Rogers Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Courtview
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The building in 2010.
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | Court St., Florence, Alabama |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | John Ballinger |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000415 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1974 |
Rogers Hall, also known as Courtview, is a beautiful old house in Florence, Alabama. It was built a long time ago, between 1854 and 1855. This three-story building is one of the oldest and most special landmarks at the University of North Alabama. It's so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
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A Home with History
This grand house was built in the Greek Revival style. This style looks like ancient Greek temples, with tall columns and a classic design. It was built for George Washington Foster, a very important person in the area. He owned large farms called plantations in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.
Foster built his home at the very top of Court Street, the highest spot in Florence. He called it Courtview because of its location. Building the house meant blocking a main road. So, Foster had to get permission from the Alabama Legislature, which is like the state's government. They said yes, but only if the house was beautiful enough to make up for the blocked road!
Courtview During the Civil War
George Washington Foster passed away in 1878. His daughter, Sarah Independence Foster, and her husband, Stirling Payne MacDonald, then owned the house. Stirling MacDonald was a captain in the Confederate Army.
Sarah Foster MacDonald's diary tells us that during the American Civil War, both Confederate and Union Army soldiers camped on the grounds of Courtview. On November 3, 1863, Union Army officers, including those working for General William Tecumseh Sherman, even stayed inside the house. Later, in 1864, famous Confederate generals like P. G. T. Beauregard, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and Stephen D. Lee visited the home. General Forrest, his wife, and son stayed with the Foster family for several days.
New Owners and a New Name
The Foster family lived in Courtview until 1900. Then, it was sold to Emmet O'Neal. He later became the 34th Governor of Alabama from 1911 to 1915. After his time as governor, O'Neal moved to Birmingham and rented out Courtview as a boarding house.
In 1922, Thomas M. Rogers bought the house. He spent a lot of time and effort fixing it up and making it new again. The Rogers family owned the house until 1948. That's when they sold it to Florence State Teachers College, which is now known as the University of North Alabama.
Rogers Hall Today
After the university bought it, the house was used for many different things. In the 1950s, it was a guest house and a place for social events. Students often used the first-floor rooms for meetings. Faculty and people from the Florence community used the dining room and other areas.
In the early 1980s, former students, teachers, and staff started "Project Courtview." This was a special effort to raise money and restore Rogers Hall. Over 700 people volunteered their time and skills to help bring this historic building back to its former glory. Today, it remains a cherished part of the University of North Alabama campus.
