A Look Back at a North Tuscaloosa Landmark 

If you’ve ever driven along U.S. Highway 43 in northern Tuscaloosa County or noticed the name “Etteca Road” winding near the Berry line, you’ve crossed paths with a piece of local history. Decades ago, this area was home to Etteca School (often spelled Ettecca), a community staple that educated generations of rural Tuscaloosa children.

While the physical schoolhouse is gone, its legacy remains a fascinating chapter in the county’s educational history. Here is a look back at the story of Etteca School.

Where Was It?

Etteca School was located in northern Tuscaloosa County, roughly five miles north of where Northside High School stands today. It sat right at the intersection of Concord Road (now County Road 12) and Byler Road (now U.S. Highway 43).

A Historic Crossroads: Byler Road wasn’t just any local street—it was Alabama’s very first state-commissioned public road, completed in the 1820s. By placing the school there, it sat directly on a historic lifeline of Alabama travel.

The Timeline: Opening and Closing

• Opened (1927): The school was built in 1927 on a plot of land generously donated by local residents Morgan P. and Mamie Cannon. Its construction was part of an era where rural communities consolidated smaller, one-room schoolhouses into more centralized, structured school buildings.
• Closed (1967): After exactly 40 years of serving the community, Etteca School closed its doors for good in 1967 as the county shifted toward larger consolidated school districts like the nearby Northside community schools.

Grades and Students

Etteca operated primarily as a Junior High School (typically covering the middle school years), though like many rural schools of its era, it often housed elementary grades as well.

• The Feeder Pipeline: Once students finished their time at Etteca, they moved on to Gorgas High School to complete their education.
• Student Enrollment: While exact, year-by-year enrollment rosters have been lost to time, historical records and team photos suggest a tight-knit, community-centered student body typical of rural mid-century Alabama schools, likely numbering anywhere from a few dozen to a couple hundred students across the grades at its peak.

Cool Historical Facts

1. Championship Athletic History

Etteca might have been a rural school, but they played to win. In 1934, the Ettecca Junior High School basketball team took home the trophy in the very first Tuscaloosa County Junior High School Tournament. Local names etched into that winning roster included Troy Long, Dewrel Williamson, Paul Dyer, Cego Spencer, Wymon Oswalt, Dutch Dyer, and Robert Kemp.

2. Living on the Map

Though the school closed in 1967, its name was never erased. The nearby Etteca Road preserves the memory of the school, serving as a permanent landmark for a schoolhouse that once anchored the entire community.