1st Avenue North

The "Heaviest Corner on Earth" at 1st Avenue North and 20th Street

First Avenue North is an east-west street running through downtown Birmingham. The westernmost section by that name ends at Center Street, although the road continues further west as Cotton Avenue Southwest. The easternmost section ends at West Boulevard along Roebuck Municipal Golf Course. First Avenue North is the only east-west Birmingham street to run continuously from Center Street to Roebuck. It is also a two-way street for its entire length, the majority of which is four to five lanes wide.

Between Carraway Boulevard (formerly 26th Street) and 34th Street, 1st Avenue is on a viaduct which runs beside Sloss Furnaces. Between 42nd Street and 44th Street, 1st Avenue is separated from Messer Airport Highway by only a narrow, landscaped median. Messer Airport Highway is not accessible from 1st at this point, the closest links being 41st Street and 45th Place North. Two gas stations at either end of the narrow median use concrete barriers to prevent motorists from cutting through. First Avenue is also a primary street through the Woodlawn neighborhood.

U.S. Highway 11 runs along 1st Avenue from 9th Street in the east to between 86th and 87th Streets in the west. At this point in the west, the road forks, with Highway 11 continuing along Parkway East while 1st Avenue, the lesser route, continues for a block and a half to West Boulevard. U.S. Highway 78 also runs along 1st Avenue between 9th Street and 24th Street.

In addition, 1st Avenue is fully accessible from and to Interstate 59. It is directly accessible from Interstate 20 eastbound and provides direct access to I-20 westbound. It is accessible from the northbound side of the Elton B. Stephens Expressway (Highways 31 and 280). It passes under Interstate 65 without providing any access.

The curbstones installed in the early 20th century on 1st Avenue North between 18th and 21st Streets were quarried in Lane Park. The first electric "thoroughfare lighting" was installed on 1st Avenue North on poles spaced 200 feet apart. The lighting was upgraded with new, taller poles on 100-foot spacings between 32nd and 85th Streets under the city's 1945 contract with the Birmingham Electric Company.

See also

Locate with
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• 1st Avenue North Viaduct

Notable locations

For an alphabetical list of locations, see the 1st Avenue North category.

Smithfield

• Center Street North intersection (continues west as Cotton Avenue Southwest)
  • 221: former location of S. E. Gibson grocer (1925)
  • 300: former location of Rocco & Cheaters Speed Shop (1944-2007)
  • 317: former location of Gilbert Muir Grocery (1925)
  • 830: Rib-It-Up, former location of Old Plantation Barbecue
  • 902: former location of Harry Randolph's bakery (1914-)
• Interstate 65 overpass (between 10th Street North and 11th Street North)
  • former residence of Theophilus Jowers
  • 1019: Birmingham Skatepark
  • 1020-1022: former location of Lollar's Cameras main office

Downtown Birmingham

• Fountain Heights, 13th Street intersection to 19th Street
• Central City neighborhood, 19th Street to the 1st Avenue North viaduct

North Avondale

• 2600-3400: 1st Avenue North Viaduct
  • 2800-3100 blocks: Sloss Furnaces
  • 3274: Classic Iron Works
  • 3300: U.S. Pipe headquarters
  • 3400: Concordia Club
  • 3401: Sloss Docks
• 3600: Birmingham Water Works
• 3700: City Paper (City Ad Specialties, PaperWorks Outlet)
• 3827: commercial building (built 1940), Eyes mural (2016)
• 3921: M & M Barbecue
• 4012: former location of Eagle Motor Lines (1948), M. & M. Drive-In (1963)
• 4013: Tom's Sound
• 4023: former location of Highland Ice Cream Co. (1926)
• 4031: former location of F. R. Wall & Son's Woco Pep service station (1925)
• 4242: former location of New Sanitary Market (1937-1938)
• 4265: Kingdom Kare
• 4400: former location of Coggin-Ville used car lot, Spivey's Car Village (1979)
• 4418: former location of Mingotile
• 4419: former location of Peacock Sandwich Shoppe (1927)

Woodlawn

Woodlawn City Hall at 5523 1st Ave. N.

