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), Money Loan Co. (1951–1960), Moreland Barber Shop (1960), Brazil Agency (2004), McCormick's Barber & Style Shop (2017)
      • 1924a: former location of Kaciel Cherner clothier (1932), White Loan Co. (1951–1960)
    • 1926–1928: Lincoln Theatre (1948–1983)
      • 1926: former location of American Woolen Mills (1916), John Lawlah tailor (1926–1932)
        • 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)
    • 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