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.
First the PROGRAM! Birmingham boosters Stewart Dansby and Tom Cosby had the audience enthusiastically participating in a “Birmingham IQ” quiz highlighting the many superlatives that make Birmingham a great place to live. Did you know…? WOW! The audience was impressed by stats and amenities that are often overlooked by Birmingham natives.
Birmingham Historical Society President Wayne Hester begins the annual meeting as the audience reviews multiple choice answers to the “Birmingham IQ” quiz by Tom Cosby and Stewart Dansby.
Stewart Dansby and Tom Cosby created a list of multiple choice answers to test Birmingham’s knowledge of their city.
Pictured left to right: Stewart Dansby, Maury Shevin, Jennifer Chandler (Vulcan Park & Museum), Graham Boettcher (Birmingham Museum of Art), and Tom Cosby. Maury Shevin was the winner of the Birmingham IQ test. Jennifer and Graham donated prizes along with prizes from Lyric Theater, Rickwood Field, and Birmingham Historical Society.
Next the BOOK!
Birmingham Historical Society members all received a copy of Birmingham by the Book: A Guide to the Magic City, a definitive guide of over 50 years of research by Marjorie White about her adopted city. Tasked with directing the organization as a newcomer, one of her first goals was to create a guide and many years and over 70 publications later, this is the not-to-be-missed result. A book signing by Marjorie White followed the meeting.
Available locally at Thank You Books, Shoppe, Birmingham Museum of Art, and at Birmingham Historical Society.
After the quiz, Birmingham Historical Society VP, Rick Sprague, reported on the progress of the society since a survey produced a strategic plan that was published in 2020. He noted that ALL goals have been achieved and in some cases surpassed!
Followed by the CAKES! In recognition of the guide book’s history, all of the cakes entered used recipes that were over 50 years old with some interesting stories to accompany them.
Judges left to right: Christiana Roussel, Sonthe Burge, and Charbett Cauthen. BHS Trustee and cake contest organizer, Carolanne Roberts, chats with Christiana.
Thank you to all who participated and especially to all who attended!
What’s Your Birmingham IQ? with Birmingham boosters Tom Cosby and Stewart Dansby
Cosby and Dansby are former public relations and marketing officers of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and leaders in our city and in the saving and conserving of its landmarks, notably Vulcan, Rickwood Field, and the Lyric
And featuring Birmingham Historical Society’s annual cake contest with this year’s theme: Cakes with a Past
Do you think you know this city? Or are you a visitor, and you would like to know more? This guide is for YOU! Heavily illustrated with maps, tours, and descriptions of everything Birmingham, this is the culmination of 50 years of research and detailed publications by Birmingham Historical Society. This highly readable guide is unlikely to become outdated, so don’t miss out. It’s a valuable resource for every resident and visitor to our Magic City!
The guide is to be released at the Annual Meeting of the Birmingham Historical Society on February 23rd at 7:00 PM at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens auditorium. This event is FREE and open to the public, and guides will be available for purchase.
Did you know that the aggregate mass–stone, slag, gravel, and sand–of our highway system (in 1961) was the ‘equivalent of constructing 23 great pyramids each calendar week?’ – B.A. Monaghan, President Vulcan Materials Company
Or that a woman was instrumental in organizing the American Cast Iron Pipe Company in 1905?
Or that Thomas Martin, as President of Alabama Power, was also responsible for building Southern Research Institute, and organizing the Alabama State Chamber of Commerce? And that the first electric plant in Birmingham was at Elyton Land Company in 1886?
Or that Birmingham’s greatest development began with the purchase of Birmingham’s Pratt Coal & Iron in December of 1886 by Tennessee Coal & Railroad Company? And that the sale included 76,000 acres of coal lands, and about 13,000 acres of land including 7 ½ miles on Red Mountain’s iron ore seam?
Explore the history of one of America’s most influential companies with Robert Gregg’s illuminating study of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad Company. Gregg delves into the origins of the company, tracing its growth and development throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. With insightful analysis and detailed research, this book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in American business history.
These fascinating stories and much more are from Birmingham Historical Society’s 2025 publication entitled Building Birmingham’s Industrial Base: Newcomen Monographs. It features the words of four Birmingham leaders of industry: Robert Gregg, William David Moore, Thomas W. Martin, and B.A. Monaghan as they tell the ‘back stories’ of Birmingham’s industrial giants.
With much thanks to Birmingham Historical Society Trustee, John C. (Jay) Draper IV, who shared his collection of the Newcomen Society of America’s (Alabama Chapter) annual volumes for reprint.
What is the Newcomen Society? It was founded in 1920 in England centering around the study and promotion of the history of engineering and technology. The American Society was founded in 1923 focusing on American business leadership and industrial progress. The American Society closed in 2007 after publishing over 1600 monographs now preserved in Philadelphia’s National Musueum of Industrial History.
Brian Rushing, enthusiastic naturalist and Director of Economic Initiatives at University of Alabama, will dress up as 18th century environmentalist William Bartram as he shares the highlights of Bartram’s journey through the South in 1775. His talk on Sunday, November 16th, 2 PM, will be followed by a reception at Birmingham Historical Society.