• 47th Street North intersects
  • 4711: former location of Concrete Products Co. (1922)
  • 4729: former location of W. P. Wood Garage (1922)
  • 4732: former location of Leonard Miglionico ice cream, candy & tobacco store (1922-1925)
• 48th Street North intersects
  • 4811: Bachus Engineering
• 49th Street North intersects
  • 4917: former location of Edwards Furniture Galleries (1971)
  • 4924: One Stop Environmental
  • 4930: former location of Harold Morgan Auto & Mobile Home Sales (1971)
• 50th Street North intersects
  • 5001: former location of Shelby & Co. grocer (1922)
  • 5003: former location of Woodlawn Drug Co. (1922)
  • 5005: former location of Woodlawn Dry Cleaning Co. (1925)
    • 5005½: former location of H. E. Narkates clothes cleaner (1922)
• 51st Street North intersects
  • 5113: former location of Southern Photo Service (1970s)
  • 5143: former location of Williams & Jinks grocers (1922)
• 52nd Street North intersects
  • 5200: former location of William Wardy grocer (1922)
  • 5210: former location of Rufus Cobb residence (1900)
  • 5230: Woco-Pep gas station (1930s-40s), Ray Harris Service Station (1964), D. J. Williams Motors
• 53rd Street North intersects
  • north side
    • 5310: Woodlawn Post Office
    • 5350: former location of Woodlawn Methodist Episcopal Church (1922)
  • south side
    • 5317: former location of W. S. Mallory grocer (1922)
    • 5341: former location of Bliss & Kelly restaurant (1928)
    • 5349: former location of The Red Nek/Wheeler Dealer
• 54th Street North intersects (south only)
  • north side
    • 5400: former location of Duncan Drug Co. (1922)
      • 5400½: former location of Piquick Club (1920)
    • 5402: former location of Woodlawn Savings Bank (1922)
    • 5404: former location of Woodlawn Post Office (1922)
      • 5404½: former location of R. G. Lovelady & W. C. Farrar physicians / D. E. Duggar dentist / Woodlawn Real Estate & Insurance Co. / Mt Oliver National Farm Loan Co. / Masonic Hall (1922)
    • 5410: former location of Pridmore & Chandler meats (1922)
    • 5416: Langner Building, former location of C. M. Riggins restaurant (1922)
    • 5422: former location of Dino's Hot Dogs, Bayles Catering (-2018)
    • 5424: former location of Smith's Apothecary (1973)
    • 5428: Regions Bank
    • 5434: Woodlawn United Methodist Church
  • south side
    • 5401: Family Dollar
    • 5411: former location of City Ice Delivery Co. (1922)
    • 5427: former location of Hose Company No. 12
• 55th Street North intersects
  • north side
    • 5500-5502: Woodlawn Masonic Temple/Woodrow Hall (built 1914-1915)
      • 5500: Desert Island Supply Co. (2012-), former location of Bains Drug Co. (1922-1923)
      • 5502: Red Mountain Makers (2013-)
    • 5504-5506: parking lot, former location of Woodlawn Theatre (1929-1957)
      • 5506: former location of Theater Barber Shop (1948)
    • 5510: former location of T. P. Wood shoe repair (1922)
    • 5512: former location of T. B. Hopps garage (1922), Woodlawn Garage (1925)
    • 5514: former location of The Elf's Attic craft store (1985), New Life Ministries (1990)
    • 5516: former location of J. L. Davis barber (1922), American Furniture (1971), House of James (1990)
    • 5518: pocket park/walkway
    • 5520: former location of William Drogains restaurant (1922), Touch of Bel Air / JP's Creative Cuts (2008), Salon You
    • 5522: Boogs Block (built c. 1928) former location of Woodlawn Hardware (1971), Burch Antiques, ADW Temporary Staffing (2012)
