2020 Map of McCalla

About this map

Industrial history and rural settlements define this corridor south of Bessemer, where the landscape transitions between the ridgelines of West Red Mtn and Rock Mtn. The legacy of coal and iron production is evident in place names like Black Diamond and the heavy industrial infrastructure at the Slurry Impoundment Johns Washer near North Johns. These settlements, alongside McCalla and Bucksville, are connected by a network of historic routes such as Eastern Valley Rd and Flint Hill Rd. Numerous family and community landmarks remain, including Bucksville Cem and Marvin Chapel Cem. The drainage patterns of Shades Creek and the Little Blue Cr carve through Shades Valley, creating a terrain punctuated by gaps like Nail Gap and Norwood Gap that historically dictated the path of travel and transport in this region of Jefferson and Tuscaloosa Counties.