Waterman–Smith Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waterman-Smith Building |
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| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 61 Saint Joseph Street, Mobile, Alabama, United States |
| Coordinates | 30°41′35.2″N 88°2′32.51″W / 30.693111°N 88.0423639°W |
| Completed | 1947 |
| Opening | 1947 |
| Owner | Waterman-Smith I LLC |
| Height | |
| Roof | 230 feet (70 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 18 |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Platt Roberts & Associates |
| Developer | Waterman Steamship Company |
The Waterman-Smith Building is a tall building in Mobile, Alabama, a city in the United States. It has had a few different names over the years, like the Waterman Building and the Wells-Fargo Building. This building was finished in 1947. It was built by the Waterman Steamship Corporation. The Waterman-Smith Building stands 230 feet (70 m) tall and has 18 floors. It is currently the 7th-tallest building in Mobile. It's also a great example of early modern architecture, which means it has a newer, simpler design for its time.
History of the Waterman-Smith Building
This building was very important when it was finished in 1947. For a long time, it was the only new tall building in Mobile. No other high-rises were built between 1929 and 1965. The Waterman-Smith Building was built where the Bienville Hotel used to be. That hotel was a seven-story building. When it was built, people said this new building helped Mobile enter the modern age. It cost about $5 million back then.
The Waterman Steamship Corporation built this building. This company became the biggest private steamship company in the world. In 1955, another company bought Waterman Steamship. The building was later renamed "The Roberts Building." This was to honor E.A. Roberts, who used to be in charge of Waterman.
The Waterman Globe
The building used to have a very special item inside: the Waterman Globe. This was a huge globe, 12-foot (4 m) across! It was made by a famous map company called Rand McNally. The globe showed the world with the country borders from the 1940s. Many people in Mobile loved to see this globe. It was a popular local attraction.
In 1973, the globe was taken out of the building. It was taken apart into pieces. But don't worry, it was put back together later! In 1999, the restored globe was moved to the University of South Alabama's Mitchell Center. You can still see it there today.
Recent Ownership
In 2017, the Waterman-Smith Building was sold to a company called Waterman-Smith I, LLC. They bought the building for $2.35 million.
