Loading map...

1959 Map of Bessemer

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Bessemer
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Industrial expansion and suburban growth define the landscape of the western Birmingham district during the late 1950s. Bessemer sits at the heart of a dense rail network including the Southern Railway and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which serve the iron and coal riches of Red Mountain. The map captures the transition from older settlements like Old Jonesboro to modern residential developments such as Hueytown Crest and Lakewood Estate.

Beyond the urban core, the terrain is marked by extractive sites like the Chert Pits and company towns such as Muscoda. Social and civic life is anchored by institutions like the St Aloysius Sch, Bessemer Armory, and numerous local burial grounds including Cedar Hill Cemetery and Valhalla Cem. The drainage patterns of Valley Creek and Opossum Creek provide the geographic framework for this heavily developed industrial corridor.