When most Alabamians are asked what comes to mind when asked about Tuscaloosa, invariably the first response will be football. And while there is certainly a tradition of football excellence in Tuscaloosa, we tend to forget there is an excellent university there devoted to education, the arts and to the history of the state and region. Tuscaloosa is most definitely home to the Crimson Tide but it is also home to the Alabama Museum of Natural History. The museum’s mission statement sums up the devotion exemplified by the institution: “To advance the knowledge of natural sciences for the people of Alabama through exhibitions, collections and quality programs of teaching, research and service.” That charge and all that it encompasses can be seen in the life of the museum’s founder, Dr. Eugene Allen Smith.

Throughout his life, Smith was devoted to a variety of studies and to seeking means by which his state could rebuild after the devastation wrought by the Civil War. Born in 1841, Smith grew up in Autauga County prior to traveling to Philadelphia to complete his early education. Smith later returned home where he attended the University of Alabama completing a bachelor’s degree at the onset of the Civil War. After his degree was completed, he served in the Confederate Army taking part in several actions prior to returning the university where he taught military tactics. After his service was over, Smith traveled to Germany to extend his education to the doctorate level. He eventually returned to the United States in 1868 where he taught at the University of Mississippi before resuming his career at the University of Alabama in 1871. This move back to Tuscaloosa signaled the beginning of one of the most influential careers in state history.

At the University of Alabama, Smith established himself as an excellent teacher and an even greater leader. After lobbying for years, Smith became the state geologist which, in turn, led him to travel the state in search of a variety of natural resources that could be used to entice industry to the region. Throughout the 1870s, Smith worked with industrialists to bring them to the state to make use of the abundance of coal, iron and water that formed the foundation of the steel industry in Alabama. Prior to the 20th century, Smith completed a map of the state that was unsurpassed for its accuracy for the next 30 years.

In the end, one of Smith’s primary goals was to establish a natural history museum. He was able to accomplish this goal by 1910 when the building that bears his name was built on the University of Alabama campus. Smith Hall is a majestic structure with a three-story central section and a two-story north and south wing. Those two wings continue to house classrooms used by today’s university students. In addition to the displays in the central section, the facility hosts visits from school children on field trips as well as visitors to the campus from all over the world. Individuals and organizations are also encouraged to rent the Grand Gallery for afterhours events. If you have not visited the Alabama Museum of Natural History then by all means do so. More information can be obtained by visiting the museum’s website at almnh.ua.edu.