<p>I know that Feeno probably knows these facts, but many of us may not…</p>
<p>In June of 2002, Tuscaloosa was awarded the All America City </p>
<p>From 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa was the capital of Alabama. During this period, in 1831, the University of Alabama was established.</p>
<p>(that explains why UA is where it is…I’ve often wondered that…)</p>
<p>Nicknames: The City of Champions, T-Town, The Druid City, The Queen City</p>
<p>*Tuscaloosa is a city in the west central part of the state of Alabama and the seat of Tuscaloosa County, the second-largest county in terms of area in the state of Alabama.[4] Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the **fifth-largest city in Alabama **with an estimated population of 93,215 in 2009. A former capital of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is named after the Choctaw chieftain Tuskaloosa who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila.[5]</p>
<p>Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for West Alabama. Tuscaloosa is also the home of the University of Alabama. </p>
<p>While the city attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced it would build its first automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa County, the university remains the dominant economic and cultural engine in the city.</p>
<p>In 2005, Mercedes completed a $600 million expansion that doubled its work force to 4,000 employees and added another vehicle assembly line at the plant, now 3 million square feet. Today, this billion-dollar MBUSI facility plant produces three vehicles – the second-generation M-Class, the R-Class Sports Tourer crossover vehicle and the GL-Class luxury sport utility vehicles.</p>
<p>This year (2009) Mercedes celebrated 12 years of production in the state.</p>
<p>Tuscaloosa is the principal city of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Tuscaloosa, Greene, and Hale counties. The estimated population of the metro area in 2009 is 210,839.</p>
<p>In addition to the city of Tuscaloosa being named one of the “50 Best Places to Launch a Small Business” by Fortune Small Business,[6] it was also named one of the nation’s “100 Best Communities for Young People” by America’s Promise Alliance.[7]</p>
<p>In 2009, scenic shots were filmed all around Tuscaloosa for Todd Phillips’ comedy, “Due Date”, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The filmmakers also said that the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau plans to establish a film commission that will work to bring more filmmakers to Tuscaloosa.[9] *</p>
<p>Religion is also quite diverse for a southern city… </p>
<p>* Religion: The city of Tuscaloosa is home to many places of worship in which people from the surrounding area of West Alabama may come to worship.</p>
<p>Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church has over 1,000 families attending. It is one of the largest and ornate churches in the city. First Presbyterian Church is the place of worship for many American and German residents in Tuscaloosa. Calvary Baptist Church, Englewood Baptist Church, and First African Baptist Church are three of the many Baptist churches in Tuscaloosa. Holy Cross Lutheran Church is a church reflecting on the Evangelical Lutheran community of Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>St. Gregory the Theologian Orthodox Church is the only Orthodox church in West Alabama. Its congregation is made up of Russians, Greeks, Romanians, Arabs, Eastern Europeans, and converts to Eastern Christianity. </p>
<p>Some of the oldest churches in Tuscaloosa are: St. John’s Roman Catholic Church c.1845 and Christ Episcopal Church c.1828. </p>
<p>Tuscaloosa is also home to many non-Christians as well. </p>
<p>The Jewish community of Tuscaloosa worships at Temple Emanu-El and the Hillel B’nai B’rith Center both near the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Islamic Society of Tuscaloosa is the only mosque in West Alabama. The Hindu Mandir Temple and Cultural Center is also found in Tuscaloosa.
*</p>
<p>Note…actually, I believe that the Jewish temple and Hillel are located on university property…as well as some of the other places of worship. I know that the Catholic and Lutheran churches are on campus property (leased land) and that the school has agreed to lease more land to St. Francis Catholic Church so that it could build a larger church for its growing community. For a state that only has 3% Catholics, T-town is one of a few pockets that has a much higher concentration probably because of faculty, students, an Italian and German community, and retired military.</p>
<p>I’ve noticed that a very large federal building is being built in Downtown…wonder what that will be for. </p>
<p>the Downtown area has really changed for the better in the 6 years that we’ve been visiting T-town. the remodeling/renovating has really made that area much more attractive. I’m glad that the city is investing in that area.</p>
<p>*On September 27, 2010, Birmingham-based Cobb Theaters announced that Tuscaloosa’s Cobb Hollywood 16 will be converted to a 3-D IMAX theater. *</p>
<p>*In December 2010, construction on the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater officially wrapped up with the dedication ceremony taking place days after. The 7,470 capacity Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is only blocks away from the lively downtown district and sits at the end of the fabulous Riverwalk on the banks of the Black Warrior River.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tuscaloosa-al.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2122[/url]”>http://www.tuscaloosa-al.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2122</a></p>
<p>Tuscaloosa’s Riverwalk is a beautiful 3-4 mile walking/biking trail along the Black Warrior River. It includes a couple of nice parks and the boat launch of the Bama Belle.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>BTW…we looked into those new condos that will be built on the Black Warrior River next to the RiverWalk. Construction has not begun, yet already over half have already been sold. They are going for about $500k.</p>
<p>info from Wiki and T-town website</p>