The Battle-Friedman House and Gardens

The Battle-Friedman House was built around 1835 by Alfred Battle, a North Carolina native who had come to Tuscaloosa in 1821. 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. The Battle family owned the house until 1875 when they lost it due to

foreclosure in the last dark days of Reconstruction. The house was bought by the Friedman family. The head of the family, Bernard Friedman, was a Hungarian Jew who had come to Tuscaloosa as a peddler, opened a store, and became a respected member of the Tuscaloosa business community. The Friedman family owned the house until 1965 when it was willed by Hugo Friedman to the City of Tuscaloosa. The house is leased by the city to the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society which runs and maintains it. The house is now operated by Historic Tuscaloosa 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 for tours Tuesday-Saturday, 2:30 - 3:30 pm unless reserved for a private event. There is no charge for tours, though we gladly accept donations. Handicap accessible. For large groups, please call our offices to reserve a tour. This is a property leased by the Historic Tuscaloosa and operated by Historic Tuscaloosa as a museum and event venue.