I Remember Old Tuscaloosa, June 10, 1971

I Remember Old Tuscaloosa, June 10, 1971

History--Tuscaloosa (AL)

Maxwell, Fred (Frederick Richard Jr.), 1889-1988

Fred Maxwell wrote "I Remember Old Tuscaloosa" for a weekly newspaper in Tuscaloosa called The Graphic from December, 1970 through December 1971. The Graphic was founded, owned and published by Maxwell's daughter Camille Elebash and her husband Karl Elebash beginning in 1957. It was sold to The Tuscaloosa News in 1976 and ceased publication sometime later.

To see the complete article enlarged click on the image.

Fred Maxwell

Camille Elebash

The Graphic

June 10, 1971

Brenda Harris (Description)

Tuscaloosa Public Library

Document

1695

Tuscaloosa (AL)

Did you ever notice the small 2 x 3 foot wooden box mounted on top of a post about seven feet high and located in the middle of 23rd Ave. near 5th or University Blvd.? The box was well made, painted white and had louvers on all four sides. A four inch metal cup was outside the box that placed just above the roof. There was an elevated step in front of the installation. It remained there from about 1900 to 1940 when it was moved to the Oliver Lock and Dam site.

This box housed the weather instruments belonging to the U.S. Engineers who had offices on the second floor of the old First National Bank Building (now Adrian’s) and later in the Tuscaloosa Post Office (now the City Hall).

By placing a box on top of the step, as a small boy I could peep through the louvers. The two thermometers on the inside recorded the maximum and minimum temperatures which were read by an attendant daily. The four inch metal cup registered the rain fall. This was recorded daily by the U.S. Engineers.

Many Tuscaloosa residents saw this elevated box and wondered why it was left standing in the middle of a downtown avenue.

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