Interestingly, the photo is apparently misidentified in the book. According to the listing in Birmingham Public Library's Digital Collections, the structure is actually the main administration building of Howard College [now Samford University] which was in East Lake at the time. Founded in Marion in 1841, the school moved to East Lake in 1887 and then to its current location in Homewood in the 1950s.
A more extensive history of "Old Main" can be found on the BhamWiki site. The building was demolished in 1960 and an apartment complex built on the site.
I guess photographs were mis-identified even before the Internet!
The real Orphans' Home, built originally as a private girls' school, can be seen at the BhamWiki site.
Hi AJ, I grew up in East Lake and attended St. Thomas parochial school elementary (back in the dark ages - the 60's). There was an orphanage attached to that school, although it didn't have a tower like this one in the photo per my dim memories. Might have been altered after this picture was taken however.
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