Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare and education for the area of west-central Alabama known as West Alabama. It was named after Tuskaloosa, the chief of a band of Muskogean-speaking people defeated by the forces of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila. It is the home of the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College. It has been declared the "Most Livable City in America", one of America's "100 Best Communities for Young People" and one of the "50 Best College Towns" in the U.S. The city hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trials for the Beijing Games in 2008. The town was incorporated on December 13, 1819, one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state. It served as Alabama's capital city from 1826 to 1846. During the Civil War, several thousand men from the town fought in the Confederate armies. In 1831, the State House was built at the corner of 6th and 28th Street (now the Avenue of the Capitol Park) The town's population grew rapidly, but the relocation of the state legislature to Montgomery caused a severe decline in the town's economy. The university was burned in a battle in the last weeks of the battle, and its population was also damaged in a larger battle in 1831. The state legislature established Alabama's State Hospital for the Insane in Tuskosa (now Bryce Hospital) in 1850s.

History

In 1817, Alabama became a territory. On December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuskaloosa. In 1831, the University of Alabama was established and the town's population and economy grew rapidly. During the Civil War following Alabama's secession from the Union, several thousand men from Tuscaloosa fought in the Confederate armies. In 1952, Autherine Lucy was admitted to the university as a graduate student, but her admission was rescinded when authorities discovered she was not white. She was the first African American admitted to a white public school or university in the state. After her expulsion, she was annulled by the university in 1988, and re-enrolled in 1992. She graduated with her daughter in 1992, but withdrew later that year due to technicality. In 2003, the city was named in honor of a Muskogean-speaking tribecombining the Choctaw words "tushka" or "tashka" ("warrior") and "lusa" ("black"). It is now the home of the Alabama Museum of Natural History and Science, which was founded in 1858. The museum is located on the former site of a former cotton gin, which closed in the 1960s. The city is now home to the Alabama State Museum of natural history, which opened in the 1970s. It is also home to a museum of African-American history and culture, which dates back to the 18th century.

Geography

Tuscaloosa is located at 33°1224N 87°325W (33.206540, 87.534607), approximately 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the fall line of the Black Warrior River, approximately 193 miles (311 km) upriver from the river's confluence with the Tombigbee River at Demopolis. The Gulf of Mexico heavily influences the climate by supplying the region with warm, moist air. While rain is abundant (January and February are on average the wettest months), measurable snowfall is rare, with most years receiving none and the average seasonal snowfall amounting to 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) Spring usually lasts from late-February to mid-May, becoming drier as the season progresses. There are 7172 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually and 3.5 days of 100 °f (38 °C)'s highs. The latter part of summer tends to be drier. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early December, tends. to be similar to spring in terms of temperature and precipitation. An F4 tornado struck Tuscaloosa County in December 2000, killing eleven people. Tuskaloosa was struck by an F2 tornado in January 1997, which resulted in the death of one person. In April 2011, two tornadoes in a span of twelve days hit the city, the first being an EF3 on April 15, and the second and more devastating being a EF4 on April 27, when more than 50 deaths resulted.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000 there were 77,906 people, 31,381 households, and 16,945 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 54.09% White, 42.73% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 0.87% from other races. 1.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 99,600 people, 36,779 homes, and 20,176 families living in Tuscaloosa. The city is home to many places of worship, many of which may come from the surrounding area of West Alabama to worship. The average household size was 2.22, with the average family size being 2.93. The median income for a household in theCity was $27,731, and the median income. for a family was $41,753. The per capita income was $19,129. About 14.6% of families and 23.2% of those under age 18 were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of. those under. age 18 and 13.4% ofThose 65 or over. The population was spread out, with 17.9% under the age of 18, 24.5% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0%. from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older.

Economy

25% of the labor force in the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area is employed by the federal, state and local governments. The city's industrial and manufacturing base includes BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing, GAF Materials Corporation, Hunt Refining Company, JVC America, Nucor Steel and Phifer Wire. A significant contributor to the city's economy is the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International assembly plant near Vance, which employs approximately 4,400 (as of 2020) The Westervelt Company, a land resources and wildlife management company, has its headquarters in the city. The University of Alabama, DCH Regional Medical Center, Bryce Hospital, the William D. Partlow Developmental Center, and the Tuskaloosa VA Medical Center are cornerstones of the service sector. Education and healthcare account for 7.2% of. the area's workforce, with the remainder employed in other services. The area's largest employer is the Alabama Department of Revenue, which has an annual revenue of $1.2 billion. The state's unemployment rate is 3.7%. The state has the highest rate of poverty in the United States, at 8.9%. The city has the lowest rate of unemployment in the state, at 2.4%. The U.N. World Economic Forum has the world's lowest unemployment rate, at 1.8%. The United States has the third highest unemployment rate in the world, at 3.6%. The national unemployment rate has been at 4.1% since the beginning of the year.

Arts and culture

The Tuscaloosa Public Library is a joint city-county agency with nearly 200,000 items and approximately 47,000 registered patrons. Museums are located all over town, but are primarily concentrated in the downtown area or on the campus of UA. The Bama Theatre was built between 1937 and 1938 under the New Deal-era Public Works Administration as a movie palace. The Frank Moody Music Building on the UA campus holds a 1000-seat Concert Hall and a 140-seat Recital Hall. Coleman Coliseum is a 15,383-seat multipurpose arena that serves as the city's municipal civic center. Some stars who have performed on its stages include The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, John Elton John, and the Grateful Dead. The Alabama Choir School is based at the Moody Music building and is conducted by Adam Flatt. In the 1990s, the arena had a capacity of 15,000, but as events grew scarce, the facility became more outdated and the Crimson Tide could pull more events at the university. In 2005, the Coliseum underwent a significant renovation costing over $24 million. The Coliseum has hosted a diversity of events including commencement exercises, a visit by Ronald Reagan, student convocations, concerts, operas, ballets, and student alumni gatherings. It is also the home of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, which is now in its 35th year. The Symphony Orchestra is based on the University of Alabama campus and conducts its own concerts and other musical events.

