, the President's Mansion was also set on fire that day. Tradition maintains that the president's wife, Louisa Frances Garland, arrived at the mansion from the temporary refuge of Bryce Hospital just as soldiers were setting a pile of furniture inside the building alight. She persuaded them to douse the flames, thus sparing the house. The mansion was one of only seven buildings on the campus spared destruction; the others were the Gorgas House, Little Round House, Observatory and a few faculty residences.
Architecture
The design for the three-story stuccoStucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed brick structure features a high arcuated ground floor, with the stucco on the front of this level giving the appearance of ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
. It is surmounted by two upper principle floors, accessed by a centrally placed double staircase at ground level. The front facade is five bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
wide, with the two principal floors fronted by a monumentally scaled hexastyle portico, utilizing the Ionic order
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
.
The mansion has been renovated on numerous occasions in the more than 160 years since it was completed. One of the largest changes came in 1908, when the exterior assumed its predominantly white appearance.