1st Avenue North Bessemer

1st Avenue North Bessemer (often just 1st Avenue Bessemer) is an east-west avenue paralleling the Alabama Great Southern Railroad tracks, a block north of Alabama Avenue, through downtown Bessemer.

Notable addresses (west to east)

• Spring Street (Bessemer) intersects
• Valley Street intersects
  • 64: former location of Robert Bryant grocery (1926)
• 1st Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 121: former location of Willis Estes auto painter (1926)
• 2nd Street North Bessemer intersects
• avenue dead ends mid-block
• 4th Street North Bessemer intersects
• McCulley Street intersects (south only)
• 7th Avenue North Bessemer intersects
• Rose Avenue Bessemer intersects (avenue ends)
• avenue resumes at 8th Avenue North Bessemer
• 9th Street North Bessemer intersects
• 10th Street North Bessemer intersects
• avenue ends at 11th Street North Bessemer
• avenue resumes opposite Halls Creek
  • 1101: Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church
• 12th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 1215: Obedium Tarleton confectionery (1951–1960)
  • 1224: former location of William Jones grocery (1926)
  • 1230: former location of John Crawford contractor (1926)
• 13th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 1325: former location of Massey & Davis oils / Sinclair Refining Co. (1960)
  • 1329: General Auto & Truck Repair, former location of Massey Garage (J. A. Massey 1960)
  • 1331: Ride Today USA, former location of Massey Service Station (J. A. Massey 1951–1960), Langston's Service Station (1981), Cox's Service Station (1985–1989)
• 14th Street North Bessemer (Alabama State Highway 150) intersects
  • north side:
    • 1400: Poole's Auto, former location of Mutual Gas Co. gas station (1960)
    • 1420: former location of Billy Arrington's Garage (1989)
    • 1424: Wagon Wheel Deli & Grill
    • 1426: Eddie's Body Shop (1989–)
  • south side:
    • 1401–1405: Roy Lumber (1947–)
    • 1411–1413: former location of ExCello Machine Co. (1960)
    • 1415: former location of Bessemer Bottling Co. (1932)
    • 1421: former location of ExCello Machine Co. (1951)
    • 1423: First Avenue Recycling Corporation, former location of Russell Auto Parts wholesaler (1960), Salvage Parts & Metals (1988)
    • 1425: former location of Morris Bus Line garage (1951)

• 15th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 1500: former location of the Bessemer Advertizer newspaper (1963)
  • 1501–1511: Bessemer Municipal Court / Bessemer Police Department
• 16th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 1600–1604: Bessemer Electric & Water Services (1960–), former location of Marvel City Ice Co. (1926–1932), Bessemer City Ice Co. (1951)
• 17th Street North Bessemer intersects (north only)
  • 1708: former location of Birmingham News Bessemer bureau (1951–1960) / Birmingham Post Bessemer bureau (1960)
  • 1718: former location of Burns Transfer Co. barn (1951)
  • 1724: Brown Beauty Barber School, former location of Rosser Service Station / Rosser Bus Line (Leon Rosser 1960)
  • 1728–1730: former location of Veterans of Foreign Wars Bailey Rogers Post No. 1762
  • 1729–1731: former location of City Lumber & Supply Co. (1951–1960), Garrett & Swindal Masonry Co. (Durwood Garrett / Leon Swindal 1971)
    • 1731: former location of G. W. Patton veterinary surgeon (1916)

