Birmingham (Alabama)

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, and its cultural and economic nucleus. While it's best remembered as the site of protest, bombings, and other racial tumult during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, visitors to the Birmingham of today will find a pleasant green city of ridges, valleys, attractive views, and friendly, hospitable people.

Understand
Birmingham (unlike the city in England, the "h" is not silent here) has a population of 210,000 in the city (2018) and 1.2 million in the metro area (2010).

History
Generally speaking, most of the modern-day big cities of the Southern United States got their start in the 18th or very early 19th century as frontier forts or trading posts (or, in the case of coastal cities like Charleston or Norfolk, as seaports), then grew through the antebellum period into administrative centers where folks from the surrounding areas would come to conduct government business and/or market towns where they came to sell their agricultural goods. Birmingham's history is very different from that.

For one thing, it's a lot younger than most Southern cities: although white settlers began arriving in the area in the 1810s or so, until after the Civil War there was nothing inside the modern-day city limits but rural farmland dotted with a few small towns (notably Elyton, of which the Arlington Antebellum Home, Birmingham's only, is a remnant). For another thing, its economic raison d'être had a lot more in common with Northern Rust Belt cities like Pittsburgh and Buffalo than anywhere else in the South. It's important to understand that the Civil War wrought total devastation on the former Confederacy, not only in terms of loss of life and physical destruction but also in terms of the structure of society. In the antebellum years, the Southern economy was based almost entirely around agriculture — specifically enormous plantations of cotton and other labor-intensive crops — and a rigid class system with rich white landowners at the top, black slaves at the bottom, and poor white subsistence farmers just a notch or two above the slaves, with little hope of upward mobility for either of the latter two groups. But the postwar abolition of slavery made that paradigm untenable. Meanwhile, this was also the time in history when the railroads were coming to the fore as America's main mode of long-distance transportation and freight shipping, and it just so happened that two of the new railroad lines that were being built across the South intersected in one of the few places in the world where iron ore, coal, and limestone — the main ingredients used to make steel — were all found in close proximity to one another. Thus was born the South's first major postwar industrial center, founded in 1871 and aptly named for the British city that's widely regarded as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. The steel industry brought immediate and rapid growth to Birmingham — so rapid, in fact, that it earned the nickname "The Magic City". The nation as a whole, too, was rapidly urbanizing and industrializing, and many of the skyscrapers, ships, railroad tracks, automobiles, machinery, and other stuff of this new America was made from steel forged in Birmingham. Job openings in the mills were plentiful, as was cheap labor to fill them (courtesy of a steady inflow of Greek and Italian immigrants as well as unskilled workers from the surrounding rural hinterlands), and they say it used to take only a few minutes outdoors for a clean white shirt to turn gray in the sooty air. In short, this was Birmingham's golden age. (A visit to the Sloss Furnaces is a must for anyone interested in this era of Birmingham's history.)

By 1929, Birmingham had grown to a population of nearly 260,000 and become one of the largest cities in the South (behind only New Orleans and Louisville and more-or-less tied with Atlanta). But, of course, 1929 also saw the onset of the Great Depression, which brought the steel mills and workhouses to a near standstill — in fact, many economists of the time singled out Birmingham as the city in America that was hardest hit by the economic crisis. Even after conditions improved, the changes wrought by the Depression were enduring: even through World War II and the prosperous postwar years, when the mills were once again running at full capacity, the gradual shift in focus away from heavy industry and toward white-collar professional fields was palpable.

