As mentioned, one of the key tasks for students enrolled in this class will be paying close attention to space and place (in other words, how things and people got to be where they are). This idea has lots of resonance with one of their assignments: thinking deeply about how Tuscaloosa fits into the story of modern and urban living. The Black Warrior River, which is pictured here, figures into that narrative. As true of many towns and cities in the United States, the permanent settlement of people here was tied to the presence of water. Katherine Richter, Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society, shares as much with Amalia K. Amaki, in Images of America Tuscaloosa, a book they wrote together. The book is filled with images and information about Tuscaloosa from its earliest days as a Native American settlement to the present day. Before whites arrived in the area, indigenous people resided on the south side of the Black Warrior. Below is a photo of the river from a window seat at the Cypress Inn, a Tuscaloosa restaurant. How often do we look at the barges passing by and connect it with a past that in many ways is still with us? This question is one the students will consider in better understanding how the nineteenth century was a time that witnessed great patterns of change for American life on many fronts including cites. Indeed, whether we are speaking about Cincinnati, Louisville, New York and so many other places, it is very difficult to think of them without considering the importance of waterways and their role in the growth of settlement, industry and even American culture. As an aside, Richter will be the keynote speaker at at a public event, which will be held at 4 pm December 4 on campus. Before she speaks, students will present their research on local buildings via a short movie. Stay tuned for more details.
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