05/20/2026
Did you guys think I had abandoned y'all for the summer? Oh no, not me! I might not post every week, but when I need a little break from the work week (including starting inventory on a brand-new collection that I am thrilled to explore), you might see me. I couldn't just let these "snippets" wait a whole two and a half months, now, could I?
In addition to loving old maps, I love architecture. Over the last few weeks of the spring semester, I worked on a new exhibit for Rogers Hall, or as some of you know it, Courtview. This 171-year-old, three-story, Greek Revival structure has become one of my favorites on campus and in Florence. Journey with me and let's travel back to 1850 for today's "Snippets from the Archives."
Around 1850, George Washington Foster, a wealthy planter from the Oakland community (also referred to as the Colbert Reserves of Lauderdale County), decided he wanted to build a home here in Florence. The site he chose was along the northern portion of Court Street, which at the time, was the highest point in downtown Florence. In order to achieve this land for his home, a special act had to be approved by the Alabama State Legislature. Act No. 241 was adopted 30th January 1852. This act amended the act to incorporate the town of Florence with stipulations of shutting down and permanently closing the northern portion of Court Street. Along with this act, Foster also had to enter into property deeds from the Mayor and Alderman of Florence and from Martha Brandon for Lot 367 in August 1852 and also had to enter into an Indenture of property between himself and Edward B. Martin and his wife Sarah in 1854. Construction soon began and the completed home was finished in 1855. The Foster family, which included George, his wife Sarah and their five children, soon moved into the home.
I won't go into much detail about the years of war in this post (saving that for a rainy day), but this is the home where Sallie Independence Foster wrote her Civil War diaries in 1861-1867. (We have both diaries in the archives-very cool to read!) Stay tuned for that post.
George Foster dies in December 1878 and the home passed to his wife Sarah. There are some reports I have read that there were times while she was away on travel that Sarah would rent the home out. It is reported that the Sherrod family actually lived at Courtview while Sarah was away from one to two years. When Sarah passed, the home was inherited by Sallie. Sallie, now married to Mr. Sterling Paine McDonald, a graduate of Florence Wesleyan University, and their five children became the owners. I read somewhere that the McDonalds actually lived in Courtland or Town Creek (my mind is not 100% sure), but Sterling became very sick and they decided that the best place to be at was Coutview.
In the late 1890s, both Sterling and Sallie passed away, and the home was passed to their children. Due to a Mortgage of Estate on the home, the home was auctioned off and in 1900 Emmet O'Neal purchased the home. He lived at Courtview until he was elected governor of Alabama in 1910. While he was in Montgomery, the home was used as a boarding house. This would be the first time that State Normal School would have interaction with the structure.
In 1913, the school needed a home for their new president. State Normal School rented the home for Dr. Henry J. Willingham and his family, and they lived here until the home was sold due to the death of {Governor} O'Neal in 1922. Thomas McLemore Rogers, Sr., a city merchant and son of Benjamin Armstead Rogers, Sr., purchased the home. (If that name rings a bell, B.A. Rogers, Sr. was the owner of Rogers Department Store in Downtown Florence. There was a fire in 1910 and both Thomas and his brother, B.A., Jr., rebuilt the store soon thereafter).
During the time the Rogers lived at Courtview, Thomas and his wife Alberta (or I have even seen Alma) remodeled and renovated the home to its former beauty. In 1935, the Historic American Building Survey was in full swing around the country. Courtview was one of many homes that were photographed and sketched (architecture, floor plans, etc.) by the Library of Congress. It was "the nation's first federal preservation program, begun in 1933." For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritagedocumentation/habs.htm
In February 1948, Mrs. T.M. Rogers (Alberta) sold the home to Florence State Teachers College. The home became "a social gathering spot," with Mrs. Laura Pearl Sparks becoming the first social hostess for the home. Rogers Hall, as the home would now be called, was used not only for social events, but also housed the College’s historical museum, or the Susan K. Vaughn Museum, Mrs. Vaughn was a teacher and eventually the chair of the History department (1898-1943) as well as a supervisor of the Training School here at the university. The museum was housed on the ground floor of the home until it was discontinued in 1968. In 1974, Rogers Hall was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places by the Alabama Historical Commission and four years later, received its addition to the National Register. Around the same time, a “petition” of sorts was circulated to change the name of the home back to “Courtview.” A historical marker was placed outside the home, celebrating both “Courtview” and “Rogers Hall.”
Due to the rising problems of the home, including needing major repairs and renovations, the home was closed to the public in 1975. Six years the home lay empty. In 1981, students attending UNA decided it was time to restore the home. Soon, the Alumni Association became involved, and “Project Courtview” was created. This campaign aimed to raise $250,000 for repairs and renovations, which began November 15, 1983. Less than two years later, on July 28, 1985, a formal opening of Courtview-Rogers Hall was held. The home was reopened in the fall semester of 1985. An additional renovation occurred to the home in 2005, known as “Campaign for Rogers Hall.” Today, the beautiful 171-year-old home still stands, commonly referred to in many circles as the Foster House or Courtview or Rogers Hall or even, Alumni Hall. Whichever name you give her, she proudly will answer to it.
I will leave you with a few interesting facts about the architecture of Courtview:
1. The home was built of dark red bricks (handmade by enslaved people) and is three stories high. The basement is a full story and is above ground.
2. The present branched stair at the rear of the main hall dates from the 1920s. The original stair was located in a side hall to the left (west).
3. The door at the rear of the main hall once opened onto a full-length rear veranda.
4. Originally, there was a large, square rooftop observatory that viewed down Court Street.
If you get by campus this summer and have the time, stop by Rogers Hall/Courtview and check out the new exhibit! Have a great Wednesday!!!
Photo Credits: UNA Archives and Special Collections, The University Collection, Library of Congress HABS project Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey, and (new) Steen Collection (in progress)
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
