| Tuscaloosa is a city in
and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in the west central part of the U.S.
state of Alabama. Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest
city in Alabama with an estimated population of 90,221 in 2008. Tuscaloosa
is named after the Choctaw chieftain Tuskaloosa who battled and was defeated
by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila.
Tuscaloosa is the regional
center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for West Alabama.
Tuscaloosa is also the home of the University of Alabama. While the city
attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced it would
build its first automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa
County, the university remains the dominant economic and cultural engine
in the city.
Tuscaloosa is the principal
city of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Tuscaloosa,
Greene, and Hale counties.
Tuscaloosa is home to a variety
of cultural sites and events reflective of its historical and modern role
in Alabama and the Southeast in general. Many of these cultural events
are sponsored by the University of Alabama.
Numerous performing arts
groups and facilities, historical sites, and museums dedicated to subjects
as varying as American art and collegiate football dot the city.
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