Surrounding Development

Surrounding Development. Exploring the History of Block No. 148 - The Site of Anniston's Federal Courthouse. In 1917, Block 148 appeared much as it did thirty years earlier. The only new addition was the Chero-Cola Bottling Company on West 12th Street. However, the surrounding blocks, which had been residential or had remained undeveloped, saw some major changes during those years. Anniston City Hall and Stables, along with the Fire Department, were constructed on the block to the north, the Calhoun County Courthouse and the development of Noble Street to the east, a commercial block with multiple businesses to the west, as well as businesses to the south along 10th Street, many Black-owned., The map pictured is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. These were produced to help fire insurance agents determine the fire risk of a property. They show the size, shape, and materials of each building, as well as fire walls, sprinkler systems, and the locations of windows and doors. The maps also indicate widths and names of streets, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. While not their intended purpose, these maps have become a valuable resource when researching historic buildings., [Captions (clockwise from top right)] , . No. 1 – The Chero-Cola Bottling Company building at 110-112 West 12th Street was built on Block 148 around 1910. Chero-Cola was a cherry-flavored cola that launched Royal Crown Cola International. , . No. 2 –Anniston City Hall and Fire Station was built on the block north of Block 148 about 1900. This building functioned as city hall until it was moved to the former USO building after World War II. , . No. 3 – The Calhoun County Courthouse to the east of Block 148 was built in 1900 when the county seat moved from Jacksonville to Anniston. Here it is shown with its original cupola, lost in the fire of January 1931. , . No. 4 – The U.S. Courthouse and Post Office was built two blocks east on Noble Street in 1904. The design of the new Federal Courthouse on Block 148 was based on the facade of the historic Beaux Arts building, whic still stands. , . No. 6 – The Armour and Company building was erected adjacent to the Mercantile at 1104-1106 Moore Ave. between 1900 and 1905. In this ca. 1915 photograph, you can see the streetcar rails running in front of the building., . No. 5 – The Anniston Mercantile Company was built at the northwest corner of 11th and Moore streets in 1887. Both this building and the Armour and Company Building next door were destroyed by fire in 1998. , 1917 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Anniston, Alabama, Courtesy of the Library of Congress; Photographs courtesy of the Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County and the Russell Brothers Collection.