Birmingham, Industrial center in Jefferson County and Shelby County, Alabama, United States.
Description
Birmingham is an economic center in Jefferson County and Shelby County, Alabama, sitting in a valley surrounded by mountain ridges. Several waterways cross the urban area and flow toward the Black Warrior River, while the city spreads over rolling hills.
History
The city was founded in 1871 from the merger of three small communities and grew rapidly through the steel industry, which relied on local mineral resources. In the 20th century, it became a central stage for the civil rights movement and experienced deep social change as a result.
Culture
Neighborhoods like Five Points South and Avondale draw locals and visitors in the evenings to gather in small restaurants, breweries, and music venues. Residents maintain a lively restaurant scene where Southern cooking and modern interpretations exist side by side, making the city a notable culinary destination in the South.
Practical
Trails and green spaces like Ruffner Mountain Nature Center offer opportunities for outdoor excursions close to downtown, with educational programs for families. Getting around is straightforward, as main streets follow a grid and the principal neighborhoods are well marked.
Did you know?
The simultaneous availability of coal, iron ore, and limestone in close proximity was rare worldwide and allowed the entire steel production process to occur at a single site. This geological feature made the city one of the few places where all raw materials for heavy industry could be extracted locally.
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Kelly Ingram Park
391 m
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
467 m
Statue of Charles Linn
279 m
Alabama Theatre
289 m
Heaviest Corner on Earth
490 mAlabama Jazz Hall of Fame
305 m
Regions Center
74 m
AT&T City Center
209 m
Boutwell Memorial Auditorium
479 m
McWane Science Center
313 m
Regions-Harbert Plaza
114 m
Wells Fargo Tower
113 m
Linn Park
358 mConfederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument
286 m
City Federal Building
420 m
Alabama Power Headquarters Building
375 m
Carver Performing Arts Center
368 m
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Birmingham Branch
139 m
Jefferson County Courthouse
404 m
Robert S. Vance Federal Building and United States Courthouse
108 m
First United Methodist Church
323 m
Watts Building
250 m
Alabama Penny Savings Bank
289 m
Age-Herald Building
333 mBirmingham History Center
274 m
Lyric Theater
248 mMajestic Theatre
235 mJohn W. Woods Theater
317 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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