• 18th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • north side:
    • 1800–1830: parking lot for Jefferson County Bessemer Justice Center
      • 1800: former location of Bruns Transfer Co. (1926), The Birmingham Post Bessemer bureau (1932), Bruns Transfer Co. (1951)
      • 1802: former location of Birmingham Post-Herald distribution (1960)
      • 1806: former location of Birmingham Post-Herald Bessemer bureau (1951)
      • 1812–1816: former location of Colley Produce Co. (1916)
        • 1812: former location of Cab Lumber Co. / Boohaker General Contractors (C. A. Boohaker 1951–1960)
        • 1814: former location of Mickey Sign Co. (Bill Aldridge sign painter 1960)
        • 1816: former location of Huey Produce Co. (1926)
      • 1818–1820: former location of one-story commercial building (built c. 1915), Bell-Rogers Produce Co. (1915–), Oxford-Chambers Produce Co. (1926–1932), ABC Store No. 14 (1949–1960)
        • 1820: former location of Albert Morrison (1916)
      • 1822: former location of C. H. Browning blacksmith (1916), Thomas Goodby clothier / Robertson-Dunlavy Furniture Co. (1926), The War Surplus Store (1951–1960)
      • 1824: former location of Z. R. Steen undertaker (1916), Jacobs Undertaking Co. (1926), Lillian Croom dressmaker (1932), Ideal Finance Co. (1951), Nu-Way Loan Co. (1960)
        • 1824½: former location of Knights of Pythias Hall (1926), Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses (1960)
      • 1826: former location of Thomas Colley billiards (1916), Maloy & Co. storage (1951), Sandwich Shop restaurant (1960)
      • 1828: one-story commercial building (built before 1925), former location of B. F. Moon restaurant (1916), Colley Grocery & Market (1932), Green Front Package Store (1960)
      • 1830: two-story commercial building (built c. 1890), Bessemer Beef Co. (1916), former location of Huddleston Drug Store, Tommie's House of Beauty
  • south side:
    • 1801–1809: Regions Bank
      • 1801: former location of Ware Tire Co. / Keith Perkins gas station (1926), Royal Oil Co. gas station (1932), Jim Cowley's Service Station (1951–1960)
    • 1811–1831: Alex Bradford Park
      • 1817: former location of Carl Cloninger auto repair (1932)
      • 1819–1821: former location of Clarence Cook gas station (1926)
        • 1819: former location of A & A Beverage Co. beer (William Padalino 1951)
        • 1821: former location of Melvin Tyler battery dealer (1932)
      • 1823: former location of Warlick Auto Repair Shop (1932)
      • 1825: former location of Boyd & Sons machinists (1926–1932)
      • 1831: former location of Standard Oil Co. gas station (1926–1932), Hallman & Bailey filling station (1951), Roger Flynn's Service Station (1960)

• 19th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • north side:
    • 1902: former location of W. L. Mims billiards (1916), Speed Reed barber (1926)
    • 1906: former location of C. W. Jordan restaurant (1906), Packinghouse Market (1926–1932), Digby Grocery (1951), Packing House Market grocery (1960)
    • 1908–1910: one-story commercial building (built c. 1910), former location of U. Friedman, National Clothing Co., Gatewood's Bar & Grill, Public Finance
      • 1908: former location of Green Mahan barber / John Lawlah tailor (1916), National Clothing Co. (1926–1932), Cook & Long jewelers / Lawrence Lowe watchmaker (1932), John Lawlah tailor (1951), Old Reliable Barber Shop / Joseph Croom shoe repair (1951–1960)
      • 1910: former location of Musso Bros. confectionery (1916), Anthony LaSala billiards / Bill Hall's Cafe (1951), Palace Pool Room / Webster's Snack Bar (1960)
        • 1910a: former location of Old Reliable First Avenue Taxi Cab (1960)
        • 1910½: former location of Isaac Cook / Robert Lowe jewelers / Louis King clothier (1926), Joe Posey shoe shine (1951–1960)
    • 1912: Webb Building (Bessemer), former location of McCrae Chemical Co. (1916), New Deal Tavern, State Clothing Company, New Deal Cafe (1951), Debra's Bar & Grill (1960)
      • 1912½: former location of Louis Glover dentist / First Avenue Hall (1926), Busy Bee Hotel (1932), William Dowdell dentist / Lorenzo Demby physician / Carrie Pierce (1951)
    • 1914: former location of Josie Simpson restaurant / Ward Bros. tailors (1916), Light Bros. clothier (1926), Philip Light general merchandise (1932), Whitten Clothing Co. (1951–1960)
    • 1916: former location of R. P. Perry & Walter Leslie barbers (1916), Daniel Foster saloon (1926), John Orange restaurant (1932), James Moreland barber (1951)
    • 1918: former location of Dixie Theatre (1913–1916), Frolic Theatre (Bessemer) (1926–1950s), State Clothing Co. (1960)
      • 1918a: former location of Jacob Smith restaurant (1926), Lawson-Reed Barber Shop (1932)
      • 1918½: former location of Essie Field beauty shop (1932), Arthur Tiddle phonographs (1951)
    • 1920: former location of David Weinstein billiards (1916), Hyman Weinstein clothier (1926), W. S. Shivers Clothing Co. (1951), Cash Pawn Shop (1960)
      • 1920a: former location of Lee Loan Co. (1951–1960)
    • 1922: former location of C. F. Banks barber / grocery (1916), Robert Rush restaurant / Nicholas Williams billiards (1926), Palace Billiard Parlor / Palace Lunch Room (1932), Hall's Cafe (1951–1960)
      • 1922½: former location of Allen's Barber Shop (Samuel Allen 1951–1960)
    • 1924: former location of Mayo Tailoring Building (built c. 1915 by Erlick & Lefkovitz), W. J. McKenna shooting gallery (1916), John Jefferson restaurant / Lee Tailoring Co. (1926), Fred Mayo tailor (1920s–1963), Percy Colvin watch repair (1951), Star Music Bar records (1960)
      • 1924a: former location of Kaciel Cherner clothier (1932), White Loan Co. (1951–1960)
    • 1926: former location of American Woolen Mills (1916), John Lawlah tailor (1926–1932), Money Loan Co. (1951–1960), Moreland Barber Shop (1960), McCormick's Barber & Style Shop (2017)
      • 1926a: former location of Old Reliable Shaving Parlor / Henry Mosley shoe repair (1932)
      • 1926½: former location of James Cross painter / Silas Suttle barber (1926)
    • 1928: former location of Levi Aker barber / Max Mavraidis restaurant / Louis Moman shoemaker (1916), Curtis Jordan barber (1926), Twentieth Century Barber Shop (1932), Lincoln Theatre (1948–1983)
    • 1930: former location of N. C. Williams billiards / George Thompson restaurants (1916), Boackle Bros. restaurant (1926), Union Drug Store (1932), Union Confectionery (1951), Union Drug Co. (1960), Sam Dunn's Saloon, Corey's Barber & Style (2013)
      • 1930½: former location of Lincoln Memorial Cemetery Inc. (1932), Aaron Davis dentist / Lincoln Industrial Insurance Co. (1951–1960)
  • south side:
    • 1901–1907: former location of R. L. Lumzy Funeral Service
      • 1901–1903: two-story commercial building (built c. 1905), former location of Colley's Confectionery / Rex Loan Co. (1916), J. C. Lewis Furniture Co., Braswell Furniture (1951–1985)
        • 1901: former location of Wayne Howard physician (1926), Howard Drug Co. (1926–1932)
        • 1903: former location of Britton Bros. shoes & shoe repair / Samuel Allen barber (1926), Edward Bouyer restaurant (1932)
      • 1905–1907: former location of Atlantic Coast Line Railroad freight & passenger station (c. 1905–1960), Birmingham Southern Railroad freight depot (1916)
    • 1911: former location of Atlantic Coast Line Railroad warehouse (1951)
    • 1915: former location of Michael Burrell barber (1960)
    • 1931: former location of George & Son blacksmiths (1916)

