Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama facts for kids

Welcome to the exciting history of Birmingham, a major city in Alabama, USA! This timeline will take you on a journey through the years, showing how Birmingham grew from a new town into the bustling place it is today. You'll discover important moments, famous buildings, and how the city changed over time.

How Birmingham Began: The 1800s

• 1871: Birmingham was officially started and became a city.
  • Robert Henley became the first mayor.
• 1874: Birmingham became the main city for Jefferson County.
  • The First Colored Baptist Church was founded.
  • A serious illness spread through the city.
  • The Birmingham Iron Age newspaper started publishing.
• 1880: The city's population was 3,086 people.
• 1881: The Alabama Christian Advocate newspaper began publishing.
• 1882:
  • The Sloss Furnace, a big iron factory, started working.
  • O'Brien's Opera House opened, a place for shows and performances.
• 1887: Howard College began operating in East Lake.
• 1888: The Evening News and Birmingham Age-Herald newspapers started publishing.
• 1890:
  • The population grew to 26,178 people.
  • The Labor Advocate newspaper began publishing.
• 1891: The Birmingham Commercial Club was officially formed to help businesses.
• 1893:
  • The beautiful Cathedral of Saint Paul was built.
  • St. Mark's School opened.
• 1895:
  • The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, a large industrial company, moved its main office to Birmingham.
  • The Birmingham Conservatory of Music was started.
• 1896: Spencer Business College was established.
• 1900: The population reached 38,415 people.

Birmingham in the 1900s

Early 1900s: Growth and Change

• 1901: March 25: A big storm hit the city.
• 1907:
  • The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company was bought by the United States Steel Corporation, a huge steel company.
  • Miles Memorial College was active in nearby Fairfield.
• 1909:
  • Birmingham grew bigger, adding areas like Ensley, North Birmingham, Pratt City, and Woodlawn.
  • The Birmingham Terminal Station (a train station) and the Empire Building were built.
• 1910: The population jumped to 132,685 people.
• 1912: The John Hand Building was built.
• 1913: The City Federal Building was constructed.
• 1916:
  • October 18: An earthquake shook the area near Irondale.
  • A local group of the Klan was formed.
• 1917: The Civitan Club, a community service group, was founded.
• 1918: Birmingham–Southern College was established.
• 1919: The Alabama Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs was formed in Birmingham.
• 1920:
  • The Progressive Farmer magazine moved its main office to Birmingham.
  • The population reached 178,806 people.
• 1922: WAPI radio began broadcasting.
• 1923: Traffic lights were installed to help manage cars.
• 1924: The Avondale Sun newspaper began publishing.
• 1925: WBRC radio began broadcasting.
• 1927: The Alabama Theatre opened, a beautiful place for movies and shows.
• 1928: Exchange-Security Bank was established.
• 1929: The Thomas Jefferson Hotel was built.
• 1930:
  • The Southern Worker newspaper began publishing.
  • The population grew to 259,678 people.
• 1933: The Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union was active, helping workers.
• 1936:
  • A local Steel Workers Organizing Committee was formed.
  • The Vulcan statue, a huge iron statue, was put on top of Red Mountain.
• 1940: The population was 267,583 people.
• 1942: The Birmingham Historical Society was founded to preserve history.
• 1949: WAPI-TV and WBRC-TV (television) began broadcasting.
• 1950:
  • The Birmingham Post-Herald newspaper started publishing.
  • The population reached 326,037 people.
• 1955: The Birmingham Zoo was established, a fun place for animals.
• 1956:
  • The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, an important group for civil rights, had its main office in Birmingham.
  • The Alabama Symphony Orchestra became active.
• 1958: EBSCO Industries, a large company, started its business.
• 1959: The West End Hills Missionary Baptist Church was built.

Later 1900s: Civil Rights and Modernization

• 1960:
  • Briarwood Presbyterian Church was established.
  • Eastwood Mall opened for shopping.
  • The population was 340,887 people.
• 1961: First Baptist Church, Kingston was built.
• 1962: The Two North Twentieth building was constructed.
• 1963:
  • April 3: The Birmingham campaign for civil rights began, a very important time for equal rights.
  • April 16: Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail".
  • May: There were protests and events related to civil rights.
  • September 15: The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing occurred, a tragic event.
  • The Birmingham Botanical Gardens opened, a beautiful place with plants.
• 1965:
  • Airport Drive-In cinema opened.
  • The Southern Museum of Flight was established.
• 1966: Southern Living magazine moved its main office to Birmingham.
• 1969: The old Birmingham Terminal Station was taken down.
• 1970:
  • The Daniel Building was constructed.
  • The population was 300,910 people.
• 1971: First Alabama Bancshares moved its main office to the city.
• 1972: The South Central Bell Building and First National-Southern Natural Building were built.
• 1975: The Birmingham Vulcans football team was formed.
• 1979: Richard Arrington, Jr. became mayor.
• 1980: The population was 284,413 people.
• 1982:
  • The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and Bama 6 cinema opened.
  • Birmingham became a sister city with Hitachi, Japan, creating a special friendship.
• 1986:

South Trust Tower, built in 1986

• • The South Trust Tower was built.
  • The Alabama Humanities Foundation moved its main office to Birmingham.
• 1988: The AmSouth-Harbert Plaza (a tall building) was built.
• 1990:
  • The Birmingham Islamic Society was formed.
  • The population was 265,968 people.
• 1992: The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was established, a museum about the civil rights movement.
• 1993:
  • The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame opened.
  • Spencer Bachus became a U.S. representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district.
• 1995: Birmingham became a sister city with Székesfehérvár, Hungary.
• 1996:
  • The city's website went online around this time.
  • Birmingham became a sister city with Anshan, China.
• 1997: Birmingham became a sister city with Gweru, Zimbabwe.
• 1998:
  • There was a big tornado outbreak from April 6-9.
  • Birmingham became sister cities with Pomigliano d'Arco, Naples, Italy, and friendship cities with Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, and Maebashi, Japan.
• 1999: Birmingham became a friendship city with Krasnodon, Ukraine.
• 2000: The population was 242,840 people.

Birmingham in the 2000s and Beyond

• 2001: Church of the Highlands was founded.
• 2003: Birmingham became a sister city with Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

Cumberland School of Law in 2006

• 2005:
  • The Birmingham Post-Herald newspaper stopped publishing.
  • The Locust Fork News-Journal began publishing.
  • Birmingham became sister cities with Al-Karak, Jordan; Guédiawaye, Senegal; Plzeň, Czech Republic; and Rosh HaAyin, Israel.
• 2009: Birmingham became a sister city with Winneba, Ghana.
• 2010:
  • The Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra was formed.
  • William A. Bell became mayor.
  • The population was 212,237 people.
• 2011: Terri Sewell became a U.S. representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district.
• 2015:
  • A new minimum wage was approved in the city.
  • Birmingham became a sister city with Liverpool, England.
• 2017: Randall Woodfin became mayor.
• 2020: The population was 200,733 people.
• 2021: The Birmingham Stallions football team was formed.
• 2022: The 2022 World Games, a big international sports event, were hosted in Birmingham.
• 2024: September: A tragic shooting occurred in Birmingham.

Images for kids

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  Overview of Birmingham, 1907

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  Ensley, Birmingham, 1937

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  Overview of Birmingham, 1972

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  Southside, Birmingham, 2010

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  Bird's-eye view of Samford University campus