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1959 Map of Birmingham South

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

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Elmwood Cemetery and the sprawling residential developments of Homewood and Mountain Brook dominate the northern landscape in this late 1950s survey. The map documents a period of significant suburban expansion, where established communities like English Village and Hollywood meet newer tracts such as Lake Shore Estates and Vestavia Hills. This growth is constrained by the prominent ridge of Shades Mountain, which separates the urbanized Birmingham area from the more open Little Shades Valley to the south.

Industrial and institutional landmarks are visible throughout, including Howard College and the towering presence of Vulcan Park. The legacy of the region's mining and transportation history is evident in the rail lines of the Southern Railway and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that serve areas like Ishkooda and Spaulding. Further south, the terrain becomes more varied around the Cahaba River, punctuated by family and community landmarks like Patton Chapel and the Berry Sch.