Category Archives: Trustees

Architecture, Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, BOOK, Churches, City of Birmingham, Historic Preservation, Publications, Trustees

Birmingham’s Philip A Morris Fund supports preservation projects

Local Birmingham leader, preservationist, architectural historian, editor, and design enthusiast, Philip A. Morris, established a fund via the Community Foundation to perpetuate the good design for which he continually advocated during his lifetime. The first grants were only recently funded and included such notable preservation projects as Main Street Alabama, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Railroad Park, and Freshwater Land Trust.

Click image above to visit Community Foundation website

Morris was a strong supporter of the efforts to restore Vulcan, as well as a contributor to BHS publications below:

A long time member and supporter of the Birmingham Historical Society, his life long contribution will now live on through his Design Arts legacy fund. Thank you Philip!

Birmingham Historical Society, Meetings, Membership, Trustees

Trustee Meeting March 7th

First Trustee Meeting of the year is Tuesday, March 7th, at noon for lunch, at 2827 Highland Avenue. Note that according to the by-laws, you must attend at least two of the four Trustee meetings annually. 

As a reminder, in order to maintain your Trustee status, you must first be a member and current on membership fees, submit an annual conflict of interest statement, and contribute to the society in a significant way. Trustee Service Forms are submitted annually and are available online HERE. There are a limited number of Trustees, and all applications must be approved by the nominating committee.

See you tomorrow!

Annual meeting, Bankhead, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, BOOK, Book Sale, Book Signing, CakeWalk, Deep South Dynasty, family history, Favorite Pie & Cake Contest, Food History, Historic Preservation, lecture, Meetings, Membership, Research, Trustees

The Bankhead Highway

Did you think that the Bankhead Highway was local (like I did)? Far from it! Come hear more about it Monday night at the BHS annual meeting and learn about the remarkable Bankhead family of Alabama.

Annual meeting, Birmingham Historical Society, Cake & Pie Contest, Favorite Pie & Cake Contest, Meetings, Membership, Trustees

Cake Walk is BACK!

This popular annual BHS event is finally back. Calling all Cakes! What’s your childhood favorite? 

Is it the Southern Living all time favorite, Hummingbird Cake? 7 Layer (difficult to assemble) Caramel Cake?  Maybe Lady Baltimore, Coca Cola, or even a 7-Up Bundt?  We KNOW you have a favorite—so it’s time to enter this year’s  Birmingham Historical Society Heritage Cake Contest!

Monday, February 27th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens Auditorium, 4PM

It’s another Cake Walk into the Past but this year, we’re featuring your favorite childhood cakes.

The rules are simple:

1. The Birmingham Historical Society annual meeting is Monday, February 27—it’s also Cake Contest Day.

2. Bake your Childhood Favorite Cake and bring it to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Auditorium by 4 p.m. February 27 for judging

3. Be sure to fill out the form (see below) and bring it along.

4. Remember, bake ANY cake that’s your official childhood favorite!!

5. We’ll serve all the scrumptious cakes after our meeting and speaker

(and announce the winners too!)

Judging Categories

—Best Overall Cake

—Most Vintage Recipe

—Most Unusual Cake

—Most Beautiful Cake

—Best Memory Statement

(Click HERE or on form below to enlarge and print)

Birmingham Historical Society, Heritage Society, Membership, Trustees

Thank you for your support!

It’s that time of year again! As a non-profit operating entirely with volunteers, we depend upon the support of our donors and the service of our Trustees. We ask that you renew your membership and join us in the important work of documenting Birmingham’s history. Currently celebrating our 81st year, we appreciate the generous gifts of members and patrons that enables us to provide annual seminars, tours, book signings, publications, and newsletters.

Birmingham has a very rich heritage and learning from its past, shapes its future. Please refer to the long list of publications below!

If you are a Trustee, please complete this form and submit it prior to February 14th, 2023, according to the requirements of our by-laws.

If you would like to join or renew your membership, please complete this form. Thank you for your support! We appreciate your interest!

BIRMINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS 1977-2022

  • 2022. Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill
  • 2021.  Birmingham: The City Beautiful, Compliments of G. Ward
  • 2020. The Birmingham District: An Industrial History and Guide (reprint of 1981 edition)
  • 2019. Pretty Posies, Powerful Healing: An Herbal Primer
  • 2019. Shades Creek: Flowing Through Time
  • 2018. Warren H. Manning’s City Plan for Birmingham, reprint of 1919 plan
  • 2016. Birmingham, 1915, reprint
  • 2016. For Science and Humanity: Building Southern Research
  • 2015. Bob Moody’s Birmingham: A City in Watercolor
  • 2014. Mountain Brook-A Historic American Landscape
  • 2013. MINUTES-Central Committee of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
  • 2012. The Jemison Magazine: Birmingham and Mountain Brook, 1926-1930, reprint of the magazines
  • 2011. The Jemison Magazine and The Selling of Birmingham, 1910-1914, reprint of the magazines
  • 2010. Digging Out of the Great Depression: Federal Programs At Work In and About the Birmingham Area
  • 2009. Mountain Brook Village: Then & Now
  • 2008. D.O. Whilldin: Alabama Architect
  • 2007. Hand Down Unharmed: Olmsted Files on Birmingham Parks: 1910-1925
  • 2006. The Olmsted Vision: Parks for Birmingham
  • 2005. A Park System for Birmingham, Olmsted Brothers, 1925, Reprint.
  • 2004. Art of the New South: Women Artists of Birmingham, 1890-1950
  • 2003. A Guide to Architectural Styles Featuring Birmingham Homes
  • 2001. Aspiration: Birmingham’s Historic Houses of Worship
  • 2001. A Pizella Affair: Portraits of the Comer Family
  • 1999. Walking Tours of Birmingham Churches Conducted from 1990-1999
  • 1999. Vive Vulcan! Activities for Schools
  • 1998. In Celebration of the Restoration of Alabama Power Company’s 1925 Tower
  • 1998. Low Virtues: The Value of Human Scale Architecture to Birmingham Urbanism
  • 1998. A Walk to Freedom-The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, 1956-1964
  • 1997. Birmingham Bound-An Atlas of the South’s Premier Industrial Region
  • 1996. Birmingham View: Through the Years in Photographs
  • 1995. Birmingham’s Vulcan, reprint 1938 booklet
  • 1995. Vulcan & His Times-A Tell all about Birmingham’s Most Famous Landmark
  • 1994. The Birmingham Industrial Heritage District Map
  • 1992. True Tales of Birmingham
  • 1991. Mountain Brook Estates, reprint of a 1926 publication
  • 1991. Judge Clarence Allgood: His Brother’s Keeper
  • 1990. Cinderella Stories, Transformations of Historic Birmingham Buildings
  • 1989. Designs on Birmingham: A Landscape History of a Southern City and its Suburbs
  • 1989. Buildings Against Cities: The Struggle to Make Places
  • 1988. House Detective: A Guide to Researching Birmingham Buildings
  • 1986. Image of the City, by Grady Clay
  • 1985. Go To Town, Birmingham: A Public Forum on a Vital City Center
  • 1984. Old Birmingham-New Architecture: Student Projects for a Historic Downtown Context
  • 1983. Five Points Heritage Hike and Patch
  • 1982. Town Within A City: The Five Points South Neighborhood, 1880-1930
  • 1981. The Birmingham District: An Industrial History and Guide
  • 1980. Birmingham Heritage Hike Guide and Patch
  • 1978. The Ghost in the Sloss Furnaces
  • 1978. Downtown Discovery Tour
  • 1978. Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide
  • 1977-1987. The Journal of the Birmingham Historical Society, 14 issues
family history, Heritage Society, Historic Preservation, Membership, Trustees

Final 2022 Trustee Meeting Tuesday, December 13th

Don’t forget the final Trustee Meeting next Tuesday, December 13th, at noon for lunch, at our new offices at 2827 Highland Avenue. Note that according to the by-laws, you must attend at least two Trustee meetings annually.

As a reminder, in order to maintain your Trustee status, you must first be a member and current on membership fees, submit an annual conflict of interest statement, and contribute to the society in a significant way. Trustee Service Forms are submitted annually and are available online HERE. There are a limited number of Trustees, and all applications must be approved by the nominating committee.

