by Stephen Hartsfield

When most people think of art, architecture is usually not the first discipline that comes to mind.  It is more common to ponder the works of Picasso or Rembrandt, Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci.  The landscapes of Bob Ross or the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock are more likely to be discussed than the designs of the buildings that people use on a daily basis.  It is more common to hear a conversation discussing the prolific songwriting of Bob Dylan or John Prine than the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian column design used in Greco-Roman architecture.  The Dorian based solos and phrasing of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour is a much more likely discussion than the advent of the arch and the cathedrals that were built by utilizing that innovation.

If, however, a discussion of architecture does arise, Calhoun County, Alabama is usually not one of the locations that immediately come to mind.  But since its founding, there have been many structures that have been built that exhibit innovative thinking and construction techniques and have provided the area with some truly exceptional buildings.  In Calhoun County, there are over sixty structures and districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church is located at 1000 West 18^th Street in Anniston, Alabama.  The architect William Halsey Wood designed the building and ground was broken for the complex on June 11, 1888.  Constructed in the Norman style with locally sourced materials, the church was consecrated on September 29, 1890.  It was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on November 23, 1976 and to the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1978. 

Not to be outdone by their Protestant counterparts, the local Jewish community constructed Temple Beth-El in 1891.  It is a fine example of Romanesque Revival style architecture and is a synagogue located at 301 East 13^th Street in Anniston, Alabama.  It was built in 1891 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

But places of worship are not the only structures in the county that are notable.  The Calhoun County Courthouse was designed by Atlanta Architect J. W. Golucke.  The structure was built in 1900 in the Neoclassical style at 25 West 11^th street, and was rebuilt after a 1931 fire.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.  The East Anniston Residential Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 28, 1993.  The district contains structures in the Prairie School, Bungalow/Craftsman, and Queen Anne styles and runs along Leighton and Christine Avenues from 11^th street to 22^nd street and along Woodstock Avenue from 11^th Street to Rocky Hollow.

Architecture can easily be overlooked as an art form even though people pass by or enter significant structures every day.  The next time you drive through a Calhoun County town or walk down its streets, take a look around you.  You may see something you have never noticed before.  And it is likely you will be struck by its elegance and beauty.

Calhoun County National Register of Historic Places