It's in the context of this transition that Birmingham's pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement must be understood. Spurred on by a growing list of victories in the preceding years — the desegregation by military force of Little Rock High School and the University of Mississippi, the Freedom Rides, the Montgomery bus boycott — Dr. Martin Luther King and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) began their "Birmingham campaign" in 1963, joining with an incipient local activist community headed by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth of Bethel Baptist Church to address the concerns of a black community that was sick of being excluded from what desirable factory jobs remained. King and Shuttlesworth were confronted by Eugene "Bull" Connor, a longtime local politico whose extreme hostility toward integration and civil rights had made him a notorious and somewhat divisive figure even among Southern whites — and true to the latter's nature, many of the most well-known scenes of brutality that have come to characterize the Civil Rights Movement took place in Birmingham. As much as anything else, it's testament to the degree to which Dr. King's understanding of the power of television was key to the success of his nonviolence strategy: the images of peaceful protesters under attack by snarling dogs, fire hoses, and police brutality that were beamed into American living rooms on the TV news played a crucial role in turning public opinion against segregation, and in securing Congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In the years since, Birmingham has worked hard to exorcise the demons of its past, and has emerged from the postindustrial morass as a center for banking, insurance, and also — thanks to the world-renowned programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and associated hospitals — biomedical research. As well, after years of white flight and its attendant problems, Birmingham has joined the growing ranks of U.S. cities that are being rediscovered in the 21st century by young folks, with trendy neighborhoods like Five Points South, Highland Park, and Avondale emerging as destinations for fine dining and lively nightlife. The old Magic City became even more prominent in 2022 as host city of the World Games (rescheduled from 2021 thanks to COVID-19).

Climate
The weather in Birmingham varies greatly. Winter weather is highly unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from below 20°F (-5°C) to 60° or even 70°F (15° or even 20°C) throughout the season, with frequent rain and occasional snow. Summers are very hot and humid, with frequent thunderstorms. The best times to visit are spring and fall, when the weather is mild and pleasant and there's often a breeze in the air. Even within the city limits, the springtime displays of dogwood, cherry, azalea and other blossoms must be seen to be believed.

By car
Birmingham is linked to the rest of the U.S. by the Interstate highway network. The principal interstates and highways serving the city are:

From the north, i.e. from Nashville and Louisville, I-65 and US 31 run more or less parallel to each other. I-59 approaches from Chattanooga and points northeast; you will possibly come from this direction if driving from the northeastern U.S. US 11 also comes from this direction.

Atlanta to the east, the biggest city nearby and with a major international airport, is connected to Birmingham by I-20. US 280 comes in from Columbus, Georgia to the southeast and further on from Florida. From places to the south, such as Montgomery and other parts of southern Alabama, comes I-65 and next to it US 31.

From Meridian in the southwest comes I-20 and I-59, the former from Jackson, Shreveport and Dallas, the latter from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. I-22 and US 78 lead to Birmingham from the northwest, i.e. Tupelo and Memphis.

Finally, I-459 circumvents the city on the southeastern side.

Avoid rush hour (7AM-9AM and 4-6PM) if possible; for details on usual spots for rush hour tie-ups, see Get around#By car.

By bus
Birmingham is served by Greyhound and Megabus, both of which pick up and drop off downtown at the brand-new on Morris Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets North. The building also serves as the central station for the municipal bus system, so if you'll be using public transit to get around during your stay, you're all set.

By train
The Birmingham Intermodal Station is also served by Amtrak via its Crescent service, running daily between New York and New Orleans.

By car
This is by far the easiest and most reliable way to get around town — with the notable exception of rush hour, which can last from 6AM-9AM and 4-6PM. In particular, I-59, I-65, and Highway 280 in and around downtown are to be avoided at these times. Aside from that, though, getting around on four wheels is a breeze, and so is parking, even downtown: metered on-street parking is plentiful and reasonably priced, and usually free in the evening and on weekends.

By bus
Public transit is available in Birmingham and the surrounding area, though it's not what you'd call convenient, especially on weekends or in areas far outside the central core. The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority runs both the MAX Bus System and the DART Bus Trolley, which operate M-Th from 10AM-10PM, F Sa until midnight and Su until 9PM.

By bike
There's a bike rental system called Zyp BikeShare, with bike stations around the city. You can use the bike for 45 minutes a time for a price of $3, if you keep the bike for a longer time, there's an overtime charge of $2 for the first 30 minutes, and $4 for each additional 30 minutes.

