Those who attended the 2022 annual Birmingham Historical Society meeting will recall that the evening’s 3 speakers highlighted the importance of Slossfield to Birmingham’s early medical care for an underserved population. The Slossfield Maternity Center, built in 1939 by WPA labor, trained black physicians and nurses in prenatal care in one of the poorest areas of Birmingham. The midwivery program at UAB School of Nursing today was inspired by Slossfield’s historic example.
A restoration is now underway to fully restore the clinic for underserved communities. Once again, the surrounding area needs affordable care, job training, and education. The facility is being revitalized to provide this life-changing support.
The effort is being led by two medical residents, Dr. Robert Record and Dr. John Fischer of Christ Health who established their first clinic in Woodlawn in 2009. Since that time, Christ Health has provided medical services at nearly 350,000 patient visits, provided dental care nearly 50,000 times, and filled over 250,000 prescriptions. The Mission >
We are committed to the physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being of our patients. More than simply seeing the sick made well, at Christ Health, we strive to see the well made whole and each patient living life abundantly.
This Third Edition of the Downtown Discovery Tour was created in honour of Patricia Hough Camp & Marjorie Lee White and was published with the financial support of:
The Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust, Alabama Power Foundation Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham City of Birmingham, Alabama Historical Commission and Birmingham Realty Company, the real estate firm that founded our city in 1871, in honor of its 125th Anniversary
Chestnut Hill National District (added to the National Register in 1987) The district includes 31st Street South, 32nd Street South, Highland Drive, and Lakeview Crescent. It also includes the Independent Presbyterian Church and the First Church of Christ Scientist in the 3100 block of Highland Avenue and St. Symeon Orthodox Church on the 3100 block of Clairmont Avenue. It also includes Rushton Park.
National Register of Historic Places Inventory Form
Country Club National District (added to the National Register in 2003) The district includes 31st Street South south of Highland Avenue, 13th Avenue South (2800 to 3100 blocks), short Cliff Road, 32nd Street South (from 33rd Street South to Highland Avenue), a portion of long Cliff Road, 34th Street South, a small portion of Highland Avenue and Altamont Road, and two houses on Pawnee Avenue.
Hanover Circle National District (added to the National Register in 2003) The district includes 27th Street South, 26th Street South, 24th Street South, Hanover Circle, 2300 to 2700 blocks of Highland Avenue, and portions of 11th Avenue South. It also includes the Virginia Samford Theatre and Caldwell Park.
Milner Heights National District (added to the National Register in 2003) The district includes Milner Crescent, Milner Street, Milner Court, Caldwell Avenue, 27th Place South, Arlington Crescent, 22nd and 23rd Streets South, and Arlington Avenue. The portions of the district covering Arlington Avenue, Arlington Crescent, 22nd and 23rd Streets South, and Smolian Place are in the Redmont Park neighborhood and are subject to Redmont Park design review.
Rhodes Park/Highland Avenue National District (added to the National Register in 1982.) The district includes 30th Street South, 29th Street South, 28th Street South, the cross streets that run between these streets, 10th Avenue South, 10th Court South, 11th Avenue South, and 13th Avenue South, and that part of Highland Avenue between 28th and 30th Streets South. It includes Rhodes Park and Unity Church in the 2800 block of Highland Avenue.
The Highland Park Local Historic District, which is subject to City Design Review as well as the Local Historic Advisory Committee, encompasses all the properties in these five national historic districts. Click here for more details on Design Review.
Sunday afternoon offered a perfect fall day to tour and appreciate several of Forest Park’s finest homes as a member of the Heritage Society. Although thoughtfully updated with modern conveniences, many of the original features remained or had been restored and it was easy to imagine how families lived at the turn of the century.
The histories of their prominent original owners were shared in a booklet that also included the original 1909 plat of Forest Park. The T. Felton Wimberly home was built in 1911, and the J.F. Leary residence was constructed in 1910. This very popular annual event directly supports the mission of the Birmingham Historical Society.
