List of Birmingham firsts: Difference between revisions

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This '''list of Birmingham firsts''' is drawn from [[Bertha Bendall Norton]]'s 1970 book ''Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?'':
This '''list of Birmingham firsts''' is drawn from [[Bertha Bendall Norton]]'s 1970 book ''Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?'', with a few additions:


===People===
===People===
* First boy born in city: [[Richard Powell McAnally]] (November 11, 1871)
* First boy born in city: [[Richard Powell McAnally]] (November 11, 1871)
* First girl born in city: [[Mamie Morrow]] (fall 1871)
* First girl born in city: [[Mamie Morrow]] (fall 1871)
* First [[Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service|Birmingham Fire Department]] firefighters to die in the line of duty: [[Gip Spruiell]] and [[E. B. Huffman]] (July 3, 1905)
* First Jewish settler: [[Henry Simon]] (1871)
* First [[Mayor of Birmingham|Mayor]], [[Robert Henley]] (appointed by [[Governor of Alabama|Governor]] [[Robert Lindsay]])
* First [[Birmingham Police Department]] officers to die in the line of duty: On [[March 27]], [[1900]] Officers [[George Kirkley]] and [[J. W. Adams]] were killed in a shootout following a robbery of the Standard Oil office.
* First [[Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service|Birmingham Fire Department]] firefighters to die in the line of duty: [[Gip Spruiell]] and [[E. B. Huffman]] were killed when the [[Birmingham Paper Company]] building on [[Morris Avenue]] collapsed on them during a pre-dawn blaze on [[July 3]], [[1905]].
 
===Industry===
* First railroad: [[Alabama Central Railroad]] pulled into Birmingham around 10:00 PM on [[November 6]], [[1871]]
* First coke iron: 1874, by the [[Experimental Coke Company]]
* First blast furnace in the city: [[Alice Furnace No. 1]], into blast on [[November 23]], [[1880]]
* First coke oven: 1880 at Alice Furnace
* First wrought iron: June 30, 1881 at the [[Birmingham Iron & Steel Co.]]
* First steel: at [[Henderson Steel]] on [[March 8]], [[1888]]


===Government===
===Government===
* First voting place: [[21st Street North]] and [[2nd Alley North]]
* First voting place: [[21st Street North]] and [[2nd Alley North]]
* First [[Jefferson County Courthouse]]: [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First [[Jefferson County Courthouse]]: [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First [[Mayor of Birmingham]]: [[Robert Henley]], sworn in on [[December 19]], [[1871]]
* First [[Birmingham City Hall]]: [[20th Street]], between [[1st Avenue North|1st]] and [[2nd Avenue North]]
* First [[Birmingham City Hall]]: [[20th Street]], between [[1st Avenue North|1st]] and [[2nd Avenue North]]
* First post office: [[19th Street North|19th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First post office: [[19th Street North|19th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First public school: [[Powell School]], [[24th Street North|24th Street]] and [[6th Avenue North]]
* First public school: [[Powell School]], [[24th Street North|24th Street]] and [[6th Avenue North]]
===Buildings===
* First "house": [[William Nabers shop]], built in 1869 on what became [[1st Avenue North]]
* First elevator: [[Caldwell-Milner Building]], [[1887]] (or possibly the [[Florence Hotel]], built in [[1883]]-[[1884]])
* First hydraulic elevator: [[Steiner Building]], [[1890]]
* First "skyscraper": [[Woodward Building]], [[1902]]


===Retailers===
===Retailers===
* First "house": [[William Nabers shop]], built in 1869 on what became [[1st Avenue North]]
* First grocery store: [[Allen's Grocery]] (present site of [[Empire Building]])
* First grocery store: [[Allen's Grocery]] (present site of [[Empire Building]])
* First dry goods store: [[F. E. Taylor]]'s Dry Goods ([[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]])
* First dry goods store: [[F. E. Taylor]]'s Dry Goods ([[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]])
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* First drug store: [[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First drug store: [[20th Street North|20th Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First furniture store: [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First furniture store: [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[3rd Avenue North]]
* First woman-owned business: Mrs [[John Lunsford]]'s millinery shop on the 200 block of [[21st Street North]] in [[1874]]


===Services===
===Services===
* First hotel: [[Relay House]] ([[1871]], present site of [[Two North Twentieth]])
* First bank:
* First school: [[Bryant's School]], [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[1st Avenue North]]
* First hotel: unknown hotel before the [[Relay House]] opened in 1871
* First public school: [[Powell School]] (1874)<!--[[Bryant School]], [[21st Street North|21st Street]] and [[1st Avenue North]] (1874)-->
* First gas service: October 1882
* First public school for non-whites: [[15th Street Colored School]] (1883)
* First hospital: [[Hillman Hospital]]
* First hospital: [[Hillman Hospital]]
* First telephone exchange: In the [[Terry Building]], established [[May 8]], [[1882]] with 26 subscribers.
* First air mail flight: [[March 24]], [[1925]] ([[1925 Birmingham to Chattanooga demonstration flight|demonstration flight]]), [[December 1]], [[1928]] (regular service)


===Media===
===Media===
* First newspaper: ''[[Birmingham Sun]]'' (weekly in 1871, daily for a brief time in 1872)
* First newspaper: ''[[Birmingham Sun]]'' (formerly the ''[[Elyton Sun]]'', published weekly in 1871, daily for a brief time in 1872)
* First surviving daily newspaper: ''[[Birmingham Iron Age]]'' (1874)
* First successful daily newspaper: ''[[Birmingham Iron Age]]'' (1874)
* First radio stations: [[WSY-AM]] (1922) and [[WBRC-AM]] (1925). [[Dud Connolly]] claimed that another station, set up in [[1923]], had its equipment knocked over in a sleet storm and was never re-erected. ([https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118035136/following-the-antenna-abortive-1923-rad/ link])
* First "talkie": Newsreel of President Coolidge welcoming Charles Lindbergh to New York, played at the [[Ritz Theatre]] in [[1927]]
 
===Sports===
* First [[1893 Iron Bowl|Alabama-Auburn football game]]: Auburn 32, Alabama 22, on [[February 22]], [[1893]] at [[Lakeview Park]]
* First parimutual horse race: The "[[Birmingham Inaugural Stakes]]" held at the [[Birmingham Turf Club]] on [[March 3]], [[1987]].
* First Olympic event: [[1996 Olympic soccer|Olympic soccer]], [[1996]]
* First title boxing match: [[Wilder vs. Molina]], [[June 13]], [[2015]] at [[Bartow Arena]]


==References==
==References==
* {{Norton-1970}}
* {{Norton-1970}}


[[Category:Lists|Firsts]]
[[Category:Lists of events|Firsts]]
[[Category:Birmingham]]
[[Category:Birmingham|Firsts]]

Latest revision as of 11:02, 31 March 2024

This list is incomplete and may never satisfy any subjective standard for completeness. You can help Bhamwiki by expanding it.

This list of Birmingham firsts is drawn from Bertha Bendall Norton's 1970 book Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?, with a few additions:

People

Industry

Government

Buildings

Retailers

Services

Media

  • First newspaper: Birmingham Sun (formerly the Elyton Sun, published weekly in 1871, daily for a brief time in 1872)
  • First successful daily newspaper: Birmingham Iron Age (1874)
  • First radio stations: WSY-AM (1922) and WBRC-AM (1925). Dud Connolly claimed that another station, set up in 1923, had its equipment knocked over in a sleet storm and was never re-erected. (link)
  • First "talkie": Newsreel of President Coolidge welcoming Charles Lindbergh to New York, played at the Ritz Theatre in 1927

Sports

References

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