Cahaba Homestead Village

Home along Parkway Drive, on July 28, 2006

The Cahaba Village or "Slagheap Pile" is a depression-era residential development located in the heart of Trussville. It was constructed adjacent to the site of the original Trussville furnace. The general style of the homes is American Foursquare with most having tin roofs within the development.

History

The Cahaba Village was designed by the landscape architect W.H. Kestler in the early 1930s. Construction took place between 1936-1938 and resulted in the construction of 243 houses and 44 duplex units at an overall cost of $2,661,981.26. Each of these residences was leased by the federal government until being sold to private landowners in 1947.

Layout

Its extent is roughly bounded by Rockridge Avenue to the west, the Cahaba River to the east, Gadsden Highway to the south, and Poplar Street to the north. Chalkville Mountain Road serves as the main thoroughfare through the heart of the development. The street layout is irregular with tall oak trees lining the sidewalks.

The development is centered on the Trussville Mall. The "mall" is a large green space at the center of the development that has served as a gathering place for locals since its completion. At the eastern end of the mall is the current Hewitt-Trussville Middle School.

References

• Alabama Department of Archives and History, 18 July 2006. [1].
• Wilkinson, Kaija (June 24, 2005) "Developers plan a quaint community along Cahaba River" Birmingham Business Journal [2].