This beautiful but heavily forested and neglected overlook at the crest of the mountain in Redmont Park needed attention to preserve its beauty and longevity. So neighbors and parkgoers alike called upon landscape architect and long-time Birmingham Historical Society Trustee, Birgit Kibelka, to develop a Master Plan. Watercolors by local artist Adrienne Retief illustrate the goals they commissioned. Read about its history and follow along on their website as they execute their plan!
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!
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.
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!
The evening lecture at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens entitled, Celebrating Olmsted with Historian Laurence Cotton, on February 16th, filled overnight. In an effort to accommodate all those with an interest in attending, an additional lecture has been added at 10AM. Registration opens to the public at 5PM on Wednesday, January 19th.
Birmingham is among many American cities that owes a debt of gratitude to the efforts and vision of Frederick Law Olmsted. Considered the founder of American landscape architecture, he was among the first to recognize the importance to public health of providing green spaces and parks in burgeoning cities at the turn of the century.
First, as a writer for the New York Times, he toured the country, and saw the anxiety, irritability, and impatience that close quarters in smoke-filled cities induced. He abhorred the segregation of the antebellum South. Olmsted was convinced that access to green spaces would reduce stress at a time when that real estate was being rapidly developed. Ultimately, Olmsted believed that public spaces would bring people from all walks of life together in a harmonious environment.
Subsequently in 1865, at the age of 43, upon becoming a landscape designer, he became an unintentional reformer who set out to change the way urban Americans engaged with one another.
His legacy in Birmingham includes:
He invented parkways; he promoted curving, landscape- driven, suburban streets; he created planned communities, and experimental forestry. He connected cities with a series of parks, and ’rules of engagement’ that would allow everyone to protect and enjoy common green spaces. And perhaps his best known and also his first project is Central Park in New York City.
“The time will come when New York will be built up, when the rocky formations of [Manhattan] will have been converted into foundations for rows of monotonous straight streets and piles of erect, angular buildings. There will be no suggestion left of its present varied surface, with the single exception of the Park.” ~ Frederick Law Olmsted
His legacy provided the guidebook as to how American cities are planned today. We will forever celebrate the gifts he gave us! So, Happy Birthday, Mr. Olmsted!
(Many events are being planned and attendance may be in person, virtual or streaming due to Covid restrictions. Stay tuned for more details.)
A comprehensive film and commentary has been produced by WNED PBS and can be viewed HERE
To see the sheer VOLUME of work by The Olmsted Brothers, view the MAP HERE. Select an area to explore and download project maps. For instructions, read THIS
View Birmingham Historical Society’s newsletter regarding Olmsted’s legacy HERE
