10/03/2026
✨ Thank You for Dining Through Time! ✨
What an incredible evening!
Historic Tuscaloosa’s Third Annual Progressive Dinner, Dining Through Time: A Taste of Historic Tuscaloosa, brought together so many wonderful people for an evening of historic architecture, exceptional food, music, storytelling, and—most importantly—preservation.
From the moment guests arrived at the The Battle-Friedman House and Gardens for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, to dinner at the Jemison-Van De Graaff Mansion, and finally dessert at the beautiful Bama Vacation Rentals and Bed & Breakfast, the evening was truly a journey through Tuscaloosa’s history. Moving from one historic property to another is what makes our Progressive Dinner such a unique and sought-after event. It takes a tremendous amount of planning and coordination to bring an evening like this together across three locations, and it certainly takes many hands to make it happen.
And this year, our guests had another piece of history to take with them.
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, each guest received a different historic rack card featuring a Revolutionary War figure connected to Tuscaloosa or one of George Washington’s most valued military officers. Whether you found yourself seated at the Hamilton Table, the John Jay Table, the Nathanael Greene Table, or another, each table offered another opportunity to connect our local history with the larger story of America. To see who was mentioned on these cards, check out our full album 👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/1EQrDnZVCL/?
Most importantly, every ticket, sponsorship, and contribution from this event helps support Historic Tuscaloosa’s preservation mission, with this year’s proceeds benefiting the continued preservation of the Old Tavern as we prepare to celebrate its 200th birthday in 2027.
A very special thank-you goes to our incredible sponsors. Your generosity made this evening possible and directly supports the preservation of Tuscaloosa’s historic places:
🏛️ Premier Sponsors
• Claire Friday
• Fitts Architects
• Drs. Andrew and Regina Harrell
• Louise W. & Luther W. Richardson Charitable Foundation
🏛️ Partners in Preservation
• J. David Fitts
• Palmer Interactive LLC
• The Morrow Company
• Bama Bed & Breakfast
🏛️ Heroes in History
• Taco Casa
• Glenna Brown
• Mr. and Mrs. Drew Kyle
• David and Patty Carden
• Johnson & Marshall P.C.
🏛️ Supporters
• Bryant Bank
• Tuscaloosa Toyota
• Eugenia P. Jobson
• River Bank & Trust
• Clinic for Rheumatic Diseases
• Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors, Inc.
• Reese Phifer, Jr. Memorial Foundation
We are also incredibly grateful to Savory Solutions Catering, whose food never disappoints and who once again helped make dinner such a memorable part of the evening. Thank you for taking such wonderful care of our guests!
A huge thank-you to J&S Bartenders as well. We always love seeing you walk through the door! Your professionalism, consistency, and exceptional service make every event better, and we are grateful to have you as part of so many Historic Tuscaloosa events.
Thank you to the incredible musicians who filled the evening with beautiful music and helped create the atmosphere at the Jemison Mansion. Your talent added something truly special to the experience.
We are especially grateful to the University of Alabama Hospitality students who volunteered their time throughout the evening. Your help with guest service, clearing tables, washing dishes, and keeping things moving behind the scenes made an enormous difference. Your willingness to jump in and help allowed our staff to focus on coordinating the many moving pieces of an event spread across three historic properties. We truly could not have done it without you!
Thank you to Kim and Marc Roberts, owner of Bama Bed & Breakfast, for opening her extraordinary 1823 home to our guests and allowing us to end the evening surrounded by history, hospitality, and an incredible selection of desserts. It was the perfect final stop on our journey.
And to our Historic Tuscaloosa Board members—thank you for giving your time, energy, and talents to this event. From setup and decorating to greeting guests, assisting throughout the evening, cleaning up, and staying until the very end, your willingness to roll up your sleeves and help is what makes events like this possible.
A special shout-out goes to Steven Taranto for creating the beautiful and incredibly resourceful floral arrangements throughout the evening. Many of the vessels used for the arrangements came from the Old Tavern, giving pieces of our own collection a new purpose and adding another meaningful connection to the preservation mission behind the event. 🌿
And finally, thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket and joined us. You chose to spend your Thursday evening traveling from historic house to historic house, sharing a meal with friends, learning a little more about Tuscaloosa and American history, listening to live music, enjoying incredible food, and supporting preservation.
That is what makes Dining Through Time so special.
It isn't simply a dinner. It is an experience made possible by many hands, many talents, and a shared appreciation for the places and stories that make Tuscaloosa unique.
From all of us at Historic Tuscaloosa—thank you for helping us preserve the past while preparing these places for the future. ❤️
We can't wait to dine through time with you again next year!