To start using the bikes, first register through the Zyp app or online to buy a Go pass (which means you pay for each ride), or purchase a one- or three-day or one month pass through the app and from one of the Zyp kiosks.

If you have one of the passes with unlimited rides for a day, three days or a month, you will still have to return the bike to a station within 45 minutes to avoid paying overtime fees (but you can immediately start using the bike again after returning it).

On foot
The downtown areas of Birmingham (notably separated by railroad tracks into a "north" and "south" side) are quite compact, so walking is a reasonable way to get from place to place within the central district. However, walking from downtown to further-flung neighborhoods such as Avondale or Woodlawn is not a viable option: aside from the distance and the lack of consistently available sidewalks or other pedestrian infrastructure, depending on the time of year even avid walkers might have to contend with summer temperatures that reach 100°F (40°C) regularly, and heat indices higher still.

History
The bulk of Birmingham's most famous tourist attractions revolve around the city's role in the Civil Rights Movement.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is immediately adjacent to:

Other Civil Rights Movement-related landmarks in Birmingham include...



Industrial history buffs will find much of interest in Birmingham as well.



And, representing a period still further in the past, even before the foundation of the City of Birmingham, is...



Do
In addition to standard activities, Birmingham also has tons of outdoor adventures such as paintballing, four-wheeling and hunting, during season.



Spectator sports
Birmingham doesn't field teams in any of North America's big four pro sports leagues, but no matter — if you just want to take in a nice baseball or soccer game without paying through the nose for tickets or dealing with enormous crowds and hoopla, here's your chance.



In Birmingham, a bigger draw by far than pro sports are the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) college teams.



Protective Stadium replaced not only as the home of the Blazers, but also as the host of two significant games.





Finally, Protective Stadium houses a team in a spring professional football league:



Annual events
As you might expect in a city with a muggy subtropical climate, Birmingham's festival seasons are spring and fall, rather than summer.



Buy
While Birmingham's restaurant and nightlife scene may be vibrant (read on), retail still has a lot of catching up to do. You'll still find the bulk of the action outside the city line in places like Homewood and Hoover, and along Highway 280, where shopping malls and big-box stores predominate. Antique shops are an exception; you'll find some good ones of those scattered around downtown and in Southside neighborhoods like Highland Park and Five Points South.

Speaking of Five Points South, two independent shops that are worth your time if you're strolling through that area are on 11th Ave S, where local hipsters flock to pick up the latest tunes on wax, and  on 20th St S, which, even if you're not in the middle of a DIY home improvement project, is still worth browsing around just for the sheer throwback aspect: it really is like stepping into a time machine and going back to the 1950s.

Shopping malls
Again, the majority of these are found in the 'burbs. However, here are a couple of alternatives within city limits:



Eat
Most visitors are pleasantly surprised at the large dining scene in Birmingham, a city which has numerous well-known restaurants with famous chefs. Ask locals about best "meat and 3" places for soul food.

Budget




Stay safe
Common-sense rules apply for most of the city center, e.g. travel in groups at night, don't look like a tourist, avoid dark alleyways, etc. While the city has a reputation for crime, dangerous areas are generally far away from anywhere of interest to tourists. Avoid the areas north of the civic center and west of I-65.

By contrast, downtown is very well patrolled, and other than common sense against normal big city stuff (e.g. beggars asking for money), there is not much to worry about. The same is true of the Five Points South neighborhood, so if you're headed to one of the swanky restaurants, pubs, or dance clubs over there, there's no need to fear.

The downtown area has a supplemental bike patrol called CAP (City Action Partnership) to deter crime and assist visitors. for a free security escort, directions, assistance with a dead car battery, etc.

Connect
The region has two telephone area code, 205 and 659, so you must dial all ten digits of a phone number.

WiFi
There are many locations in Birmingham that offer free WiFi access, foremost among which are the 19 branches of the Birmingham Public Library. The largest and most centrally located of these is the...



