University of Alabama, Josiah Gorgas House, Ninth Avenue & Capstone Drive, Tuscaloosa

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,63-TUSLO,3A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

University of Alabama Date of Construction: Builder/Architect/ Engineer: William Nichols Description: Gorgas House is a two-story brick raised cottage with a two-story central, open portico accessed by circular staircase. Designed by William Nichols, it served as a dining hall, faculty residence, infirmary, post office, and residence of Confederate Brigadier General Josiah Gorgas president of the university in and other Gorgas family members from to Originally, the lower floor consisted of one large dining room with fireplaces at each end capable of seating 100 students. The steward and his family lived on the upper floor.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,63-TUSLO,3A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Gorgas House served as the last residence of General Josiah Gorgas, the Pennsylvania-born chief of the Confederate Bureau of Ordnance, and is the "only" known shrine to this Confederate General. It is one of only four buildings of the original University of Alabama campus that survived the federal destruction during the Civil War. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, JOSIAH GORGAS HOUSE HABS No. AL-203 (Page 5)

Historical Overview

Built in as the dining hall for the University of Alabama, this structure is the first permanent university building and one of only four to survive destruction of the campus during the Civil War. It is the only structure on campus that survives from English architect William Nichols' original campus master plan. The University of Alabama was chartered December 17, three days after the state was admitted to the union. The U.S. government granted the State of Alabama 72 square miles of land, the proceeds from which were to be used to establish a "seminary of learning." Confederate General Josiah Gorgas was born near Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in Gorgas was educated at the U. S. Military academy from Upon graduation, he was appointed lieutenant of ordnance.

He served as ordnance officer at arsenals in New York, Detroit and Michigan and as first lieutenant of ordnance in the War with Mexico from to After the war, he was again an ordnance officer serving in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Maine, and South Carolina. While stationed at the Mt. Vernon Arsenal in he met and married the Alabama Governor's daughter, Amelia Gayle. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he resigned his commission in the U. S. Army and became chief of the Confederate Bureau of Ordnance, Richmond, Va. , in which position he served until the close of the war. According to Alex Sartwell, current historian of the Geological Survey of Alabama, Gorgas had an intimate knowledge of Alabama's mineral resources and industrial capabilities, due to his stay at the Mt.

Vernon arsenal, and first-hand knowledge of the state's first and recently published geological survey by Michael Tourney. He used this survey to develop the iron furnace, foundries and arsenals in what became the Confederate Industrial Corridor. (Sartwell Interview, After the war, Gorgas ventured into ironmaking at the Brierfield Furnaces. The venture proved unsuccessful. In the University of the South at Sewanee made him Vice-chancellor, and in he became President of the University of Alabama. Due to ill health, he resigned a year later. Appointed university librarian, the Trustees also granted him and his family residence at this property throughout their lifetimes. His wife, Amelia Gayle Gorgas, became matron of the university infirmary and postmistress.

The infirmary, the post office and her family were all located at "Gorgas House." After the General's death in Gorgas became university librarian, serving until Their son William Crawford Gorgas 0), educated at Sewanee and Bellevue hospital medical college in New York, became Surgeon General for the U. S. Army, receiving international honor for his conquering of yellow fever and malaria during construction of the Panama Canal in UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, JOSIAH GORGAS HOUSE HABS No, AL-203 (Page 6) the early Gorgas family members resided in "Gorgas House" until when it was declared a "state shrine." Now furnished with mementos and documents of the Gorgas family, the Gorgas House is maintained by the University of Alabama as a museum. Sources Consulted HABS Tuscaloosa Ct.

Site Survey Tuscaloosa Landmarks The University of Alabama - A Guide to the Campus, Historic Homes of Alabamaf pp. 3 0-3 6