The oldest homes in Birmingham tell the story of prosperous early industrialists and real estate developers, the struggles of the working classes, architectural trends, and the civil rights era.
The Smithfield/Dynamite hill homes of the civil rights era are described on pg. 90 of Birmingham by the Book.
Some of the most expensive homes were built on 30 acres in Glen Iris Park (pgs 102-103) prior to 1920 and along Highland Avenue in Southside.
More modest homes were in the Five Points South area and along Cullom Street, built in the 1890s.
In the late 1880s, Thomas was a company town with rented housing for those who needed to live close to the iron producing furnaces. By 1912, 550 workers lived in this community.
Pioneering early planters who became prominent citizens of Birmingham included Isaac Sadler, Thomas McAdory, and Thomas Owen who built flourishing plantations from 1820s to early 1900s. (pg. 26 of Birmingham by the Book)
Other significant early neighborhoods included :
Anderson Place, Milner Heights, Forest Park and Mountain Terrace. (pgs. 104-109).
The Hollywood homes in Homewood were designed in 1924, influenced by Hollywood, California, and including some of Birmingham’s first mission style architecture.
Roebuck Springs was contoured around knolls, and boasted an English Garden aesthetic as well as the first designed 18-hole golf course and country club grounds. (pg. 98 of Birmingham by the Book).
See more neighborhood history as well as over the mountain areas, all divided by region in Birmingham by the Book. Some early examples are included below.
W.P.G. Harding House, Glen IrisWorker House, East ThomasWorker House, East ThomasT.O. Smith House, Roebuck SpringsSchwab House, Highland Avenue AreaSadler House, McCalla, 1827Robley Munger House, Arlington ParkRobert Jemison House, Glen IrisParker Bown House, SmithfieldOwen House, Bessemer, 1833Mission Style House, HomewoodMcAdory House, Bessemer, 1840Mary M Means House, Dynamite Hill, SmithfieldLuffman House, Glen IrisLoveman House, SouthsideJordan House, Highland AvenueJohn Drew House, Dynamite Hill, SmithfieldJ. Cary Thompson House, Five Points SouthHollywood House, HomewoodH.K. Milner House, Milner CrescentHayes Davis House, East ThomasHassinger House, Highland AvenueForest Park HouseForest Park HouseEnsley HousesCullom Street Houses, SouthsideCullom Street House, SouthsideCullom Street House, SouthsideCullom Street Houses, SouthsideBrown and A.G. Gaston House, Smithfield
The film produced by Katie Rogers and Brandon McCray tells the story of how jazz was cultivated and popularized in Ensley, centered around what is now known as the Nixon Building, located at the junction of two streetcar lines. During the 1920s and 1930s, the nightclub on this corner was a vibrant social hub and dance venue. Admission required tuxedos and proper evening attire, a standard that gave rise to the club’s legendary name: Tuxedo Junction.
This era also marked the emergence of some of Birmingham’s most influential jazz musicians, many of whom were trained by renowned band director Fess Whatley at Parker Industrial School. At the time, Parker Industrial was the only Black high school in Alabama, and its students honed their musical skills by performing at Tuxedo Junction, helping to shape a distinctive jazz tradition that would resonate far beyond Birmingham. The song Tuxedo Junction performed there and written by Erskine Hawkins cemented its place in history.
Parker Industrial High School in SmithfieldThe Nixon Building a/k/a Tuxedo Junction
The good news is that the documentary Tuxedo Junction will air on PBS on February 19. Those who attended the special screening on Sunday can attest that it is well worth the wait—don’t miss it! Sunday’s event also featured a book signing by Burgin Mathews, author of Magic City: How the Birmingham Jazz Tradition Shaped the Sound of America, his 10 year passion project that further highlights the city’s enduring impact on American music. Jazz music by Birmingham legends, Bo Berry and Jose Carr, created the magic that continues to captivate music lovers everywhere.
