Tuscaloosa’s Historic Drish House to Re-Open in May

Tuscaloosa's historic Drish House was built in 1837 by slave artisans for Dr. John R. Drish, a prominent early settler, physician and building contractor. 

Drish remodeled the house in the 1850s and added the prominent columns and tower.

After Dr. Drish's death in 1867, his wife Sarah Drish continued to live in the house until her death in 1884. The property changed hands several times after her death until 1906 when the Tuscaloosa Board of Education bought it and converted it into the Jemison School.

The house was used as a school until 1925 when it became a parts warehouse for Charles Turner's Tuscaloosa Wrecking Company. In 1940 it was purchased by the Southside Baptist Church who built a sanctuary on one side and a detached Sunday school on the other.

After many years of remaining unused and being threatened by demolition, the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society acquired the deed in 2007 and began raising money for it's restoration.

The Drish Mansion has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places and is currently being maintained by Past Horizons, LLC.

Updates on the Historic Drish House Facebook page have been showing glimpses into the rebuilding process. The original flooring was harvested, sheetrock has gone up and a sprinkler system has been installed as the house gets ready to host a wedding in May.

If you'd like to get a hard hat tour or to schedule an event, you can call 205.422.9713.