1980 Map of Alabaster

About this map

Cahaba Valley and Opossum Valley dominate the landscape of central Shelby County, where the industrial footprint of limestone quarrying meets established rail corridors. In the mid-1970s, the community of Alabaster expanded around the intersection of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, absorbing the former textile center of Siluria. The presence of numerous family burial grounds, such as Benton Cem and Still Memorial Cem, alongside local landmarks like the Drive-in Theater and Shelby County Airport, illustrates the area's transition from rural ridge-and-valley settlements to a burgeoning suburban and industrial hub. The survey captures smaller settlements like Elliottsville, Saginaw, and Underwood before decades of modern development altered the rural character of the Pine Ridge and Locust Ridge terrain.