UM Amphitheater to be Reborn on Flower Hill

By Mandy Steadman

The University of Montevallo's Physical Plant has uncovered a piece of the campus history on the President's lawn, also known as Flower Hill. 

For the past few weeks the UM Physical Plant has been working on relaying the brick streets and pathways on Flower Hill. While working on the project, however, the director of the physical plant, Billy Hughes, discovered some interesting brick paths that were lying deep underneath the grass.

Hidden Path on Flower Hill

"During this research behind me I probed the ground where the brick were to see if I could find more," said Hughes. 

Within the grassy hill were old brick paths that outlined the whole theater, including audience seating and the stage. These outlines have been on Flower Hill since the 1930's, but they eventually were lost in time and were taken over by nature. 

Working with his team at the Physical Plant and with campus archivist Carey Heatherly, Hughes said his goal is to stick with the original plan for the campus landscaping that was drawn out by the Olmsted Brothers in 1930. This included keeping the original paths of the theater and revitalizing these bricks to create a space everyone can use. 

Physical Plant Director Billy Hughes

"Our goals, or my goal, is to bring this whole area back to life. It is a very large amphitheater; it is 200 ft across by 200 ft long. The stage is already there. I see great use of the amphitheater for outdoor concerts, plays, parties that can be used by a number of different people on campus," said Hughes. 

Hughes and his team did add a few tweaks to the original design, including a safe wheelchair access path that will lead to comfortable seating. It is hard to say exactly when the amphitheater will be ready for campus use, but Hughes said he would like to have it up and ready ASAP.