Joseph T. Smitherman Historic Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dallas County Courthouse
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Joseph T. Smitherman Historic Building, the former Dallas County Courthouse, in 2009
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 109 Union St., Selma, Alabama |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000310 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1975 |
The Joseph T. Smitherman Historic Building is a beautiful old building in Selma, Alabama. It was built in 1847 in the Greek Revival style, which looks a lot like ancient Greek temples. Over its long history of more than 160 years, this building has been used for many different things.
Because of its special design and important history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 20, 1975. Today, it is home to the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum. This museum helps tell the story of Selma's past.
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A Building with a Long History
This historic building was finished in 1847 by a group called the Selma Fraternal Lodge No. 27 of the Free and Accepted Masons. They spent $15,000 to build it. Their goal was to create a school for children who had lost their parents or whose parents were Masons and needed help.
The school first opened in October 1848 and was called the Central Masonic Institute. However, the school didn't do very well. After only a few years, the Masons lost ownership of the building.
From War Hospital to County Seat
During the American Civil War, the building was used as a hospital for soldiers fighting for the Confederacy. It managed to survive the Battle of Selma, which happened near the end of the war. After the war, it briefly served as a hospital for the Freedmen's Bureau, which helped formerly enslaved people.
Later, local leaders bought the building. They wanted to move the main government office, called the county seat, for Dallas County from a town called Cahaba to Selma. Their plan worked! In 1866, Selma became the county seat, and this building became the Dallas County Courthouse. It served as the courthouse until 1902, when a new one was built.
New Schools and a Hospital
In 1904, the people in charge of the Henry W. Vaughan estate bought the building for $5,025. That same year, they rented the old courthouse to a new school called the Selma Military Institute. This military school used the building until 1908.
After the military school moved, the building was turned into a new hospital in 1911, named Vaughan Memorial Hospital. The hospital stayed there until 1960, when a new hospital building was completed.
Saving a Landmark
The building then sat empty and uncared for until 1969. That year, the City of Selma, Dallas County, and the Selma Housing Authority bought it together for $82,500. This important effort was led by Joseph T. Smitherman, who was the mayor of Selma at the time.
The building reopened on May 16, 1971, as the Historic and Civic Building. In 1979, the Selma City Council decided to rename it in honor of Mayor Smitherman. They did this to thank him for his big role in saving and restoring the building.
What the Building Looks Like
The Joseph T. Smitherman Historic Building is a three-story building made of red bricks. It's built in the Greek Revival-style, which was very popular when it was constructed.
Its most famous feature is the large porch at the front, called a tetrastyle portico. This porch has four tall, grand Ionic columns, like those you might see on an ancient Greek temple. The red bricks on the outside are laid in a pattern called stretcher bond. There's also a decorative band, called a belt course, between each floor.
The porch covers the three middle sections of the building. On each upper floor, there are balconies that stretch across the porch area. The railings on these balconies are made of wrought iron and have a special open diamond pattern.
The Vaughan-Smitherman Museum
Today, the building is home to the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum. Each floor of the museum has different exhibits:
- The first floor shows items from the Civil War and documents about slavery.
- The second floor is all about politics and important political events.
- The third floor is set up to look like a hospital room from the past, showing how Vaughan Memorial Hospital might have appeared.
Besides these main exhibits, the museum also has old furniture from the mid-1800s. You can also see a collection of items from Native American cultures. The building also has rooms that can be used for meetings by clubs and groups, and parlors for social events.
