Birmingham may soon have an 18 acre natural preserve near Tip Top Grill in Bluff Park, thanks largely to Larry Rodick, President of Friends of Shade Mountain, who has been spearheading the effort. Birmingham City Council has approved an agreement to work with Hoover and the non-profit organization to protect this historic and scenic site. Plans include gaining permission to create trails from the top of the bluff through the valley and all the way to Shades Creek. Read more about Bluff Park’s history HERE and HERE.
Left to right: Marjorie White: Birmingham Historical Society Director, Larry Rodick: President of Friends of Shade Mountain, and preservation advocates Peggy Cornett, and Tabitha Lacy at the April 14th COB Council Meeting.
Featured this year are three FREE events, with a tour of Rickwood Field, a talk on Birmingham Mineral Railroad, and a Community Preservation Spotlight in Titusville. Mark your calendars for these upcoming events! For more information, please contact Birmingham’s Historic Preservation Manager: Hannah.Garmon@birminghamal.gov
Birmingham is a true ‘foodie’ town now with multiple fine restaurants from which to choose, attracting tourists from all over the country. But it’s always been innovative and resourceful regarding food. These unique items were among those first invented in Birmingham and many are still available.
Celebrating 100 years of the historic Hollywood neighborhood is a tour this Sunday from 1 to 4 PM of four beautifully renovated Hollywood homes. The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, and is one of the earliest planned communities in the State. Noteworthy for its abundance of Spanish Mission style homes, it mirrored a taste for Hollywood, California glamour, enjoying its greatest popularity from 1915 to 1931.
The Tudor revival style also became popular through 1940, and many examples of this architectural style are found in Hollywood as well. Their distinctive half-timbered exteriors, with exposed wooden framing filled with stucco or brick, create a picturesque and Old-World charm. Together, the two architectural styles create a unique and recognizable neighborhood full of historic and well-maintained homes and gardens.
For over 50 years, Marjorie White has been sharing her research and discoveries about her adopted city of Birmingham. Her story as told in Birmingham Lifestyle Magazine is one of dedication, curiosity, exploration, and documentation. She knows this city well, and shares her enthusiasm in her latest publication, Birmingham by the Book.
Currently available locally (and mailed) from Birmingham Historical Society offices on Highland Avenue, at Thank You Books in Crestwood, and Shoppe in Forest Park, and at Amazon.com. Use the QR code to buy via PayPal or click HERE
If you want to share Birmingham with out-of-towners, this is a comprehensive, well-illustrated, but easy to read overview. And locals may just find out something new about Birmingham! Check it out! And read more about Marjorie’s story below…
Birmingham by the Book: A Guide to the Magic City is FREE to all new members! The heavily illustrated 8 x 10 guide is divided into chapters with photos, maps, and descriptions including:
MUST SEES
Sites to Explore
Before Birmingham
The City Center
Coal, Iron and Steel Communities
West End
East End
South Highlands
Red Mountain
Over the Mountain
Shades Mountain
A typical page is pictured below. Quickly access places to go and things to do with a particular emphasis on the history of the sites. Locals may discover a new appreciation for their city that they only thought they knew well. Tourists will find an easy-to-follow overview divided into regions with notable sites in each region. Use this guide so that you don’t miss important architectural or historical features. And JOIN US, as we continue to document Birmingham’s history and educate the public with annual publications per the words of Marjorie White, BHS Director, below.
Why is the nonprofit mission so critical and needed in the Birmingham community?
Nonprofits tread where others will not. Case in point: Fifty years ago, when I was first elected as an officer of the Birmingham Historical Society that I continue to serve as chairman of the board and director, the general understanding was that Birmingham had no history. (History happened before or during antebellum times and Birmingham was not even here then), and that the city had no built heritage to preserve. Over the intervening years, the Society has researched and published more than 70 books, drafted National Register of Historic Places and National Landmark nominations, conducted educational programs for adults and school groups and worked to create awareness and stewardship of the significant heritage of our post-bellum industrial city, greatly spearheading its conservation and preservation. This year, we look forward to releasing and sharing our definitive guide to Birmingham that once and for all dispels the notion that there is nothing to see or do in the Magic City.
Birmingham Historical Society is a privately funded membership organization. The Society benefits from the philanthropy of others: their donations of money, time and skills. As is true for similar groups across the United States, the Society has no full-time staff and operates with an exceptionally strong volunteer base. Many individuals have made decades long contributions.
We look forward to continuing their service, recruiting other volunteers, and to building our endowment to support future staffed positions, fulfilling our mission to research, publish. and educate our community about its history and heritage.
Are you a hiker? Do you enjoy nature trails? Are you interested in history? If so, there is lots to explore on Birmingham’s historic hiking trails as posted by AllTrails and available right on your smartphone.
The app provides driving directions, maps, points of interest, photos, and even plant identification with estimated times, length of trails, elevation changes, and difficulty. Abandoned mines and railroad tracks, along with associated structures, tell the story of Birmingham’s early industrial heritage. The topography and natural environment offer clues into why the area developed as it has.
Red Mountain, Full Loop by Randi BechtelIrondale Furnace Trail by Brian Cash
Want more? Check out the numerous Birmingham Historical Society publications that go into depth about Birmingham’s industrial history including:
