This massive painting by Albert Bierstadt, entitled Looking Down Yosemite Valley measures over 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide. and is a local favorite at The Birmingham Museum of Art. A gift of the Birmingham Public Library, Bierstadt completed the oil in 1865 as a hopeful vision reuniting the country after the Civil War, and it was displayed in Chicago until the Great Fire of 1871.
Following the 1871 fire, the masterpiece vanished for nearly 60 years. It resurfaced at an auction in 1929, where a railway engineer bought it for a mere $300 and brought it to Birmingham, eventually donating it to the Birmingham Public Library. It quietly hung in a library reading room for decades until 1991, when it was permanently transferred to the Birmingham Museum of Art, where it is celebrated as a national treasure.
Looking Down Yosemite Valley by Albert Bierstadt, photo by Art Meripol
The Birmingham Museum of Art was founded in 1851 annd now has a diverse collection of more than 27,000 paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, and decorative arts. ( For information about this and other museums in Birmingham, please refer to Birmingham by the Book or this list on our website.)
Birmingham emerged as the industrial capital of The South by 1900, and its growth was so fast, it was nicknamed The Magic City. For those curious about Birmingham’s resources, mines, and mineral lands, there are lots of sites to see (see pg. 11 of Birmingham by the Book for a list of 15 )! The historic Lone Pine Iron Mine opened around 1900 and can be viewed from The Vulcan Trail. It was a part of the Birmingham Mineral Railroad but the mine was closed shortly before WWI.
(photo above by Art Meripol 2025)
Tannehill Furnace (photo by Marjorie White)
During the Civil War, the Tannehill site expanded into three large stone cold blast furnaces producing up to 22 tons of pig iron daily for the Confederacy. The Union Cavalry under General James H. Wilson destroyed and burned the furnaces on March 31, 1865. But because it had successfully produced pig iron, the site is considered to be the birthplace of iron and steel making in the Birmingham District.
Birmingham has firmly established itself as a sought after town for foodies. Thanks to the talent and mentorship of Frank Stitt, (whose restaurant Highlands Bar & Grill won James Beard’s most outstanding restaurant in the country) Birmingham now has numerous white tablecloth dining experiences in addition to these old favorites below.
Irondale Cafe specializes in Southern comfort foodDreamland Barbeque’s Southside location.
But The Bright Star in Bessemer, claims the title of Alabama’s oldest continuously operating restaurant. Established in 1907, the 300 seat restaurant is a James Beard “American Classic Winner”with down-home cooking, hand-painted murals, and a legendary star sign welcoming guests for over 100 years.
The Bright Start restaurant in 1915 (4th location)
For a list of over 25 historic eateries and their locations, check out Birmingham by the Book (pg. 11)!
Climb to the top of the world’s largest cast-iron statue and take in the dramatic city and countryside views. Ditch the screen, and use Birmingham by the Book (pg. 7) for this and many more landmarks! Available on Amazon.
Ever thought about what historic organizations do and how they do it? What’s the organizational hierarchy?
Federal Agencies
Non Profit Organizations
State Organizations
Local Historical Organizations
Curious to learn more about a historic property? Living in a historic district, maybe? Let’s start with the National Register and answer those questions!
Federal Agencies & Non Profits
The National Register is a federal agency1 supported by tax dollars that promotes the restoration of significant historic properties. It maintains the official list of historic places in the United States worthy of preservation and is managed by the National Park Service.
It is NOT related to the National Trust for Historic Preservation which is a non-profit organization2 privately supported by their membership which advocates for historic properties. However, they do not manage nor approve register listings.
State
Properties included on the National Register must first be nominated or approved by state organizations3 and are subject to state laws, which in Alabama is the Alabama Historical Commission. Generally, nominated properties are at least 50 years old unless they are exceptionally important.
Birmingham Historical Society is among the local historical organizations4 which take great pride in their cities, researching their surroundings to educate and make recommendations about significant historic properties and people. It is often involved in the nomination process of historic properties and districts. Available publications document their research since their start in 1942.
Since that time, we’ve enjoyed exploring our new home in more depth. Our Highland Avenue neighbor, Randy Merritt, has been documenting the remaining historic homes on Highland Avenue as well as collecting archival photos of those that have been demolished.
The assortment tells the story of Birmingham’s pioneering residents whose strong belief propelled the city’s growth. It’s a tale of architectural innovation, economic power, social norms, financial successes, and the complex local politics of that time.
So, whether intrigued by the people, the location, the event, or by the lessons learned, history at all levels creates a compelling story worth preserving and telling. Grateful for the organizations that continue to tell those stories! One can’t help but appreciate the efforts of all of the organizations dedicated to upholding and conveying this history.
Below shows some of the process in registering the Highland Avenue Historic District. The Birmingham Historical Society offices are on the ground floor retail space in what was originally the Altamont Apartment Building on lot #4 on diagram below.
