Loading map...

1959 Map of Irondale

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

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Ernest Norris Yards anchor the central valley of this map, illustrating the heavy industrial and logistical footprint of the railroad in mid-century Alabama. The landscape is defined by the parallel ridges of Red Mountain and Shades Mountain, which constrained urban expansion into distinct corridors like Shades Valley. This 1959 survey, updated in the late 1970s, captures Birmingham's eastward growth through residential developments such as Roebuck Springs and Biscayne Highlands.

Beyond the residential sprawl, the map documents the area's extractive history with several strip mines and the Gate City Quarry. Local community life is evidenced by numerous educational and religious institutions, including the St Thomas Home on the Hill Sch and St Barnabas Sch and Church. The southeastern portion of the sheet transitions into the more open terrain along the Cahaba River, where the Brookwood Country Club and family-named landmarks like Moore Corner reflect a different pace of development.