Old University of Alabama Observatory
The Old University of Alabama Observatory, now known as Frederick R. Maxwell Hall, was an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Although no longer used as an observatory, the building has been restored and preserved. It currently houses the university's Collaborative Arts Research Initiative (CARI), an interdisciplinary, arts-focused research engine driven by the interests of faculty from across the university. By facilitating collaborations across disciplines, CARI maximizes the impact of faculty arts research, while enriching the university, local, and regional communities. Significant for its architectural and historical importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 14, 1972.
The old observatory in 1936
The University of Alabama is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the public universities in Alabama as well as the University of Alabama System. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
View of the Quad in 1859. The Rotunda can be seen at center, with the halls visible in the background. All buildings depicted were destroyed on April 4, 1865.
A view of either Tuomey Hall or Oliver-Barnard Hall, one of the first buildings constructed after the university reopened after the Civil War, in 1907
George Wallace's "stand in the schoolhouse door" to attempt to stop integration of other races at the University of Alabama.
Foster Auditorium and Malone-Hood Plaza today. Lucy Clock Tower is in the foreground.
