Birmingham, Alabama has long been known as the setting for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and as the backdrop of a bigoted Police Chief turning high-pressure fire hoses on children and peaceful demonstrators in 1963. What else do we know about Birmingham? Find out about this Southern city’s role in the Industrial Revolution, its antebellum past, and its geological wonders. Read on for more information about the most-visited Birmingham historical sites.Decorative multi-colour garden.

  1. Red Mountain Expressway Cut

    2. A National Natural Landmark, the Red Mountain Expressway Cut is an exposed geological strata resultant from the 1960s construction of the Red Mountain Expressway. This Birmingham wonder displays the red ore that helped make Birmingham one of the fastest producing U.S. cities of the Industrial Revolution. Though the interpretative trail has been closed to the public due to the danger of rockslides, you can view the cut from afar. To learn more about this geological landmark go to: www.Nature.NPS.gov.

  2. Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens

    3. Birmingham’s only surviving antebellum plantation serves as a decorative arts museum and features a fine collection of 19th century textiles, furniture, silver, and paintings. The sites’ beautifully landscaped gardens are used for various events. Built in the Greek revival style, this 1840s mansion chronicles life in Birmingham before the Civil War. To learn more about this most treasured of Birmingham historical sites go to: www.InformationBirmingham.com.

  3. 16th Street Baptist Church

    4. On a Sunday morning in 1963, a bomb was detonated inside the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham killing four African American girls. This event shocked the nation and brought full attention to the Civil Rights struggles in this racially divided Southern city. The church was designated a National Landmark in 2006 and tours of this historic church are given daily. To learn more about this most infamous of Birmingham historical attractions go to: www.NPS.gov.

  4. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park

    5. A short drive outside of Birmingham will take you to a state park of monumental importance. Tannehill Ironworks houses a working gristmill, cotton gin, pioneer farm, and stone furnaces. Dating before the Civil War, the Ironworks was the site of massive iron manufacture producing up to 22 tons a day! Don’t miss the Iron & Steel Museum, which features a 1800s machine shop and steam engine! To learn more about this most fascinating of Birmingham historical attractions please visit: www.TanneHill.org.

  5. Sloss Furnaces

    6. This National Landmark chronicles Birmingham’s role in the Industrial Revolution and demonstrates the history of Birmingham as a leader in the manufacture of iron. The centuries old blast furnaces are the highlight of the spectacle and it is said that the ghosts of old workers still haunt the grounds! Sloss Furnaces also hosts metal arts workshops for those that would like to continue in the age-old tradition. To book your tour please visit: www.slossfurnaces.com.

  6. Southern Museum of Flight

    7. At this aerial museum you will find a host of authentic aircraft dating back to the origins of man-powered flight. Among the extensive collection is an original Wright Flyer, B-52 Bomber, and several spy planes. Learn about Alabama’s role in flight history by visiting the Tuskegee Airmen exhibit, which commemorates the group of African American pilots who brought honor to their country during WWII. To learn more about this most mesmerizing of Birmingham historical attractions go to: www.SouthernMuseumOffLight.org.

  7. Vulcan Park

    8. This Birmingham Park is home to the World’s largest cast iron statue. The Vulcan Statue – after the Roman god of fire – was forged in 1904 for the World’s Fair, returned to Birmingham in 1938, and has since become the city’s symbol. The Vulcan Statue is on the National Register of Historic Places and Vulcan Park features a one-of-a-kind history museum. To learn more about the seventh-tallest freestanding U.S. statue go to: www.VisitVulcan.com.

  8. Kelly Ingram Park

    9. During the 1960s, Kelly Ingram Park was the site of sit-ins, protests, and marches organized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of his innovative Birmingham Campaign. Nearby 16th Street Baptist Church – where the Ku Klux Clan detonated a bomb that killed 4 African American girls – and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute lend authenticity to this Civil Rights epicenter. Located around the park are statues and art displays that commemorate the violence once done there against protestors, many of them children. To learn more about this most important of Birmingham historical sites please visit: www.NPS.gov.

  9. Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences

    10. Check out this Birmingham museum for exhibits of rare medical books, antique surgical equipment, and more! The Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences is dedicated to chronicling the evolution of medical history over the last seven centuries! Additionally, you will find the museum focuses on Alabama’s role in medical advancement technology. To learn more about this most unique of Birmingham historical sites go to: www.UAB.edu.

  10. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

    11. Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement is well documented: the once racially divided Southern city took the world by storm in 1963 when bombings, attacks on peaceful demonstrators, and other violent events made the attention of the World media. Today, these events are commemorated and the hundreds of years of racial inequality in the South are chronicled within the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s walls. Dedicated to promoting civil and human rights through education, this most inspiring of Birmingham historical sites will give you a glimpse into America’s past as well as a look forward to its future. To learn more go to: www.BCRI.org.