Battle-Friedman House

The Battle-Friedman House was built about 1835 by Alfred Battle, a North Carolina native who had come to Tuscaloosa in 1821. The house and its outbuildings occupied the entire city block. Originally, the house consisted of the two front parlours, central hallway and the rooms above. The columned porch and the rooms at the back of the house were added at various times before the Civil War. In 1875, the house was bought from the Battles by Bernard Friedman, a local merchant who had immigrated from Hungary. It remained in the Friedman family until 1965, when it was willed to the city of Tuscaloosa by Hugo Friedman. The house is operated by the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society and is available for rental for weddings, receptions etc. The exterior of the house is stucco over brick and painted to resemble red marble. The front porch has distinctively Tuscaloosa styled paneled square columns. Inside, elaborate plasterwork decorates the walls and ceilings of the front parlours and hallways. Some of this is original to the house, but the distinctive art deco nasturtium frieze in the halls was added by the Friedman family in the early part of the twentieth century. The house also contains a fine collection of renaissance revival furniture. The house is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. unless rented out for a private event. There is a $5.00 per person admission charge. Children under 12 are free. Handicap accessible.