Sunday afternoon, the Birmingham Historical Society hosted a going away reception for a much appreciated member and BHS Trustee who is moving to Tampa, Florida; Birgit Kibelka. A gifted landscape architect, Birgit was responsible for a massive amount of work for BHS as well as for the community which was displayed throughout the BHS offices.
Birgit researched and documented historic sites with BHS during 14 years from 2010 until 2024. Together with BHS Director Marjorie White, they explored, mapped and documented early residential developments, parks, trails, culverts, railroad cuts and creeks.
These historic sites include Warren Manning’s plan for Mountain Brook, Ross Bridge, Altamont Park, the George Ward Preserve, Brock’s Gap, Bluff Park and the Shades Creek watershed.
Birgit initiated the Brock’s Gap research project after discovering plans for a road that could potentially harm the significant historic site. It ultimately led to the inclusion of historic sites in Hoover’s 2023 Parks & Public Spaces Plan (pgs 44-47).
During the reception, Marjorie White acknowledged Birgit’s dedication and highlighted her impressive contributions to the Society. Birgit then spoke, sharing her insights and passion for the historical value of traditional paper maps, and explaining their importance in today’s time of continually updated online maps. She explained that maps are important for historic documentation in that historic sites are otherwise not found. She later provided the example below of Brock’s Gap.
The history of the gap is well described in the 1992 book “A History of Hoover, Alabama and Its People” by Marilyn Davis Barefield. Nevertheless, the historic marker was located facing the second railroad cut and not the original one and no one – except for Sam Curren – knew where the site was. A map would have prevented such a general loss of knowledge.
Good luck, Birgit, in your new home. You will be greatly missed!
