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1956 Map of Birmingham

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Birmingham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Birmingham serves as the industrial and logistical heart of Central Alabama in this mid-1950s Army Map Service compilation. The urban corridor stretches southwest through Fairfield, Homewood, and Bessemer, following the mineral-rich geology of Red Mountain and Shades Mountain. The landscape is defined by the sharp ridges of the Appalachian Mountains and a dense network of major rail lines, including the Southern, Alabama Great Southern, and Louisville and Nashville railroads, which linked the region's mines and furnaces to broader markets.

To the west, the Black Warrior River flows past Tuscaloosa and Northport, while the eastern portion of the sheet is dominated by the Coosa River and the high peaks of the Talladega Mountains. Large tracts of protected land, such as Wm Bankhead National Forest and the Talladega National Forest, contrast with the heavy industrial presence at the Anniston Ordnance Depot. Water resources like Inland Lake and Lake Purdy are clearly visible, supporting the growing metropolitan infrastructure during this era of post-war expansion.