Pictures presented in the above slideshow are credited to the University of Montevallo’s Oliver Cromwell Carmichael Library and Milner Archives Department.
Montevallo is not like any other town in the state of Alabama. While the city is small, there is a lot to offer— opportunity, diversity, and a welcoming environment. If you take a walk on the famous Main Street, the street lamps are decorated with signs of purple and gold, and the most used mode of transportation by the citizens is walking. Even though the City of Montevallo and the University of Montevallo are different in many aspects, both have a history of harsh beginnings.
There were many figures that contributed to the settling of Montevallo, one, in particular, being Jesse Wilson. Wilson settled in the area known today as Shoal Creek Park. Soon after Wilson declared his residency, a man named Edmond King followed suit. King proved to be a huge impact on the university’s foundation, considering that the University of Montevallo sits on King’s old cotton plantation. Today, King’s house sits on the campus of Montevallo, reserved for the elite guests and alumni that pay a visit and need a place to stay overnight.
The town’s personality and eccentricity progressed through other measures. In 1896, Montevallo opened its newest addition to the town— The Alabama Girls’ Industrial School. When the AGIS opened, about 150 women were enrolled. AGIS defied what typical southern norms encouraged by teaching the women how to milk cows and farm in the fields to provide for themselves. The south’s economy had taken a hit, so women learning life skills such as the ones mentioned meant that even without a husband, these women could make a living and make a contribution to the city just like any other man would do. AGIS was far ahead for its time than the rest of Montevallo, but even with this innovative school for women, the town still found ways to fight against the university’s inclusive environment.
In 1923 when the school started granting degrees in academics, the named changed to Alabama College, and then in 1956 men were allowed to enroll at Alabama College. Shortly after the University of Alabama integrated in 1963, Alabama College immediately complied with the Civil Rights Act of 1963, which then allowed African American students to enroll. Once the university realized how important its inclusivity was to the progression of society, the Board of Trustees, once again, changed the name from Alabama College to the University of Montevallo.
The University of Montevallo was changing at a rapid pace, and the students embraced the change. The non-university members that lived in the town, however, have kept up with the changes at a slower pace. Today, the University of Montevallo still finds itself in small quarrels with the town on a range of issues, one in particular being the focus of this website— the establishment of a Non-Discrimination Ordinance.