The 44 miles of Village Creek make up 53% of Birmingham’s Special Flood Hazard area. The creek stretches across Birmingham metro area from Roebuck Springs in the east to Ensley in the west and played a major part in Birmingham’s industrial beginnings. The Freshwater Land Trust is now actively working to develop the area into a continuous recreational trail and greenway, while preserving local habitats. However, in the interim, repeated flooding over 50 years has resulted in more than 17 federal disasters.
The Birmingham Historical Society has been advocating for green space along this corridor since 1984 beginning with the BHS study of the floodplains in East Lake, East Birmingham, and Ensley for the US Army Corps of Engineers. (See an excerpt below.) During that study, it was discovered that the celebrated Olmsted Brothers (a NY landscape architecture firm well known for their design of Central Park) had presented a plan for Birmingham back in 1925 for continuous greenways along the creek. This plan was subsequently reprinted and publicized by the society.
Katie Britt, Alabama’s senator, has now secured $2.6 million for Village Creek floodplain restoration. This will provide a long-term solution, protect residents, particularly those in Ensley, improve infrastructure, and reduce flooding risks for motorists traveling through these areas. The federal/local partnership is an investment in local neighborhoods as well as quality of life with trailways for walkers, runners, and bikers throughout the city as illustrated by Phase I of the Ensley Greenway below. Thank you to all those involved and who continue to invest in Birmingham’s future!
The Southern Music Research Center, and its signature radio show, The Lost Child, recently featured a recording by Smokey Reason, an Alabama native who performed at the Grand Old Opry, and with Ernest Tubb, among other great country stars. But his music may have been lost forever, were it not for the accidental find of his 1949 record at an estate sale. Relatives of Smokey Reason all tuned in when it was broadcast on The Lost Child and they finally heard it for the first time, despite having the lyric sheet to one of his songs.
Smokey Reason, “Stolen Kisses” Lyric Sheet & Statement of Authorship
Description
Original typewritten lyric sheet for “Stolen Kisses,” an original composition by Smokey Reason. Also included is a notarized letter documenting Reason’s authorship of the song.
Lyric sheet and letter courtesy Marrtha Casinger, Judy McCormick, Mandy Bahe, and the family of Smokey Reason. Special thanks to John Horton, whose searching unearthed the original record.
Alabama Librarians and the Alabama Department of Archives and History outlines how to clean and preserve old books as well as five things you should NEVER do with old documents. Click on images to print them out.
Old books, newspapers, photos and letters.
York. England. 01.26.19. Genealogy – My Family History – Old family photographs dating from around 1890 up to about 1950. This period of time covers two world wars and massive changes to society. These old photographs document the period on a personal level in a time before the digital age and social media.
Historic Sloss Furnaces, an iconic Birmingham landmark and a lasting tribute to Birmingham’s industrial beginnings, will be permanently illuminated on July 23rd! This free event and celebration is thanks to the contributions of a corporate donor and Cathy & Paul Jones, You must REGISTER to attend. The public celebration and lighting ceremony will also include 1,000 feet under the 1st Avenue North viaduct.
Sloss Furnaces is a National Historic Landmark that operated until 1971. After closing, it became one of the first industrial sites in the United States to be preserved for public use. Act No. 517 was a crucial piece of local legislation enacted by the Alabama State Legislature in 1973 that granted the City of Birmingham the police power to halt the demolition of historic properties and mandate changes to buildings.
Why Act No. 517 Matters
In the 1970s, Birmingham’s industrial sector experienced a sharp decline. As a result, many massive, abandoned 19th-century and 20th-century industrial facilities—like the sprawling Sloss Furnaces—were slated for total demolition. (Birmingham’s Terminal Station was demolished in 1969.)
Many thanks to photographer Steve Dunlap for giving us a preview of the extensive lighting project!
At the time, grassroots organizations and the Birmingham Historical Society recognized the profound historical and economic importance of saving these remnants of America’s industrial growth. Using the legal tools provided by Act 517, the city was able to freeze demolitions, secure the land, and prevent the loss of Birmingham’s signature “Iron Empire”. Let’s celebrate this historic landmark on July 23rd!
Did you know that there are over 9 wind or water gaps in the Birmingham vicinity? The interactive topographical map below locates and names the gaps, many of which formed the rail bed for the Birmingham Mineral Railroad. Others form hiking trails today including the popular Grace’s Gap hiking trail at Red Mountain Park and the historic Brock’s Gap in Hoover.
Click on the location or select the name of the gap in the list following the map for more information on its location, elevation, and in some cases, water source. Thanks to John Troulias for finding the map and James Lowery for sharing it with Birmingham Historical Society.
At least nine gaps are located in the immediate vicinity of Birmingham . Thanks to John Troulias for finding the map and James Lowery for sharing it with Birmingham Historical Society.
The 4.2-mile Grace’s Gap Overlook trail in Red Mountain Park features sweeping valley views and abandoned mining ruins.
Nineteen gaps are located within Birmingham metro area with an additional eleven outside Interstate 459. Click on map above and select location for detailed information.
