53 comments

  1. Jeff Lee Baker

    I really love seeing these old photos and stories. Thanks

    1. Alabama Pioneers

      I’m glad you enjoy them.

  2. Benjamin A Chism

    Pretty!!

  3. Regina Miller

    Beautiful building! I have never heard of this university.

    1. Jean Woods Watson

      It combined with Birmingham College to form Birmingham Southern in Birmingham, AL. Old building became Southern Academy in 1965.

    2. Regina Miller

      Jean Woods Watson Thank you for the information!

  4. John Brasher

    Great article. The tornado that destroyed Southern University, and became known as the Brent Tornado, occurred on May 27, 1973 https://brenttornado.wordpress.com/southern-universitysouthern-academy-greensboro/

  5. S. Jeff Bayne

    This historic web site is wonderful. The pictures of Southern Univ. are beautiful; and Birmingham-Southern College is a jewel as an off-spring. Too bad this beautiful building isn’t on the B’ham campus. Don’t know if you have in the past, but please consider featuring Athens State Univ., formerly Athens College – buildings even older than Southern Univ., dating back to pre-Civil War days.

  6. Jim Tomlinson

    It’s now the home of Southern Academy. I had the privilege of coaching there in the 80’s

    1. Jean Woods Watson

      You beat me to an answer, Jim!

  7. Rosemary Ogburn McGowin

    My father attended the Military Academy when he was high school age. Always said it was one of the most beautiful buildings he had ever seen. Built by slaves.

  8. Sherron Hayes

    I use to live in Greensboro… beautiful ole southern town!

  9. Fisher O. Hedgeman

    I just marvel and mourn at what Greensboro, my beloved home town could have become.

  10. Greensboro was first named the Russell Settlement, and then Troy, Alabama | Alabama Pioneers

    […] of acres of land in that locality. The settlers built up a small village named Troy near where Southern University was later […]

  11. Kay Marsh Allen

    Thanks for sharing.

  12. Frank E. McMillan

    I think I was 14 years of age at the time of the tornado. A friend of mine worked for a man who had the contract of clearing the rubble. I vaguely remember sorting through the brick and putting it in piles. I was glad when they were able to use some of them in the new building. These photos bring back memories–I could no longer remember what the building looked like until seeing these. Thanks!!

  13. Willie Walker

    I’m a bit confused about such a place as Troy in Hale county. No mention of the town of Troy in Pike county where I was born? I collect history books from the southeastern counties of Alabama and don’t find very many of them?

    1. Donna R Causey

      The story you are referring that mentions Troy in Hale County is a transcription from the following book.
      HISTORY OF GREENSBORO, ALABAMA From Its Earliest Settlement by William Edward Wadsworth Yerby, Montgomery, Alabama, The Paragon Press, 1908 transcribed by Debra Hudson

      Troy in Hale County, like the town of Erie, no longer exists.

  14. Hung in Effigy in Greensboro, Alabama in 1843 – Alabama Pioneers

    […] Old Southern University, University Avenue and College Street, Greensboro, Alabama April 3, 1934 by W. N. Manning photographer (Library of Congress) […]

  15. Did you know that in 1869 there was a dramatic club made up of only men in Greensboro, Alabama? – Alabama Pioneers

    […] Old Southern University Stage in Greensboro, Alabama ca. 1930s, photographer Alex Bush (Library of […]

  16. Margie Joyce McCrory Fields

    I lived on college street in the late 59s and early 50s.

    1. Margie Joyce McCrory Fields

      Late 40s and late 50s…. sorry.

    2. Jamey Strain

      Margie would you have been related to George McCrory of the Quality Shop formerly in Greensboro?

  17. Bonnie Burt

    I was sitting on the stage for our Senior Baccalaureate Service that Sunday. We left the service 20 minutes before the stage fell in where we had just been sitting!

    1. Henry Thigpen

      Yes we were!!!!

    2. Debra Abernathy Reynolds

      We had just left too. I’m so glad I got to experience life in the “ole castle”. It was a beautiful building that housed the first Southern families. I missed those days

    3. Bonnie Burt

      Me too!!

    4. Henry Thigpen

      If we could only go back!!!!

    5. Bonnie Burt

      Henry Thigpen. Amen

    6. Bonnie Burt

      That is a hoot!! I wish!! Miss ya but not that JOB!!

    7. Carol M. J. Mott

      Bonnie Burt I miss you too, girlie!

  18. Janet Gresham

    It was May 27, 1973, hit Greensboro, then Brent. This was my alma mater.

    1. Earl Henry

      I do remember oh so well

    2. Janet Gresham

      https://www.alabamawx.com/?p=135238

  19. Jan Varnon

    Patrick, this is so interesting! Thank you for posting. Such a beautiful building, so sorry I never got to see it.

  20. Joanne Whitfield

    It was a beautiful building.

  21. Christie Watson Baker

    This is beautiful. The architectural style has a Gothic look. Where would this be located in current day Greensboro?

    1. Michele A. Clements

      It was destroyed by a Tornado in 1973.

    2. Christie Watson Baker

      Michele A. Clements yes I read that. It is such a shame, it looked beautiful.I was curious to the building was located, before the tornado destroyed
      it.

    3. Rita Walker Baker

      Christie Watson Baker on the site of current Southern Academy

  22. Earl Henry

    I love pictures of the old College

  23. Amy Goodman

    Patrick Goodman

  24. Janis Gilbreath Martin

    Thanks for sharing

  25. Sharon M Mckinney

    I love history like this. Greensboro is a beautiful place.

  26. Suzanne Branyon

    What a beautiful building!

  27. Marie Davis

    Kevin Davis

  28. Mimi Espericueta TAylor

    What a spectacular building! It’s really Sad that they couldn’t rebuild something even remotely similar. I wonder what the story was there?! No insurance? I mean really! What happened? I hear they used some of the original bricks in the odd metal/brick structure that’s exists today. It’s hard to believe it ever looked like THAT in that location. Caitlyn Cordova good share tho. I had the book from Dr Bailey with this photo in it. Also pictures of a dirt main street with horse drawn carriages! Pretty cool and kinda sad to think they had an OPERA house and a university!

  29. Janet Gresham

    Nice article about Southern University/Southern Academy, but please change the date of the tornado. It was May 27 not May 23. Thank you!

    1. Donna R Causey

      Thanks for the correction.

  30. Anne Monaghan Frost

    What a wonderful article. I saw it before the tornado but not inside. My family had students there as well as BSC later. Andrew , Jamey, Marietta, Helen Rosa

    1. Marietta Monaghan

      When did you see it?

    2. Anne Monaghan Frost

      Marietta we drove through there on the way to and from the Givhans farm. I was about 11

    3. Marietta Monaghan

      I love that you remember seeing it! Must have made quite an impression.

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