Did you know we have a namesake in the United Kingdom, also known as the UK’s second city? It was established by Lord Mayor Peter de Birmingham, who was allowed to hold the first market on his property by King Henry II in 1166. By 1538, in Birmingham, England, there were 1,500 people in 200 houses selling goods, and the town was developing a reputation as a metalworking center. It’s now famous for being the first manufacturing town in the world with a population of 2.5 million.
Hundreds of years later, in 1871, Birmingham, Alabama, was chartered. As it had vast deposits of iron ore and coal, founders envisioned an industrial future similar to Birmingham, England, so the name Birmingham was proposed.
A recent example was an offer of this impressive inherited collection of special editions of the Birmingham Mail newspaper. Anyone from Birmingham, England interested? Let us know and we’ll put you in touch!
Then you will enjoy reading the new book by Richard Neil detailing a significant train wreck of the Crescent with the Southerner on November 25, 1951 in Woodstock, GA.
The author’s father was fireman of the Crescent during this event, and Richard Neil includes transcripts of wreck survivors as they tell the story of that fateful day.
On December 14, 9AM to 3PM, Richard Neil will have a book signing and discussion of his book, All the Livelong Day: The Thanksgiving Wreck at Woodstock at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera.
It will also be a great time to visit the museum, view exhibits, ride the trains…
and even visit the North Pole! A Christmas Tradition, the train travels in the dark to Santa’s workshop. For more information or to buy tickets, click here!
“All the Livelong Day is a creative nonfiction narrative by Richard Neil detailing theThanksgiving Wreck at Woodstock, on November 25, 1951. The true account is narrated by the son of the fireman on Southern Railway’s Second 47, The Crescent, southbound from Birmingham to Meridian, Mississippi to New Orleans. The story details the train wreck and the characters involved, The Greatest Generation of post-World War II. The author is a forester and describes the southern flora as well as the Klamath National Forest mountains of Northern California. The book begins with the author being stationed in Eddy Gulch Fire Tower in summer of 2021, a summer of intense wildfire. He returns home to Red Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama, on a perch below Vulcan, a cast iron statue of the god of forge and metalworking. The story is told from there, beginning on morning of the wreck. In fine detail, the narrative tells of the fireman’s ride to Birmingham Terminal Station and of the train ride south, a ride onboard engine, until the trains meet head-on in Woodstock. The fireman’s wife and brothers drive from Woodlawn, a community in Birmingham, to Woodstock on night of the wreck to try to find out who’s alive and who isn’t. National Transportation Safety Board transcripts allow the participants to tell their story in their own words using their actual testimony.” – Amazon
Thanks to The National Trust for Historic Preservation for bringing this holiday movie to our attention. (But note that although a listing on the National Register brings attention to the historical significance of a site, it does not prevent a building from being demolished.) Happy Holidays to all the historians and preservationists out there!
“A Vintage Christmas (Great American Family) revolves around Tessa, a historian and preservationist who seeks to protect the historic post office building in her hometown by getting it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, her plans are complicated when Noah, a business developer, arrives in town. Noah wants to tear down the historic post office and replace it with a modern office building. As Christmas approaches, the two attempt to work together to reach a compromise.“
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics… To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,… or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. — Author Unknown, Research shows inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dr. Cleve Kinney was an enthusiastic Trustee of Birmingham Historical Society for over 20 years despite his busy schedule as a much-lauded psychiatrist and professor at UAB. While he was often unable to attend Trustee meetings, he rarely missed an event, and supported BHS in numerous significant ways. He was our friend and advisor, an avid historian, and a cheerleader for Birmingham, its community, and the numerous students he mentored in addition to the hundreds of geriatric patients he treated over his career.
A Vietnam war veteran, his was a life of exemplary service during which he received many notable awards including the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award. Read his full obituary here. Thank you Cleve, for your support of Birmingham Historical Society. We will miss you.
The collection at the newly opened Dennis C. Pappas Gallery at UAB’s Lister Hill Library features important scientific and medical items related to vision and hearing loss.
Notably, it includes the original handwritten notes (above) of Joseph Henry Johnson, M.D., the founder of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, dating back to 1855. The gallery also displays original instruments and highlights the lasting impact of Helen Keller, encouraging visitors to learn more about these significant topics.
While Dr. Johnson was inspired by his deaf brother, the idea for the Institute emerged as a direct result of Talladega native Reuben Ashbury’s harrowing experience of imprisonment in darkness during the Civil War. He returned to his community, profoundly changed and determined to dedicate his life to assisting those who lived with blindness.
The UAB Library celebrates this legacy by creating a gallery that is open to the public. It features a fascinating medical display that showcases the innovations in care and support for people with visual and hearing challenges, including rare books, medical equipment, touchscreen technology, and 3D objects.
Lots of stories from those who lived or worked on Red Mountain, as well as from scholars who have studied the area’s history, will soon be available on your phone, offering both historical & personal insights. These narratives will bring to life the daily struggles and triumphs of individuals who shaped the community, providing a personal connection to the past. Four key mining sites will be discussed: each site carries its own unique story, revealing the complexities of mining operations, the lives of the miners, and the impact of this industry on the surrounding environment and local culture.
Sites on tour include: Mine No. 13, the Smythe Mining Camp excavation site, Mine No. 10, and the park’s Wenonah entrance on Venice Road.
“Red Mountain Park is hosting “Go Tell It On Red Mountain” – An Oral History Presentation on Sunday, November 17th at 2 PM. The program will feature a panel discussion with the project’s scholars and UAB collaborators facilitated by Laura Anderson from the Alabama Humanities Alliance. Together, they will share stories from Birmingham’s mining era and discuss the project’s development. Afterward, attendees will be encouraged to take a self-guided audio tour on their phones to a few key historical sites.”
Lots of interest in our Highland Park neighborhood, at an event in which Birmingham Historical Society displayed photographs of nearly all the original homes constructed along Highland Avenue (many courtesy of historian and neighbor Randy Merritt). Our Open House included not only our extensive exhibit, but also tours of the offices of our new neighbor, Alabama Audubon, The Greenbriar lobby in the historic Altamont building, and the front porches of several neighboring historic homes. The tour ended with music at Rojo.
Photos by Katie Tipton
Note that the BHS book, A Guide to Architectural Styles, provides context and recognition tips as to the style of many of the homes in Southside. And our latest book, a reprint of the 1962 book published by The Birmingham News, It’s Nice to Live in Birmingham, is now available for $20 via link above and will not be sold on Amazon.
Thank you to all who attended and we hope to see you again soon!
We’re having an OPEN HOUSE Sunday, October 13th 3-5, celebrating our new/old reprint from the Birmingham News 1963 publication, “It’s Nice to Live in Birmingham”. Come join us, see an extensive exhibit of historic Highland Park homes in our offices, and visit our new neighbor, Alabama Audubon. Step inside the historic grand lobby and courtyard of The Greenbriar at Altamont, visit with neighbors on the front porches of several historic homes, and end the afternoon at Rojo with live music. 1920’s attire is welcomed!
The inaugural exhibit at the newly opened Pappas Gallery features rare books, medical equipment, and touchscreen technology and 3D objects, exploring scientific effort to counter vision and hearing loss.
The Dennis G. Pappas Historical Collections Gallery is on theSecond Floor, UAB’s Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, at 1700 University Boulevard
Sunday, November 3, 3 pm
Free Parking at 9th Avenue Parking Deck1602 9th Avenue S, just across University Blvd. from the library.(Sign boards will direct you to the pedestrian bridge thatleads across University Blvd. that leads to the library gallery.)Drop-offs on University at the front of the library are also possible.
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