Note that two of our trustees, Sam Frazier and Henry Ray have been greatly challenged by recent devastating fires. Sam’s beloved “Woodside” in Belle Mina, his 1860 residence visited by the Heritage Society several years ago, burned to the ground, and Henry Ray’s office building in Mountain Brook was gutted by fire. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to them both.

Woodside in Belle Mina, Alabama

We look forward to seeing you Tuesday.

Birmingham Historical Society, Capital Campaign, Endowment, Meetings, Membership, Trustees

Trustees Board Meeting – September 13th

Please mark your calendars for the fall meeting of the Trustees of Birmingham Historical Society, the first in our new offices at 2827 Highland Avenue/35205 at noon on the second Tuesday of September (September 13th, 2022).

Print copies of Birmingham Historical Society Mission, Accomplishments, and Justification for Support will be in hand and progress reports on the capital campaign for the endowment.

Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, Highland Avenue, Historic Preservation, Membership, Research, Trustees

We are MOVING! (We have MOVED!)

Please note our change of location to: 2827 Highland Avenue/Birmingham, AL 35205. At this time, the BHS business office is open ONLY for scheduled meetings and appointments, and our mailing address remains unchanged at P.O. Box 321474/Birmingham, AL 35232. When our ongoing renovations are completed, a formal opening will be announced. (UPDATE: OPEN HOUSE November 13th, 2-4PM)

We LOVE our historic Highland Avenue neighborhood!

A big thanks to all those who made this move possible including John Lauriello of Southpace Properties, architect and BHS Trustee Wayne Hester, and The Ehney Camp Foundation.

Bethel Baptist Church, Birmingham Civil Rights, Birmingham Landmarks, Churches, Fred Shuttlesworth, Historic Preservation, Trustees

100th Birthday Observance of Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth

Historic Bethel Baptist Church, in conjunction with the Greater New Light Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio, will celebrate the 100th birthday of Freedom Fighter, Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth, on March 18, 2022. The event will originate out of Cincinnati but will be simulcast in Birmingham. Dr. Carolyn Shuttlesworth, Reverend Shuttlesworth’s youngest daughter, will be in Birmingham for the event. 

Bethel Pastor Thomas L. Wilder has asked Mayor Randall Woodfin and a few other dignitaries in Birmingham to come and say a few words regarding what Reverend Shuttlesworth’s life and legacy means to Birmingham. The particulars of the celebration are as follows:

5:00 p.m. – Tree planting service at Bethel Baptist Church, 3233 29th Avenue North

5:30 p.m. – Carlton Reese Memorial Choir – New Bethel at 3200 28th Avenue North

6:00 p.m. – Simulcast begins at New Bethel – 3200 28th Avenue North

Reception following the Simulcast

Special thanks to Martha Bouyer, educational coordinator for Bethel Baptist Church and Birmingham Historical Society Trustee

Annual meeting, Birmingham Landmarks, Medical Care, Slossfield, Thomas Boulware, Trustees

ANNUAL MEETING – Monday, February 28th, 7:00PM, BBG Auditorium

Featuring Early Healthcare, Obstetrics, and Midwifery for the underprivileged and poorly served in Birmingham in the 1940s.

A Local Landmark
A Legendary Leader
Slossfield & Dr. Boulware, Jr.
A Pioneering Obstetric Leader

The Slossfield and the Slossfield Maternity Center, center and center left, view looking toward North Birmingham across the slag dump, bottom right, of the Sloss- Sheffield Steel & Iron Company’s North Birmingham Furnaces. Sloss’ beehive coke ovens appear center right. Photograph, c. 1939, Birmingham, Alabama Public Library Archives.
INSET PHOTOGRAPH TOP: Sloss Coke Ovens and Housing. Oil, c. 1939, Rosalie Pettus Price. Collection Birmingham Historical Society.
INSET PHOTOGRAPH BOTTOM: Sloss Furnaces and Slag Pile along Village Creek, Oil, Sterling Worthen, Collection Marjorie L. White.