Over the past century, many changes have occurred in Alabama. Maybe a downtown area isn’t as busy as it once was, or perhaps a historic building that once stood tall and beautiful is now in complete ruins.
Listed below are 10 pairs of photos. One reflects what Alabama was like many years ago, whereas the other photo is much more recent.
- Old Capitol Building, Tuscaloosa, Then (1890)
wikimedia commons/Historic American Buildings Survey,Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Now (2010)
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith From the years 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa was Alabama’s third state capital.
- Court Square Fountain, Montgomery, Then (1906)
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Now (2009)
wikimedia commons/Chris Pruitt Montgomery’s historic Court Street Fountain is the center of the Court Square-Dexter Avenue Historic District. The Alabama State Capitol building can be seen standing in the background.
- Shoal Creek Bridge, Florence, Then (Early 1920s)
facebook/City of Florence, Alabama - Government
Now (2012)
flickr/Brent Moore Built in 1925, Shoal Creek Bridge is a 803-foot truss bridge that carries U.S. Hwy 43 across Shoal Creek.
- Winter Building, Montgomery, Then (1934)
wikimedia commons/W. N. Manning/Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Now (2009)
wikimedia commons/Chris Pruitt On April 11, 1861, the telegram that started the “War Between the States” was sent from the Southern Telegraph Company, which was located on the second floor of the Winter Building.
- Forks of Cypress, Florence, Then (1935)
wikimedia commons/Alex Bush, Photographer/Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Now (2010)
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith Forks of Cypress, which was built in 1830, was a Greek Revival-style plantation home in Lauderdale County. Due to a devastating fire in 1966, all that remains of this historic home are its columns.
- Downtown Greensboro, Then (1935-36)
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Walker Evans
Now (2010)
Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith Nicknamed the “Catfish Capital of Alabama,” Greensboro has changed a lot over the past 80 years. Its downtown district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, used to be much busier than it is today.
- Bangor Cave, Blount County, Then (Late 1930s)
facebook/Save Bangor Cave
Now (2013)
facebook/Save Bangor Cave Bangor Cave was home to the Banger Cafe Club, which was the only underground nightclub in America. It opened in 1937 and was shut down in 1939.
- Downtown Gadsden, Then (1940)
Library of Congress/Vachon, John, 1914-1975, photographer
Now (2010)
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith During the 1940s, residents filled Gadsden’s downtown area for the majority of their shopping needs. In the first photo, residents are finishing up their Christmas shopping.
- Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, Then (1948)
facebook/Alabama Theatre
Now (2010)
flickr/Mark Since opening in 1927, in downtown Birmingham, the Alabama Theatre has shown movies, concerts, beauty pageants, silent films and more. During its earlier years, people couldn’t wait to get dressed up to visit this historic theatre.
- Loveman’s of Alabama, Birmingham, Then (1950)
flickr/army.arch
Now (2007)
flickr/Dystopos Loveman’s of Alabama was one of the first department stores in the U.S. with air conditioning, and it was also the first store in Alabama with an escalator. Loveman’s of Alabama closed in 1980. The building is now used for the McWane Science Center.
For more great images that reflect Alabama’s past, check out these photos that were taken during the 1970s.
wikimedia commons/Historic American Buildings Survey,Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith
From the years 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa was Alabama’s third state capital.
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
wikimedia commons/Chris Pruitt
Montgomery’s historic Court Street Fountain is the center of the Court Square-Dexter Avenue Historic District. The Alabama State Capitol building can be seen standing in the background.
facebook/City of Florence, Alabama - Government
flickr/Brent Moore
Built in 1925, Shoal Creek Bridge is a 803-foot truss bridge that carries U.S. Hwy 43 across Shoal Creek.
wikimedia commons/W. N. Manning/Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
On April 11, 1861, the telegram that started the “War Between the States” was sent from the Southern Telegraph Company, which was located on the second floor of the Winter Building.
wikimedia commons/Alex Bush, Photographer/Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Forks of Cypress, which was built in 1830, was a Greek Revival-style plantation home in Lauderdale County. Due to a devastating fire in 1966, all that remains of this historic home are its columns.
wikimedia commons/Library of Congress/Walker Evans
Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith
Nicknamed the “Catfish Capital of Alabama,” Greensboro has changed a lot over the past 80 years. Its downtown district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, used to be much busier than it is today.
facebook/Save Bangor Cave
Bangor Cave was home to the Banger Cafe Club, which was the only underground nightclub in America. It opened in 1937 and was shut down in 1939.
Library of Congress/Vachon, John, 1914-1975, photographer
During the 1940s, residents filled Gadsden’s downtown area for the majority of their shopping needs. In the first photo, residents are finishing up their Christmas shopping.
facebook/Alabama Theatre
flickr/Mark
Since opening in 1927, in downtown Birmingham, the Alabama Theatre has shown movies, concerts, beauty pageants, silent films and more. During its earlier years, people couldn’t wait to get dressed up to visit this historic theatre.
flickr/army.arch
flickr/Dystopos
Loveman’s of Alabama was one of the first department stores in the U.S. with air conditioning, and it was also the first store in Alabama with an escalator. Loveman’s of Alabama closed in 1980. The building is now used for the McWane Science Center.
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