Jefferson County Historical Association
The Jefferson County Historical Association (originally the Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society) is an organization founded in 1975 to promote historic preservation projects in Jefferson County. The group holds quarterly meetings at the Emmet O'Neal Library, publishes occasional books and a newsletter, The Jefferson Journal, and sponsors the installation of outdoor historic markers.
Originally founded as the Birmingham Historical Society in 1942, the Society was reorganized in 1975 as the Birmingham-Jefferson County Historical Society and was later re-named the Jefferson County Historical Association in 2011.
In 2003, the association organized the Birmingham History Center archive and museum. In January 2018, Vulcan Park & Museum announced a partnership with the Birmingham History Center, ensuring the continued preservation and sharing of Birmingham's unique history and stories.
The Jefferson County Historical Association is governed by a 16-member board and led by chairman and president Alice Williams.
Publications
- Bennett, James R. (2008) Historic Birmingham and Jefferson County: An Illustrated History. San Antonio, Texas: Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society/Historical Publishing Network. ISBN 9781893619838
- West, Thomas M. Jr, ed ( ) The Elyton Land Company Minute Books, 1871-1895
- Franke, Will (1950) The History of Jefferson County Before 1850. Rpt. 2007 by Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society
- Bennett, James R. (1999) Tannehill and the Growth of the Alabama Iron Industry including the Civil War in West Alabama. Alabama Historic Ironworks series. Alabama Historic Ironworks Commission. ISBN 0967445515
- Snell, Helen Pittman (1990) Crestline, a Timeless Neighborhood. Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society
- Bennett, James R. (1986) Old Tannehill, a History of the Pioneer Ironworks in Roupes Valley (1829-1865). Jefferson County Historical Commission
- Lackmond, Catherine M. (1985) Arlington Reminiscences. Jefferson County Historical Commission
- Atkins, Leah Rawls (1981) The Valley and the Hills: An Illustrated History of Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama. Birmingham: Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society. ISBN 0897810317
- Satterfield, Carolyn Green (1976) Historic Sites of Jefferson County, Alabama. Birmingham: Jefferson County Historical Commission/Gray Printing Company
- Smith, J. Morgan (1975) Birmingham’s Half Century pamphlet. Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society,
Historical markers
Since Tom West initiated the program in 1992, the JCHA has erected 20 cast aluminum historical markers throughout Jefferson County:
- Independent Presbyterian Church
- Little Theatre
- Alabama Theatre
- Shades Valley High School
- Mountain Brook
- Homewood
- Rosedale
- Hollywood
- Edgewood
- Briarwood Presbyterian Church
- Will Franke, early Mountain Brook Village
- St Vincent's Hospital
- "Oldest House in Shades Valley", Irondale Furnace Commissary
- Union Hill Cemetery, Union Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, Union Hill School
- Lane Park
- Birmingham Water Works, Cahaba Pumping Station
- Irondale Furnace, Wallace McElwain
- The Old Mill, Robert Jemison Jr
- Brock's Gap, South & North Railroad
- Canterbury United Methodist Church
- Edgewood Lake