Uriah, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Uriah is located in Monroe County
in the southern United States
state of Alabama
. Uriah serves as the junction of State Route 21 and State Route 59.
through 12th grade on its campus.
J.U. Blacksher School in Uriah, Alabama, was established in 1924, and graduated its first class in 1925. The building was a large white frame structure built around an open-air garden complete with a goldfish pond.
In January, 1950, the main building burned down. The gym, cafeteria and vocational buildings remained. For two and a half years students attended school at the Masonic Lodge, and CCC Camp at Little River State Park.
In the fall of 1951, we entered the present site with two new brick buildings, the elementary and high school. In 1972, a new cafeteria was completed, and in the fall of 1975, the new gym was completed.
In the spring of 2001, a new eight classroom wing was added on to the backside of the campus and the main office was renovated and enlarged. The football stadium was also renovated receiving new bleachers with a new pressbox. Stadium lights were erected on the baseball field illuminating it for the first time. In 2008, a new elementary wing was added that contained ten new classrooms.
in his book The Ballad of Little River.
Uriah is also home to an historic structure called King-Criswell Plantation House (www.king-criswellplantationhouse.com). The Plantation was built in the late 1850's by William 'Doc' King, newphew of William Rufus DeVane King the 13th Vice President of the United States. It was originally located in Lower Peachtree on the Alabama river. The main structure was dismantled and reassembled in the 1960s at its present location at 535 Hwy 59 in Uriah. The massive structure is approximately 9000 square feet (836.1 m²) and is a wonderful example of the 'Classic or Greek Revival Style of architecture popular with large plantation owners during the mid 1800's.
Monroe County, Alabama
Monroe County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Monroe, fifth President of the United States. As of 2010, the population was 23,068. Its county seat is Monroeville. It is a dry county, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or...
in the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Uriah serves as the junction of State Route 21 and State Route 59.
Education
The local school, J.U. Blacksher was named after one of the founding fathers (James Uriah Blacksher) of Uriah. The school houses kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through 12th grade on its campus.
J.U. Blacksher School in Uriah, Alabama, was established in 1924, and graduated its first class in 1925. The building was a large white frame structure built around an open-air garden complete with a goldfish pond.
In January, 1950, the main building burned down. The gym, cafeteria and vocational buildings remained. For two and a half years students attended school at the Masonic Lodge, and CCC Camp at Little River State Park.
In the fall of 1951, we entered the present site with two new brick buildings, the elementary and high school. In 1972, a new cafeteria was completed, and in the fall of 1975, the new gym was completed.
In the spring of 2001, a new eight classroom wing was added on to the backside of the campus and the main office was renovated and enlarged. The football stadium was also renovated receiving new bleachers with a new pressbox. Stadium lights were erected on the baseball field illuminating it for the first time. In 2008, a new elementary wing was added that contained ten new classrooms.
Church Arson Conflict
In 1997, a group of local teenagers were responsible for the arson of a local church and the vandalism of another in the nearby community of Little River. This story and the events leading up to it were documented by author Paul HemphillPaul Hemphill
Paul James Hemphill was an American journalist and author who wrote extensively about often-overlooked topics in the Southern United States such as country music, evangelism, football, stock car racing and the blue collar people he met on his journeys around the South.-Early life and...
in his book The Ballad of Little River.
Culture
Uriah is home to an annual festival called The Cotton Patch Festival. Various talents and arts and crafts are showcased during the festival.Uriah is also home to an historic structure called King-Criswell Plantation House (www.king-criswellplantationhouse.com). The Plantation was built in the late 1850's by William 'Doc' King, newphew of William Rufus DeVane King the 13th Vice President of the United States. It was originally located in Lower Peachtree on the Alabama river. The main structure was dismantled and reassembled in the 1960s at its present location at 535 Hwy 59 in Uriah. The massive structure is approximately 9000 square feet (836.1 m²) and is a wonderful example of the 'Classic or Greek Revival Style of architecture popular with large plantation owners during the mid 1800's.