Sports

Tuscaloosa is known for its collegiate athleticsparticularly the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Stillman College fields teams in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, among other sports. World renowned putter company, T.P. Mills Co. was founded and is located in Tuscaloos. In 2008, Tuskaloosa hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trials for the Beijing Games. The city is home to the Alabama A&M Crimson Tide, who play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The school discontinued its football program at the end of the 2015 season. In the past decade, stillman has gone through a series of renovations, including a new football stadium, Stillman Stadium. The town is also the home of the World Basketball Association's Druid City Dragons in 2006, and the Tuscaleosa Warriors football team in 1963, with both folding after one season. It is the birthplace of the U.S. Army Air National Guard, which is based in the town of Stillman, Alabama. It also hosts the Alabama Army National Guard Air Force Base, which was founded in 1864. The U.N. Peace Corps has a base in the city, which has a mission to promote peace in the region. The University ofAlabama has a campus that is the largest in the state, with a population of more than 1.5 million. The campus also has a golf complex, which hosts the Ol' Colony Golf Complex, which holds the world's largest golf course.

Parks and recreation

The University of Alabama Arboretum is located on 60 acres (243,000 m2) of land at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Pelham Loop Road, adjacent to the VA Hospital. Capitol Park, Tuscaloosa at 6th Street and 28th Avenue is home to the ruins of the former state capitol building or State House from 1826 to 1845. It was later used by the Alabama Central Female College and burned down in 1923. Additional public recreational sites are owned and maintained by the University ofAlabama and federal agencies such as Corps of Engineers. Other parks include: Veterans Memorial Park, the Park at Manderson Landing, J. Oviatt Bowers Park, Snow Hinton Park, Monnish Park, Annette N. Shelby Park, Kaulton Park, Palmore Park, and many others. The city's parks and recreation authority receives a large amount of its funding from the city, and operates several parks and activity centers within the city. PARA is known for its participation in work therapy programs with the local VA. It is a county agency that receives a lot of its funds from the county, but also receives some from the state and federal governments. It has a large number of parks that are open to the public, many of which are open year-round. It also has a number of special events and events that take place throughout the year, such as the annual Alabama State Fair, which takes place in October and November.

Government

Tuscaloosa has a strong-mayor variant mayor-council form of government, led by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The mayor is elected by the city at-large while council members are elected to single-member districts. Neither the mayor nor the members of the city council is term-limited. All elected offices are nonpartisan. The city is in the federal jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Several federal agencies operate bureaus out of the courthouse. The $67 million building was the centerpiece of a major downtown urban renewal project. It houses the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Social Security Administration office. It is also home to the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Troopers (the state police) Tuscaloosans are represented in Congress by Robert Aderholt (R) and Terri Sewell (D), respectively. Alabama's senior senator, Richard Shelby (R), is a resident of Tuskaloosa. The most recent municipal elections were held in 2021. The current Mayor of Tuscalosa is Walter Maddox, who was elected to office in September 2005. The City Council is powered by state law to consider policy and enact law and to make appointments to city boards. The council also considers the budget proposed by the mayor for approval. The majority of work in the council is done by committee. These committees usually consist of three council members, one of whom will be chairman, and relevant non-voting city employees.

Education

The University of Alabama is the largest university in the state of Alabama in terms of enrollment. Shelton State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in Alabama, is located in the city. Tuscaloosa is also served by several private schools, both secular and religious. From 1923 to 2011, the state-run William D. Partlow Developmental Center has served the intellectually disabled, offering these citizens a public education as well as seeing to their other needs. In 2013 the school system hired its first minority superintendent of Hispanic/Latin origin who is also only the second female. In 2002, the system spent $6,313 per pupil, the 19th highest amount of the 120 school systems in theState of Alabama. The school system consists of 24 schools: 13 elementary schools (12 zoned and 1 magnet), 6 middle schools, 3 high schools (Paul W. Bryant High School, Central High School and Northridge High School), and 2 specialty schools (the Tuscalaosa Center for Technology, a vocational school, and Oak Hill School for special needs students). The system enrolls approximately 10,300 students with a $100 million budget. It also provides services forspecial needs students at Sprayberry Education Center. It is overseen by the Tuscalos County Board of Education, which is composed of seven elected members. The Board appoints a Superintendent to lead the system. The system enrollment is approximately 18,000 students which are served utilizing a budget of approximately $180 million. It consists of 34 schools6 high schools, 8 middle schools and 19 elementary schools.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama = 65.3. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 93. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Tuscaloosa = 5.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 99,600 individuals with a median age of 30.4 age the population grows by 12.64% in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,607.93 residents per square mile of area (620.83/km²). There are average 2.17 people per household in the 36,225 households with an average household income of $33,694 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.20% of the available work force and has dropped -8.14% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 15.52%. The number of physicians in Tuscaloosa per 100,000 population = 222.1.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Tuscaloosa = 53.3 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 114. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 214. 91 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 30.5 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 29, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama which are owned by the occupant = 42.91%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 31 years with median home cost = $154,640 and home appreciation of -3.38%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $3.12 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,361 per student. There are 16.2 students for each teacher in the school, 401 students for each Librarian and 429 students for each Counselor. 4.83% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 18.70% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 13.65% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).