Birmingham History

Birmingham was founded in 1871, when the Elyton Land Company sold lots at the junction of two railroad lines. The area was known for its rich deposits of iron ore, limestone, and coal (all of which are used to make steel), so it was only logical that Birmingham would become a major center of industry. In fact, the name of Birmingham came from the English city that played a major role in the Industrial Revolution.

Despite the optimism of the founders, the history of Birmingham got off to a shaky start. An outbreak of cholera, coupled with a Wall Street scare, nearly conspired to bring the fledgling city to a premature end in 1873. But even while people were fleeing the city in droves, Charles Linn (a banker and former Civil War blockade runner) refused to give up. He built an extravagant three-story brick bank which has since come to be called "Linn's Folly." He then hosted a grand opening "Calico Ball," where guests were invited to attend in ball gowns and formal wear cut from calico. This defiance in the face of adversity emboldened the remaining population of the city and, many say, jump-started Birmingham's growth.

By the turn of the century, Birmingham was growing and changing so quickly that it became known as "The Magic City." Low-rise commercial and residential buildings gave way to neoclassical skyscrapers and streetcar lines. Following the Great Depression, Birmingham reached new heights of prosperity with the demand of wartime steel and the post-war building boom.

During the 1950s and '60s, Birmingham became a center for the struggle of African-Americans for civil rights. A defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement came in 1963, when Martin Luther King, Jr., was imprisoned for participating in a nonviolent protest. Answering criticisms leveled against the movement's propensity for civil disobedience, King penned the famous treatise that has since come to be known as the Letter from Birmingham Jail. Later that year, the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing would become the single act of terror that claimed more lives than any other act of violence during the Civil Rights Movement.

The industrial strength and focus of Birmingham have earned it the nickname "Pittsburgh of the South." However, with the nationwide decline of industry, Birmingham has in more recent years become a center for business and banking. Many major businesses and financial institutions, such as Saks Incorporated and Regions Financial Corporation, are headquartered there. With its competitive salaries and relatively low living expenses, Birmingham has consistently been ranked as one of America's best places to work. Over the past few decades, Birmingham has also become an international medical center. The University of Alabama at Birmingham's University Hospital is renowned for its quality healthcare and breakthrough medical research in bio-technology and is the world's top kidney transplant center.

Birmingham City Schools, the public school district of Birmingham, is currently the third largest school system in Alabama. Birmingham is also home to several colleges and universities, including schools of law and medicine. Alabama's largest private university, Samford University, has ranked in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges for 17 years.

Today, Birmingham is experiencing something of a renaissance. Millions of dollars are being invested in Birmingham Green, a major reconstruction of the downtown area that has added walkways, plantings, benches, and the DART trolley. Visitors flock to the city to experience the Birmingham Museum of Art, or to enjoy the antique shops, restaurants, and night spots of Five Points South. Lane Park, a 200 acre city-owned park, is host to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Birmingham Zoo. The 67-acre Birmingham Botanical Gardens is free to visitors and open 365 days a year. The Birmingham Zoo is the most popular non-profit attraction in all of Alabama and attracts more than 450,000 visitors each year. The Summit, an open-air shopping center dubbed "the world's first official lifestyle center", attracts shoppers with one million square feet of upscale shopping and restaurants, while the Riverside Galleria boasts the largest skylight in the western hemisphere and more than 200 specialty shops. With such cultural and economic variety, Birmingham has certainly earned the newest of its nicknames, "The Diverse City."