Established in 1942, the Birmingham Historical Society enhances the quality of life in Birmingham, Alabama, by preserving, studying, and celebrating its past while helping to shape its future. The Society celebrates Birmingham’s history through research, publishing, and education, and it engages the public to make our shared history and heritage more visible, clarify their value, and empower their stewards.
Heritage Society members are acknowledged in the annual report, AND receive an invitation to the annual Heritage Society gathering in an historic home. Heritage Society memberships are $500.
Mark your calendars for a fun afternoon of ghosting, hunting, music, costumes, prizes, exhibits, and more. The second annual porch crawl event is organized in association with the Highland Park Neighborhood Association.
The haunted scavenger hunt was created by UAB public relations students, Grace and Ava, who will be available for questions (in costume) at Birmingham Historical Society headquarters. There will be activities for all ages including prizes for best period and Halloween costumes. Note that locations and QR codes will not be posted until the day of the event.
Birmingham Historical Society is excited to participate in the 2nd annual Porch Crawl in Highland Park, Sunday, October 18th, 3-5 PM! It’s FREE and open to the public, rain or shine, but hoping for beautiful October weather. It was very well attended last year! Take a look in the video below! And then read more about it and browse photos on Highland Parks Neighborhood Association website. Hope to see you in October!
Featuring 16 stops in no particular order, here’s a map:
And at our stop, you can expect the following:
Birmingham Historical Society 2827 Highland Ave Pick up a copy of the Historic Highland Scavenger Hunt! Complete and return it to BHS by 5 p.m. to win a copy of True Tales of Birmingham, one of the Society’s most popular books. While at BHS, browse an exhibit of aerial photographs from the Society’s newest release Birmingham by the Book: A Guide to the Magic City and the Society’s other books for sale, learn about Highland Avenue’s grand residences, and get tips on researching the history of your home or apartment and how to get an historical marker.
Rickwood Field, the nation’s oldest ball park opened in the West End community of Birmingham in 1910. The popularity of baseball was such at that time that the entire city of Birmingham closed up shop for the day in anticipation of its opening.
It is also revered as the oldest remaining park that was home to a Negro League ball club, the legendary Birmingham Black Barons. Legends like Willie Mays, Satchel Paige, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron all played there.
After the minor league Barons left for the suburbs, the park was preserved as a historic landmark and working museum, hosting amateur games and an annual Rickwood Classic. And with the help of the Birmingham Historical Society, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Open for both self-guided or guided tours upon request, the ball park is listed by Birmingham Historical Society as one of Birmingham by the Book‘s Must-Sees (pg. 6)!
The Negro Southern League Museum near Regions Field in the Parkside District tells the story of black baseball in America through the lens of Birmingham’s experiences. A map along with other attractions in the area is included on pg 57 of Birmingham by the Book.
The Negro Southern League Museum is near Regions Field in the Parkside District. A map along with other attractions is included on pg. 57 of Birmingham by the Book.
Understanding the Society’s Endowment and Sustainability
The current leadership of the Birmingham Historical Society has served since 1976 and the eventual retirement of this leadership will require paid staff and a rise in operating expenses.
The rise in operating costs led to the 24 page case statement linked above in 2022 and the subsequent capital campaign. The document argues for substantial endowment contributions to raise market value and generate income. The income should cover overtime overhead and full-time leadership, a curator, and rent. The dedication of its members will continue to support the organization’s continuity.
Planning has looked to precedents set by other Birmingham institutions that have endowed leadership positions. While increasing the endowment will aid continuity, the Society will continue to function as a volunteer organization supported by members and by grants and contracts paying the direct costs of its projects and publications.
The document showcases a few of the Society’s publications and activities through the years. It includes a description of the Society’s organization and leadership, the history and governance of the endowment, followed by “the rest of the story.” It’s hoped that future leadership can use this document as a guideline for what can be accomplished in the years to come.
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 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.
