Bayview, Alabama facts for kids

Bayview is a community located in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is found north of the Birmingham suburb of Pleasant Grove. This community was built right next to a lake called Bayview Lake. Even though it once voted to join the nearby town of Mulga, Bayview still has its own special identity today.

A Town Built for Workers

Bayview was first developed as a "company town." This means a large company, the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co. (TCI), built the entire town. It was made for their workers and their families. These workers were employed at the nearby TCI coal mines.

Bayview was a very modern community when it was created. It even won an award at the New York World's Fair! The community had many useful places. These included a store called a commissary for shopping. There was also a doctor's office, schools, and a community center that had a library. Churches and parks were also part of the town. Public bus service helped people travel to other communities nearby.

The houses in Bayview were owned by TCI. They usually had two, three, four, or five rooms. Workers rented these homes from the company. The rent was very low, just USD $2.00 per room each month. Later, TCI stopped renting the homes. They sold the houses directly to the workers instead. TCI was later bought by the U.S. Steel corporation.

Some people in Bayview later worked at the nearby Edgewater mine. Today, people living in Bayview work in many different jobs. They are employed by businesses all over the county. They are no longer just connected to the mining industry.