Hospitals
As an important clinical research center, UAB Medical School operates most of the important hospitals in Birmingham. Their medical district south of downtown includes the 1,157-bed for a complete range of general medical concerns, as well as the  for pediatric care. An alternative to those is, Birmingham's oldest, operated since 1898 by the Catholic Daughters of Charity and especially renowned as a center for cardiology and robotics surgery.

Media
Published three times weekly and distributed to about 150,000 subscribers across Jefferson County, the Birmingham News is the paper of record for the area. The Birmingham Weekly is the city's alternative newspaper, proffering a mix of local news, cultural coverage, event listings, and commentary of a decidedly more left-wing bent than most of the area's media.

Consulates

 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇩🇪 Germany

Suburbs

 * If retail therapy is in order, a 10-minute drive south from downtown on I-65 puts you in Hoover. The ambience is a bit plastic-fantastic but undeniably upscale, with all the shopping malls, chain restaurants, and big-box stores to slake your appetite for the familiar after taking in Birmingham's unique and funky city neighborhoods.
 * In the same direction as Hoover but even closer to town, Homewood is another upscale suburb, albeit one with character — especially in the charming little downtown area at the foot of Red Mountain. Homewood is also where you'll find Samford University, home of the Alabama Men's Hall of Fame — and Division I football and basketball tickets that are a good sight cheaper than games at UAB.
 * If you'd rather sink your teeth further into the Birmingham area's industrial history, and a little bit of grit doesn't faze you, head down I-20 to the working-class suburb of Bessemer, where much of Alabama's steel industry in the 20th century played out. The mills have mostly been idle since the 1970s, and the city's struggles with unemployment and its attendant problems are plain to see, but monuments to the good old days abound — check out the Tannehill Ironworks just outside of town. And if you'd like to "sink your teeth into" something else, Bessemer is also a rather unlikely foodie destination, home to Alabama's oldest operating restaurant and some of the best barbecue around these parts.

Further afield

 * "Roll Tide" is the phrase that pays in Tuscaloosa, the college town and former state capital that lies about an hour southwest of Birmingham along I-20. There's plenty of history, art, and culture to be found among the oak-lined streets of the "Druid City", but undoubtedly the main attraction is the University of Alabama itself — especially on football game days, when Bryant-Denny Stadium has been known to pack in over 100,000 fans (more than the population of the city!)
 * A 45-minute drive northward along I-65 will put you in Cullman, home to St. Bernard Abbey, the only Benedictine abbey in Alabama. The Ave Maria Grotto, a miniature fairytale land on the grounds of the abbey, has been a favorite among visitors since it opened in 1934.
 * Press further northward into the mountains and the next big city you'll come to is Huntsville. Formerly a sleepy cotton town, Huntsville shot to prominence in the years after World War II, when the U.S. government sent Dr. Wernher Von Braun and his team of scientists to the Redstone Arsenal to design missiles for the army. A decade later, NASA came to town and set up the Marshall Space Center to develop the propulsion system that would soon put American astronauts on the Moon, and... well, you can see why they call it the "Rocket City".
 * Head the other direction on I-65, and in about an hour and a half you're in Alabama's state capital, Montgomery, a city replete with history, mostly of the unsavory variety — former capital of the Confederacy; home of one of the most active slave-trading markets in the U.S. in the years before the Civil War; site of Rosa Parks' infamous bus boycott. Montgomery wrestles with the ghosts of its past at the National Memorial for Peace & Justice, but it's not all somber reflection here: there's also a renowned Shakespeare Festival, a turn-of-the-century downtown turned living-history museum, and other cultural attractions.
 * Sure, Birmingham is Alabama's biggest city. But for the Southern metropolitan experience par excellence, head about two hours east along I-20 to Atlanta, where big-league sports, world-class cultural institutions, cutting-edge cuisine, and urban-style hustle and bustle await.