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J.R. Thomas Wellness, Fitness & Rehabilitation Center

Introduction

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Despite its somewhat plain appearance, the building now known as the J.R. Thomas Wellness, Fitness & Rehabilitation Center is a historically significant building. It was the home of the first recreational facility for African Americans in Mobile and as such remains an important local landmark. The center was founded in 1921 as the Davis Avenue Community House and this building was erected in 1936, replacing the first one. The building is also significant in that it was the only recreational building for African Americans in Mobile constructed using funds provide by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), one of the federal agencies established during the Great Depression to support the national economy. The center is currently a branch of the Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc.

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Built in 1936, the J.R. Thomas Wellness, Fitness & Rehabilitation Center was the home of the first recreational facility for African Americans in Mobile.

Property, House, Architecture, Building

Backstory and Context

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The area along what would be later named Dr. Martin Luther King Drive developed into a "city within a city" in Mobile starting the in late 1800s. As a result of segregation, it became an African American neighborhood and was thriving by the 1920. It earned the nickname "The Avenue" and boasted businesses, churches, and schools. The city bought a property from a prominent African American in 1921 to build the Davis House, which was eventually renamed the Davis Avenue Recreation Center. When it opened, the center featured a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a small park for children. It was torn down in 1936 to make way for the present building.

In 1976, the building was renamed after director Joe Radford Thomas, who was hired in 1942. Under his leadership, the center started offering baseball, softball, and basketball programs. He was also a prominent member of the community. The center is further notable for people who used it including baseball hall of famers Henry "Hank" Aaron and Willie McCovey, and Major General Jerome Gary Cooper, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as Ambassador to Jamaica. In 2011, the center was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its ties to the local African American community.

Sources

"Davis Avenue Recreation Center in Mobile listed in the National Register." Alabama Historical Commission. July 11, 2011. Retrieved from the WebArchive on November 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20111010132448/http://preserveala.org/pdfs/NR/PressReleases/DAVIS.AVE.REC.CENTER.MOBILE.pdf.

Wilson, Shaun & Enzweiler, Susan. "Davis Avenue Recreation Center." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. June 27, 2011. https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_AL/11000407.pdf.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Davis_Avenue_Recreation_Center_in_Mobile.jpg

Additional Information