We looked at two cemeteries in the Birmingham, the first of which was Highland Memorial Gardens, founded in 1954. This is an example of a memorial park; while there are a few headstones, the vast majority of gravestones are flush with the lawn, giving a more clean and modern look that took over cemetery design…
Bluestone Coke and Environs, Birmingham, Alabama
There is still plenty of industry alive and well in Birmingham. We went by Bluestone Coke, which manufactures one of the components of producing steel. Coke is a carbon substance created by heating coal in an airtight furnace that removes impurities. The coke that is left behind burns extremely hot, perfect for smelting iron. It…
Former Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama
I could go into incredible detail as to why this relatively new hospital is being demolished… slowly… but I’ll spare you the whole story. Its roots date back to 1916, founded by Dr. Charles Carraway, and no doubt seeing many of the terrible injuries from the steel mills and mines. It closed in 2008, and…
Norwood, Birmingham, Alabama
Tucked up in a wedge north of downtown Birmingham is the Norwood neighborhood, in a transitional area between the grid and the more early Twentieth Century “suburban” communities in the hills. There is lots of good news happening in this neighborhood, with many homes being rehabbed and other at least being stabilized. It was laid…
East Lake United Methodist and Other Churches, Birmingham, Alabama
I’ll have to admit when we first spotted East Lake United Methodist Church, I had assumed it was Roman Catholic. But it’s not, and has never been! It traces its roots back 136 years, and a couple other buildings, before this giant Italian Romanesque Revival powerhouse was built. The campanile is attached to the church,…
Gate City, Birmingham, Alabama
Heading north towards the outermost regions of Birmingham, we now explore Gate City, whose name is perhaps a little obvious. There was a pass through Red Mountain, which perhaps you can extrapolate received its appellation from the abundance of iron ore running through it (remember, iron ore is one of the three components of steel…
Heaviest Corner on Earth, Birmingham, Alabama
We’ll start our Birmingham tour with the first landmark, the “Heaviest Corner on Earth,” whose name originated at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, referring to the four historic skyscrapers at the intersection of 20th Street and 1st Avenue North. As I remarked yesterday, I think Chicago actually has a heavier historic intersection at South…
Birmingham, Alabama
I visited my friends Kate and Kevin over the Memorial Day weekend in Birmingham, Alabama and had the opportunity to explore what turns out to be an incredibly fascinating city. As usual I am not going to make this a recap of my vacation but rather show Birmingham as I found it, as honestly as…
Alabama Avenue Between Holly Hills Avenue and Iron Street
Crossing Holly Hills Avenue, we near the end of our trip up Alabama Avenue in Carondelet, as the interstate will stop us from proceeding further. There continues to be a mix of styles, showing the slow development of the neighborhood. This is the last house, at Iron Street, where the interstate cuts through and ends…
Alabama Avenue Between Haven Street and Holly Hills Avenue
Houses rapidly become much more ornate north of Haven Street. Houses are more typical of what you might see in Dutchtown or Gravois Park. It seems the flippers have arrived. There are more corner stores, as well, which were not common south of Loughborough Avenue. Perhaps what is the best way to describe the street…