Bartram’s journal entries over 250 years ago about Alabama are filled with enthusiastic praise for its beautiful topography, vibrant plants, diverse animals, and the rich cultures of its indigenous people. He marvels at its ‘majestic rivers’ and ‘delightful regions’ . Rushing shares Bartram’s fervor for Alabama’s natural wonders and is eager to share this passion in his talk on Sunday. Please plan to attend.
Members may also pick up 2025 publication – Building Birmingham’s Industrial Base.
The Birmingham chapter of the American Institute of Architects is holding its first everResidential Architecture Symposium. The goal? To give curious homeowners an opportunity to learn more about how the design of where they live can have a significant impact on how they live. A summary of the event follows.
Keynote: “The Art & Science of Place Planning”
Speaker: Ryan Frederick, bestselling author (Right Place, Right Time) and Stanford Center on Longevity advisor. Ryan is a friend and an engaging, informative and thoughtful speaker. More about him and his work can be found here . And his book is included in the ticket price!
Big Idea: We spend more time planning vacations than planning where we’ll live at different life stages. We need a plan for the important life transitions too.
What You’ll Learn: How your home and neighborhood directly impact your health, happiness, and longevity
Takeaway: Practical tools for making housing decisions that support your life goals—whether you’re renovating, relocating, or aging in place.
The right place elevates personal well-being. It can help promote purpose, facilitate human connection, catalyze physical activity, support financial health, and inspire community engagement.
Conversely, the wrong place can be detrimental to health. In Right Place, Right Time, Ryan Frederick argues that where you live matters enormously—especially during the second half of your life.
Panel: “Why Residential Architects Matter”
Real Stories: Local architects share how they’ve helped families solve complex design challenges
Behind the Scenes: Learn how architects guide homeowners through big and small construction decisions
Your Future Projects: Discover how architects create homes that are beautiful, sustainable, and designed to work for every life stage
Why This Matters to You:
Perfect for anyone thinking about home improvements, life transitions, or helping aging parents
Opportunity to learn from experts in the field – whether that’s thinking about aging in place or designing a new addition for your family.
Rare chance to network with residential architects and vendors who can answer questions about how they work to design custom homes.
The following is a heartfelt remembrance from Birmingham Historical Society Director, Marjorie White, about Dr. Linn’s numerous contributions during his career as well as his importance to the society ~ quietly serving while editing over 20 annual publications, over 100 newsletters, and numerous event invitations. Above is a picture of Dr. Linn with editor and BHS Trustee, Katie Tipton.
My acquaintance with Julius began in 2003. Ehney and Pat Camp and I called upon him in his home on Thornhill Road to discuss an idea for a book. (Julius lived in the home his parents built c.1927 surrounded by family furnishings, books, and art lovingly handed down over the generations. )
Over the next 22 years, I relished walking in Julius’s living archive and being wrapped in its–and his–warm embrace. Julius not only gave us the funds to publish our book but also introduced us to the legacy of his favorite aunt, Carrie Hill (1875-1957), who exhibited nationally and internationally in the 1920s and 1930s and worked tirelessly to support the arts in our city.
Julius had gone on plein air “painting picnics” with her as a child. Nearly all of Hill’s paintings were held by family members at this time; her oeuvre was all but forgotten. Publishing Art of theNew South: Women Artists of Birmingham in 2004 became the first step of many steps in Julius’ quest to memorialize Hill’s legacy.
When in 2006 Graham Boettcher came to Birmingham as the curator of American Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, we invited him to lunch and shared stories of our “great” local painters. Boettcher’s initial skepticism receded as he learned more, and he too came to join Julius and champion Carrie Hill’s legacy.
In the early 2000s, Julius was a passionate patron and supporter of the Birmingham Museum of Art and of the Birmingham Opera, but soon his professional talent as Director of Medical Publications at UAB led him to serve as a wise and sensible editor of Birmingham Historical Society publications. He became a patron, trustee, and officer of the Society as a member of its Executive Committee. He refused to accept the presidency of the Society; he wanted to serve quietly.
At the end of each year, following the publication of our annual book, he would say, “I guess I will stay tuned”… red pen in hand…for the more than 20 of our annual publications,100 newsletters, and many more invitations to events. Julius’ finely tuned sensibility to design issues and his eagle’s eye for things that needed fixing were invaluable. His comments, corrections, and suggestions were proffered in the most gentlemanly fashion.
Our favorite outing with Julius was a trip to Auburn to petition the head of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) to permit their fragile Depression-era murals on the History of Alabama Agriculture to travel to Birmingham for an exhibit. As always, Julius made us look credible. ACES not only loaned the murals, but later restored them, and transferred them to the Auburn museum for long term conservation. Julius had indeed made us look credible.
Julius helped Katie Tipton and me work out the concept and format for Birmingham by the Book: A Guide to the Magic City (coming Winter 2026). He told me how to organize the UAB chapter and thankfully approved of the resulting text and layout. He read and edited the first draft of the book and this summer was serving as a final reader. Ten days ago, he returned his page proofs of a major chapter with this hand-written note:
“Marjorie, Wonderful, descriptive book of Birmingham’s development, the central areas & more. It should become a classic for newcomers, for businesses, for recruitment of companies & workers. It is well organized with beautiful photography and more. Congratulations to everyone who worked on and organized this project. ” – Julius E. Linn
I hope Julius knew how much we valued his counsel and his friendship.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Opera Birmingham, the Birmingham Historical Society Publication Fund, the Birmingham Museum of Art, or First United Methodist Church of Birmingham.
