Museums and other places of interest
Safe House Black History Museum
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. sought refuge from the Ku Klux Klan inside a small, shotgun-style home in the depot neighborhood of Greensboro, AL just two weeks prior to his assassination in Memphis, TN. This small shotgun house, now the Safe House Black History Museum, documents the struggle for racial equality. It contains relics of the period from slavery through the civil rights movement including photos of the Greensboro marches, of Bloody Sunday in Selma, and of the triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery.
Magnolia Grove
Magnolia Grove, an excellent example of temple-style Greek Revival architecture, was built around 1840 as a town house by Isaac and Sarah Croom. In 1879, the house was purchased by Sallie Pearson Hobson, a niece of Mrs. Croom. The Hobson family deeded Magnolia Grove to the state of Alabama to serve as a memorial to Richmond Pearson Hobson, a naval hero during the Spanish-American War.
Greensboro Opera House
The Greensboro Opera House was built in 1903 on the site of an earlier opera house. Constructed as a two story building with a mezzanine, retail stores were on the ground floor with the theater and offices on the second. It gradually declined as a performing arts center and, suffering the effects of the depression, closed permanently on the eve of World War II. For more than half a century the theater sat deserted until 2003, when a non profit purchased the Opera House and began returning it to a multi-purpose cultural center.
Greensboro Hotel
One of Greensboro’s exciting new redevelopment projects is being led by Project Horseshoe Farm at the old Greensboro Hotel. The "Flemish bond" brickwork indicates a construction date possibly as early as 1830. This mid-19th century structure was originally two stories with wrap-around balconies. A third story was added circa 1890.
Hale County Library
This building dates back to the 1870s and served in the late 1800s as a law office for former Alabama governor, Thomas Seay. The central portion of the building retains the original layout of the offices, original doors, and “wavy” glass windows. Additions to the building maintain the original style
Noel-Ramsey
The Noel-Ramsey home (also referred to as the Old French House) is reputedly the oldest home in Greensboro. Constructed between 1819-21 by Thomas and Anne Hurtel Noel, it is the only surviving residence built by French settlers that came to west Alabama to establish a Vine and Olive Colony.
The Greensboro Depot
This part of town once served as the commercial and transportation hub of Greensboro to service the railroad spur built around 1860. After sitting empty for decades, this grand ca. 1870 warehouse is now open as an antique and architectural salvage store.
Churches
St. Paul's Episcopal
This parish, established in 1830, is the third oldest in the Alabama diocese. This church was erected in 1840 . It was here that Nicholas H. Cobbs was chosen as the first Bishop of Alabama in 1844.
Greensboro Presbyterian
Many of the bricks for this 1859 church were from the earlier 1841 church. The beautiful stained-glass windows were additions between 1890 and 1910. The steeple resides on the third story of the castellated bell tower.
First Methodist
In 1823, a Methodist Society was organized by Dr. Ralph Griffin Christopher. Formerly on this site were an open gambling house and the town blacksmith. This property was purchased in 1839 for $1000, and the first church was completed April, 1840. The current church was built in 1907 and includes many of the original 1840 stained glass windows made in Italy.
Historic homes - Tuscaloosa Street & east of Main
Multi Flora
Meaning "many flowers," Multi Flora was built in the late 1850s in the classic Greek Revival architecture. It features detailed cornices, four square columns with recesses on all sides, high ceilings and a curved stairway with a walnut railing and spindles. *Private residence
Camellia Cottage
Built in 1880, this house symbolized the new growth in Greensboro's the post-Civil War history. The front porch was enlarged adding twelve Ionic columns, as well as a porte-cochere. Formerly occupied by the prominent L. J. Lawson and Turpin Vise families, the home has seen a transformation with new ownership. *Private residence
Oakhampton
Robert Shackleford built a small, single-story home that contained only two main rooms with a hallway before 1840. This property was purchased by J. W. McCrary circa 1855, who remodeled, enlarging the house into the present Greek Revival structure by adding a second story. His nephew (Lee Otts) added the four fluted portico columns. *Private residence
Japonica Path
Built in the late 1840s, this house was named for the camellia japonica long before it became the Alabama state flower. Painstakingly restored to its former glory, it now operates as a full-service wedding and event venue. *Private residence
Historic homes - Main Street west of Tuscaloosa
Harvey House
Also referred to as Seven Pines, was built ca. 1848 by Col J. G. Harvey, long-time editor of the Alabama Beacon. This house has a simple design, with a gable-roofed front porch and four square, Doric-detailed columns. *Private residence
Ryan-Kirk-Luker
Built ca.1885, this home is an example of a two- story, Eastlake Victorian dwelling. When visiting, note the stained glass of the bay window and the decorative woodwork on the porch. *Private residence
Leiser-Baird-Shaner
Squire Lowry constructed the core of this home ca. 1840 which has undergone several additions over the years, nearly tripling its original size. *Private residence
Seay-Lawson-Cothran
This home was built ca. 1880 and features neoclassical details. The house features three french doors leading from the left front parlor, living room and dining room onto the wraparound front porch. *Private residence
Ward-DeWitt
This house was built ca. 1898 by Greensboro’s most prolific builder of the 1890s and early 1900s, John Straiton. It is one of the most imposing Queen Anne style dwellings in the county. The three-story corner tower with an onion-shaped dome dominates the 2 1/2 story house. *Private residence
Duggar-Osborn
This is a charming one-story Victorian cottage with Eastlake details that's located on Greensboro's Main Street. This house was built around 1890. Features of the house include articulated gable bays, a partial width porch with a turrett, a single leaf entrance and decorative spindle and scroll work. *Private residence