Tuxedo Junction documentaryAuthor Burgin Mathews, Katie Rogers, and jazz greats Bo Berry and Jose Carr at Virginia Samford TheaterBHS President Wayne Hester, and documentary co-producer, Katie RogersJohn Nixon, who owns his father’s dental office-the tuxedo junction building, is posed with a photo of his father who acted opposite Virginia Samford many years agoProducers Brandon McCray and Katie Rogers with the owner of the Tuxedo Junction Building, John NixonKatie Rogers, Bo Berry, Jose Carr, and Brandon McCray
Tuxedo Junction by Erskine Hawkins with lyrics by Buddy Feyne
Feelin' low Rockin' slow I want to go Right back where I belong Way down south in Birmingham I mean south in Alabam' There's an old place where people go To dance the night away They all drive or walk for miles To get jive that southern style It's an old jive that makes you want To dance till break of day It's a junction where the town folks meet At each function in a tux they greet you Come on down, forget your care Come on down, you'll find me there So long town, I'm heading for Tuxedo Junction now [Instrumental] Feelin' low Rockin' slow I want to go Right back where I belong Way down south in Birmingham I mean south in Alabam' There's an old place where people go To dance the night away They all drive or walk for miles To get jive that southern style It's an old jive that makes you want To dance till break of day It's a junction where the town folks meet At each function in a tux they greet you Come on down, forget your care Come on down, you'll find me there So long town, I'm heading for Tuxedo Junction now Tuxedo Junction now
So very proud of Birmingham Historical Society Trustee Barbara Shores who continues to share the story of her life on Dynamite Hill. As the daughter of civil rights activist Arthur Shores, she has preserved her family’s involvement in Birmingham’s civil right’s history in the book, “Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill”, and in the videos below.
During this Black History Month, we encourage reflection on the acts of violence that necessitated struggles against racial barriers in the pursuit of a more equitable Birmingham.
Alabama Public Television Presents is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
The Birmingham Historical Society’s newest book has 13 first-hand accounts of what it was like to grow up on Dynamite Hill, the neighborhood that was repeatedly bombed in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Barbara Shores, the daughter of civil rights activist and attorney Arthur Shores, along with Marjorie White, director of BHS, bring those stories to life with childhood memories, photos, and historical background.
Ryan Michaels with The Birmingham Times, interviews Shores and White prior to the event on Sunday in this article. Shores notes that many young people who have grown up in Birmingham are unaware of the significance of Dynamite Hill in breaking the racial barriers that existed in housing and schools. It’s a story that needs to be told and retold! Please mark your calendars for Sunday’s event:
Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill” will be unveiled on Sunday, Dec. 11 at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 600 Center St. North in Birmingham’s Graymont neighborhood, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Please note that this and other BHS publications will also be available locally at SHOPPE in Forest Park, via USPS and online HERE
You’re invited to attend an autograph party of our newest publication, Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill, with speakers who grew up on the hill in the 1950s and 1960s. The event will be at the Tabernacle Baptist Church at 600 Center Street in the Center Street Historic District of Smithfield on December 11th, 2022, 2-4 PM. Please plan to attend!
This is the compelling story of the fight over residential segregation laws as told by the people who lived it. The multiple bombings in the ‘40’s, 50s, and 60’s of the close-knit Birmingham neighborhood, now known as Dynamite Hill, were intended to intimidate residents and discourage their families from building in designated ‘whites only’ zoned areas and attending white schools. But due to the persistence and courage primarily of resident and attorney Arthur Shores, archaic ordinances and laws were changed. In 2011, the Center Street district was added to the National Register of Historic Places, commemorating the fight for fair housing and schools.
Weaving first-hand accounts into the historical narrative, this new book personalizes the struggles and courage of the families whose homes and neighborhood were terrorized. It also tells of the accomplishments of the children of that era, their close ties, their memories, and their hope for the future. Multiple photos of historic events and homes along with personal interviews, makes this history come alive, representing as Arthur Shores’ daughter, Barbara Shores, says, ‘the best and the worst of humanity’. To purchase a copy of the book, please click HERE
Book signing at BHS Open House by Barbara Shores (daughter of Civil Rights attorney, Arthur Shores) and Jeff Drew (with whom Martin Luther King stayed when he was in Birmingham)
Although the neighborhood has seen brighter days, its location, character, and history make it unique. It’s important to know our history and to preserve and renew Dynamite Hill so that future generations may learn of this landmark neighborhood that illustrates the best and the worst of humanity.
This is the story of a neighborhood just west of the Birmingham city center. Known since a subdivision in 1887 as Smithfield, North Smithfield, Graymont, and East Thomas, the neighborhood’s current name honors the seminal legal battles for attainment of civil rights that unfolded here from 1946 to 1965. The 88-page book includes photographs, maps and accounts of the legal battles and civil rights fights, reflections of neighborhood leaders and participants in the struggles, as well as the stories of children, who grew up here in the 1950s and 1960s, describing their lives on the hill as they unknowingly witnessed history unfolding before them.
Publication expected mid-November at which time a celebration place and date will be announced. Stay tuned!
