Title
Luther Davis Sr., 1881 - 1969, Mayor of Tuscaloosa from 1932 to 1949
Subject
Government
Description
Luther Davis Sr. (1881 - 1969) served as a Tuscaloosa City Commissioner from 1926 until 1949, serving as mayor from 1931 until he retired from the city in 1949. He was made Honorary Mayor for life in 1967 by the city commissioners.
Davis was born in Hale County on Oct. 21, 1881, but lived most of his 87 years in Tuscaloosa. He attended Auburn for one year but entered the drug store business in 1901. He ran his own drug store, Davis Drug Store, for 66 years before retiring in 1967. The drug store was located on the bottom floor of the City Hall building on Greensboro Avenue. There was an entranceway from City Hall to Davis' shop which was convenient for anyone wanting to see the mayor on city business. When checks needed signing or someone needed quick instructions, Davis was right at hand. Davis' soda fountain was the site of frequent political discussions and many city matters were settled right there in the drugstore.
The Bama Theatre was built during Davis' administration with a federal grant and was leased to a series of companies over the years. The city got a fixed minimum lease payment plus a commission on the tickets. The total general fund the first year Davis was in office was $300,000.
He was on the board of directors for Druid City Hospital in 1942 and was appointed by the governor of Alabama to the Tuscaloosa County Defense Council in 1942 to take care of drug supplies, extra police and guards. He died on Oct. 3, 1969.
Davis was born in Hale County on Oct. 21, 1881, but lived most of his 87 years in Tuscaloosa. He attended Auburn for one year but entered the drug store business in 1901. He ran his own drug store, Davis Drug Store, for 66 years before retiring in 1967. The drug store was located on the bottom floor of the City Hall building on Greensboro Avenue. There was an entranceway from City Hall to Davis' shop which was convenient for anyone wanting to see the mayor on city business. When checks needed signing or someone needed quick instructions, Davis was right at hand. Davis' soda fountain was the site of frequent political discussions and many city matters were settled right there in the drugstore.
The Bama Theatre was built during Davis' administration with a federal grant and was leased to a series of companies over the years. The city got a fixed minimum lease payment plus a commission on the tickets. The total general fund the first year Davis was in office was $300,000.
He was on the board of directors for Druid City Hospital in 1942 and was appointed by the governor of Alabama to the Tuscaloosa County Defense Council in 1942 to take care of drug supplies, extra police and guards. He died on Oct. 3, 1969.
Source
Tuscaloosa News Archive
Contributor
Brenda Harris (Description)
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Newspaper
Identifier
758
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)