  • south side
    • 5501: Imperial Hair & Beauty, former location of Family Warehouse (2007-2008), Mission Possible thrift store (2012)
    • 5503: God's Army Outreach Bible Ministry (2008-), former location of Woodlawn Monument Co. (1922)
      • 5503B: former location of The Wood Doctor (2008)
      • 5503½: former location of National Guard Armory (1922)
    • 5505: Boehm Buildings
    • 5507: 1st Ave Upholstery
    • 5515-5519: former location of White House Sandwich Shop (1935)
    • 5523-5531: Eastside Funeral Home, former Woodlawn City Hall (built 1908)
      • 5523: former location of C. L. Bromberg's, Morgan Bros., Ben Franklin Store, Woodlawn Library, Fabric Jungle, Kent Photo Service / Art & Frame Mart (1971)
      • 5529: Sound & Page music hall
      • 5531: Former location of Alma White Cafeteria
• 55th Place North intersects
  • north side
    • 5528-5532: Commercial building (built c. 1928)
      • 5528: Shannon Brazil Studio beauty shop, former location of Latrip's Drugs, Smiles for Keeps
      • 5530: Hippodrome Barber Shop (1967-), former location of Service Barber Shop (c.1934), Fowler's Barber Shop (-1967), Varsity Barber Shop (1967)
      • 5532: Threads clothing
    • 5534-5538: vacant lot (buildings demolished before 2008)
      • 5534: former location of washateria (before 1980)
      • 5538: former location of Krystal hamburgers
  • south side
    • 5535: City Meats, formerly Mill's Restaurant
    • 5545: Magic City Motors
• Georgia Road (north) / 56th Street North (south) intersects
  • 5600: East Birmingham Church of God in Christ / East Birmingham Christian Academy (2008-), former location of 56th Street Baptist Church (1922)
  • 5601: Ken Del Building, former location of W. C. Vice Undertaking Co. (1922), King's Catfish, Nick's Grill, Nick's Sundries
  • 5607: former location of Hull Grocery Co. (1925)
  • 5616-5620: Woodlawn High School (built 1916)
  • 5623: former location of Christian's Barber & Style Shop
  • 5628: former location of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church (1922)
  • 5630: former location of Samuel Sachs dry goods (1922)
• 57th Street North intersects
  • 5700: former location of Hallmark Carpets (1971)
  • 5701: Alabama Power Company substation, former location of Nick Hahamis grocer (1922), Nick's Place (1924)
  • 5704: St Benedict's Veterans Center, former location of Interfaith Hospitality House
  • 5705: Dream Center (former Birmingham Fire Station No. 12
  • 5709: Woodlawn Library
  • 5712-5720: Grace Episcopal Church (1890-, present building completed in 1927)
• 58th Street North intersects
  • 5801: RC's Collision Paint & Body, former location of A & P supermarket
  • 5810: Bullet Iron Works, former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1922)
  • 5812: The Shop barber shop
  • 5814: The Basics clothing shop
  • 5816: Music World
  • 5831: Bayles Catering & Restaurant (2018-)
• 59th Street North intersects
  • 5901: Exxon gas station
  • 5904: McDonald's restaurant
  • 5914: former location of Bethell's Flower Shop (1971)
  • 5921: American Motel
  • 5936: Auto Professional Car Sales, former location of Spur gas station (1966)
• 60th Street North intersects
  • 6000: Sky Inn
  • 6013: Carver Apartments (vacant)
  • 6021: Pacific Seafood
• 61st Street North intersects
  • 6101: Relax Inn
  • 6117: former location of Helm Portrait Co. (1922)

