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1959 Map of Birmingham North

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Birmingham North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Tarrant City and Fultondale anchor the northern industrial corridor of this mid-century Alabama survey, illustrating the intensive urban and industrial growth surrounding the Iron City. The landscape is defined by a dense web of heavy rail including the Southern, Louisville and Nashville, and Illinois Central Gulf lines, which serviced the numerous strip mines, brickkilns, and quarries scattered throughout the terrain. In the heart of the city, civic life is represented by prominent landmarks like St Pauls Cathedral, the Courthouse Library, and Birmingham-Southern College.

Suburban development and postwar expansion are visible in neighborhoods like Hayes Highland and Frances Heights. Genealogists will find significant value in the documentation of numerous local burial grounds, including the historic Oak Hill Cemetery and Forest Hill Cemetery, as well as family-named sites like Walker Cem. The map also details the early layout of the Birmingham Municipal Airport and the transition of the landscape from the ridges of Sand Mountain to the active industrial valleys of Village Creek.