Alston Building - Civil Rights Trail

The Alston Building is a historic seven-story landmark located at the corner of Greensboro Avenue and 6th Street in downtown Tuscaloosa. Completed in 1909, it is widely recognized as Tuscaloosa’s first “skyscraper” and was once promoted as the tallest building east of Chicago on a dirt road. Designed by the Birmingham architectural firm Carson & Thetherow, the building features a steel frame and a distinctive yellow brick façade inspired by the Chicago School architectural style. Over the years, the Alston Building has played an important role in Tuscaloosa’s history and development and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the building remains a notable downtown landmark and is included as a stop on the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights Trail, where visitors can learn about the city’s complex past and the events that shaped the local civil rights movement while exploring one of Tuscaloosa’s most recognizable historic structures.