Avondale Park

Avondale Park is a 40-acre wooded park on the slopes of Red Mountain. Originally it enshrined the natural spring which put the area on the map before Birmingham was built. The property was part of a large grant of land given to two-time Jefferson County Sheriff Abner Killough. He sold it to Peyton King, who built a house next to the spring. King, in turn, sold his holdings to the Avondale Land Company in 1887.

Whether by agreement with King at the time it was purchased, sentiment for preserving open green spaces, or the mere fact that the steep hillside and spring-fed basin would be unsatisfactory for building, the expansive 40 acre park gave Avondale a true recreation spot. Upon Avondale's annexation into Birmingham in 1910, it became the city's largest park.

Many landscape improvements, including a nationally-renowned rose garden, were pursued by Mayor George Ward. Over time athletic fields and gravel walkways were added. In 1911 cages were erected for a small menagerie of animals that would later become the Birmingham Zoo. The star attraction was "Miss Fancy", an erstwhile circus elephant purchased by the city.

In 1931, a secluded pavilion called "The Villa", and a large amphitheater were constructed. The amphitheater hosted a spectacular pageant in celebration of Birmingham's 50th Anniversery in 1931.