Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Bryce Hospital

Built in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s, Bryce Hospital opened in 1861 as the Alabama State Hospital for the Insane. The Italianate-style hospital designed by architect Samuel Sloan was the first building in Tuscaloosa with gas lighting and central heat. The University of Alabama bought the property in 2010, which is part of a project that includes a new performing arts center on the property. The new Performing Arts Academic Center will connect to the restored Bryce Hospital. The main hospital building is being renovated to include a welcome center, reception venue, offices and rehearsal space, along with museums dedicated to university history and the history of mental health in Alabama.

Photo Credit: Lewis Kennedy