Ever wonder what our Magic City was like during the post-war Baby-Boomer era?
Birmingham Rewound showcases what made our city Magic, and what took the luster away (urban sprawl, and the shopping mall).
From the beautiful Terminal Station (what was arguably the south’s most beautiful train station) that was demolished to make way for the Red Mountain Expressway (see the tunnel there? That’s the tunnel under nothing over by the Park Place apartment community).
To the south’s first indoor shopping mall (or air conditioned side walks as they were called back then) Eastwood Mall. There is an entire sub-site dedicated to this dead/dying mall. (Soon to be replaced by a Wal-Mart SuperCenter :rolleyes: )
The first time I ever saw a photo of Terminal Station I fell in love with what Birmingham used to be. I have spent hours in the archives of the Birmingham Public Library looking at old photos of Birmingham, and I even decorated my office at home with them (mostly pre-war era pictures of downtown).
Take a look at Birmingham Rewound and see if you find something that will make you smile.
September 28th, 2005 at 11:13 am
Wow, cool pics! Thanks for that link too.
September 28th, 2005 at 3:04 pm
My mom and dad tell wonderful tales of all the cool stuff that used to be in Birmingham.
If those jackasses tear down Quinlan Castle, I’m going to come up to B’ham and kick some ass. To think, they almost tore the Alabama Theatre down too! Idiots!
Have you see the proposed Red Mountain Park (link on my blog?) That’ll be some B’ham awesomeness if it happens.
September 28th, 2005 at 3:11 pm
I did check out the RMP proposal…
I really hope they can generate the $$ needed in the next 18 months.
Oh, and I’m pretty sure Quinlan is safe. It is on both the National Historical register.
September 28th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Oh, and here’s what Quinlan Castle looks like w/ a little special effects thrown in:
http://www.eatmedrinkme.com/press/Collateral/castle.jpg
From Alice’s MisAdventures in Wonderland, a motion picture produced and shot in Birmingham.
http://www.eatmedrinkme.com
September 28th, 2005 at 4:39 pm
Quinlan may be safe, but it sure looks like ass. Personally, I think there comes a time when a collection of wood, rocks, and steel needs to come down.
I would have liked to have seen Terminal Station in its heyday.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:21 am
You might enjoy my novel, Dead Birmingham. It’s set around the old Cabana hotel and events transpiring therein. I am the author of a series of novels that take place in Birmingham, and I lke to use older places in the city as imagery.
ttfn,
Tim
July 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I remember the old Terminal Station quite well. I was allowed to take train trips to Fayette Al and also Atlanta Ga when I was 12 years old and older. I am now 76 and grew up in the western section of Bham and still live there. My aunt had a boarding house (a large two story building next to the Terminal) She served the best food in town and the train personnel would go there to eat her fabulous meals. Her boarding house was across the street from Jebs Seafood, She would take me to the Terminal and take me all through, I thought it was the largest and most beautiful building in Bham. What a shame it could not have been put to some use.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I remember the old Terminal Station well also. When I was a child, my Mother, brother and I would take my Dad there to catch the train. He was with the Postal Service and worked on the mail car of the train. We would have to go back and pick him up when the train came back through later in the week. I loved that building and really hate to know that it is not there any more.