• 20th Street North Bessemer intersects
  • north side:
    • 2000–2012: Alabama Department of Human Resources
      • 2006: former location of Daniel White tailor (1926), Roberts Tire Co. (1932)
      • 2008: former location of Daniel Dowdell grocery (1926), Jack Watkins auto tops (1932)
      • 2010: former location of James Byrd bakery (1926)
      • 2012: former location of Bessemer Grocery Co. wholesale grocers (1916), Sandy Griffin auto garage (1926), Stewart's Barber Shop (1960)
    • 2014–2030: parking lot
      • 2014–2016: former location of John Lee wholesale grocer (1926), Jefferson County Cash Grocery Co. (1932)
      • 2020a: former location of Bessemer Laundry (1932)
      • 2124: former location of A. D. Smith clothes cleaner (1916)
      • 2026: former location of Lafayette Wilson blacksmith (1916) / Cook Dry Cleaning Co. (1932)
      • 2028: former location of Bessemer Wholesale Co. general merchandise (1960)
      • 2030: former location of Bessemer Laundry / Simp Burden billiards (1926), Union Garage (1932)
  • south side:
    • 2001–2031: parking lot
      • 2001: former location of First Avenue Service Station (1960)

• 21st Street North Bessemer intersects
  • 2101: former location of Auto Salvage & Sales Co. (1926)
  • 2112: former location of Bessemer Hide & Bag Co. (1916), First Avenue Garage (1932)
  • 2114: former location of Meyer Distributing Co. beer distributors (1960)
  • 2124–2126: former location of Arnold's Repair Shop (1960)
    • 2124: former location of Richard Johnson barber / Robert Patterson shoemaker (1916)
    • 2126: former location of Joseph Echols grocer (1916)
  • 2130: former location of Daniel Amos restaurant (1926)
• avenue ends at 22nd Street North Bessemer

References

• Nelson, Linda and Melanie Best (December 12, 1990) "Downtown Bessemer Historic District, Supplementary Listing Record" National Register of Historic Places. Listed July 15, 1992