Wahouma/East Lake

• 6100-6300 blocks: Interstate 20 interchange
  • 6200: former location of The Goodie Shoppe bakery (1925), Fadely's Drug Store
  • 6230: former location of Rufus Cobb residence, Burk's Antique Shop
• 6409: former location of Woodlawn Monument Co. (1925)
• 6429: former location of Birmingham Cable public access studio (1981)
• 6434: former location of Miller's department store
• 6437: former location of Burger Chef
• 6449: Birmingham Fire Station #12
• 6500: former location of Millers discount department store (1965-)
• 6512-6518: former location of Bob's Trading Post / Bob's Trading Post Beauty Shop (1941)
  • 6518: former location of Barnett Furniture Co. (1971)
• 6531: former location of McNeal Service Station (1923-1925)
• 6629: Family Dollar
• 6712: Bama Motel
• 6725: former location of 1st Ave. Ice & Package Store (1973)
• 6727: former location of Bethell's Flower Shop (1973)
• 6733: former location of Don Fadely Drugs (1971)
• 6805: Ensley's Seafood, former location of Kelly's Hamburger Drive-In
• 6901: former location of Grayson's Spinning Wheel, Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta
• 6909-6913: Contri Brothers, former location of Contri Brothers Food Basket (1956-1973)
• 7201: former location of Seafood & Chicken Box (1973)
• 7216: former location of Self's Upholstering & Furniture Repair (1973)
• 7303: Roadside Bar BQ, former location of Tricia's Treasures antiques (1983)
• 7330: Family Dollar
• 7405: George Bender residence
• 7428: former location of Kawasaki-Suzuki of Birmingham
• 7501: former Big B Drugs
• 7509: former location of East Lake Rain Tunnel Car Wash (1983)
• 7532-7534: former location of Andrew's Bar-B-Q
• 7600: former location of Rose's Bootery, Southeastern Appliance Service (1983)
• 7601: former location of Wood's Drug Store (1973)
• 7604: former location of the College Theatre and Cinema Blue
• 7606: former location of Pleasure Books East
• 7608: former location of E. & J. Lounge
• 7610: former location of Birmingham Books
• 7611: former location of the East Lake Theater (built 1947), American Furniture (1971)
• 7612: former location of a vacant house, considered the "last slum house in the business district" when it was demolished in 1958 by Sam Rose
• 7619: East 59 Vintage & Cafe, East Lake mural
• 7620: former location of Banks Lounge (1972)
• 7623: Estate Liquidators, former location of the East Lake Theater
• 7635: former location of Tucker's Barber Shop
• 7639: former location of M & M Electronics (1983)
• Oporto-Madrid Boulevard intersection
• 7700: former location of Charles L. Allen & Son restaurant (1928), Bledsoe's Modern Cleaners, McCain Manufacturing
• 7707: former location of American Barbecue (1928)
• 7709: former location of Wood Bros. Feed Store
• 7713: former location of C. E. Franklin Coal Yard
• 7718: former location of Sligh Coal & Transfer Company
• 7731: former location of Barnett Furniture Co. (1983)
• 7732: former location of Sears department store
• 7752: former location of Dobb's House Snack Bar (1973)
• 7810: former location of Banks Lounge
• 7829: former location of Dorough Apothecary (1973)
• 7833: former location of House of Honda

North East Lake/South East Lake

• 7901: St Barnabas School
• 8000-8200 blocks: Interstate 59 interchange
• 8000-8300 blocks: East Lake Park
• 8209: former location of Charles R. Butts restaurant (1928)
• 8230: former location of East Lake Hotel
• 8301: former location of Gibbs Drug Company
• 8302: former location of Ma Camp's Cafe
• 8306: former location of El Palacio Mexican restaurant (1983)
• 8307: former location of T. W. Talley Furniture Co. (1973)
• 8313: former location of Samples Barber Shop (1971)
• 8325: American Legion Post 171
• 8340: former location of East Lake Auto Parts (1973-1983)
• 8400: Express Oil Change store #27 (East Lake),
• 8401: Bob's Discount Meats (former location of Southeastern Meats and Frostop drive-in)
• 8420: Anchor Motel
• 8429: Double Dog Dare
• 8436: former location of [Evelyn Keith Beauty Salon]] (1973)
• 8443: former location of Little Orphan Annie restaurant
• 8500: Green Acres Cafe, East Lake location
• former location of Hills Food Stores East Lake location
• 8501: former location of Porter Landrum's Service Station
• 8506: El Girasol Mexican Tienda, former location of Lou-Jac Drive-In and El Palacio/Back Door Lounge (1972)
• 8507: former location of Dobbs Pet Shop (1983)
• 8509: former location of Plott & Campbell Drugs (1973)
• 8512: former location of Sybil's Beauty Salon (1973)
• 8518: Electronic Repair Company
• 8534: former location of East Lake Auto Sales (1973)
• 8601: former location of East Lake Auto Sales (1973)
• 8629: former location of Roebuck Pit Grill BBQ (1960s-1977), Roebuck Bar & Grill (1970s), SOS Lounge (-2013)
• West Boulevard intersection (continues east as Parkway East)