Center Street: Difference between revisions

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==Locations==
==Locations==
===Center Street North===
===Center Street North===
* [[Alabama Great Southern Railroad]] crosses Center Place North, former location of [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] [[Elyton Street Station]]
* [[Alabama Great Southern Railroad]] crosses Center Place North, former location of [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] [[Elyton Street Station]] (1953), [[Elyton Yard]] (1959)
* [[Division Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[Division Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[Morris Avenue]] intersects (east only)
* [[Morris Avenue]] intersects (east only)
Line 26: Line 26:
** 201: [[Center Street Food Gas Diesel]]
** 201: [[Center Street Food Gas Diesel]]
** 208–212: [[Elyton Elementary School]] addition
** 208–212: [[Elyton Elementary School]] addition
** 215: [[JMo's Place]], former location of [[Major Henry]] grocery (1953), [[Robertson Glass]]
** 215: [[JMo's Place]], former location of [[Major Henry]] grocery (1953), [[Ethel's Delicatessen]] (1958), [[Robertson Glass]]
** 225: former location of [[Birmingham Nehi Bottling Co.]] (1958)
* [[2nd Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[2nd Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[Princeton Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
* [[Princeton Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
Line 33: Line 34:
* [[Valley Creek]] bridge
* [[Valley Creek]] bridge
** 270: [[Porter Warner Industries]]
** 270: [[Porter Warner Industries]]
** 275: former location of [[B & M Exports Inc.]] / [[Floyd Beasley Transfer Co.]]  (1953)
** 275: former location of [[Floyd Beasley Transfer Co.]] (1953), [[B & M Exports Inc.]] (1953–1958)
** 280: [[Paco's Food Mart]], former location of [[Top Dollar Gold & Silver]]
** 280: [[Paco's Food Mart]], former location of [[Top Dollar Gold & Silver]]
* [[3rd Avenue West]] intersects
* [[3rd Avenue West]] intersects
Line 41: Line 42:
* [[4th Avenue North]] intersects (east only)
* [[4th Avenue North]] intersects (east only)
* [[4th Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[4th Court North]] intersects (east only)
* 432: [[Elyton Child Development Center]]
** 430: former location of [[Housing Authority of the Birmingham District]] maintenance shop (1958)
** 432: [[Elyton Child Development Center]]
* [[4th Terrace North]] intersects (east only)
* [[4th Terrace North]] intersects (east only)
** 447: [[7th Avenue Baptist Church]]
** 447: [[7th Avenue Baptist Church]]
Line 57: Line 59:
* [[9th Court North]] (east) [[9th Court West]] (west) intersects
* [[9th Court North]] (east) [[9th Court West]] (west) intersects
** 950: former location of [[Mary Means Monk]]'s residence, [[List of racially-motivated bombings|bombed]] on December 21, 1950
** 950: former location of [[Mary Means Monk]]'s residence, [[List of racially-motivated bombings|bombed]] on December 21, 1950
** 961: [[Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church]], [[List of racially-motivated bombings|bombed]] on March 21, 1965
** 961: [[Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church]] (1958–, [[List of racially-motivated bombings|bombed]] on March 21, 1965)
* [[10th Avenue North]] (east) [[10th Avenue West]] (west) intersects
* [[10th Avenue North]] (east) [[10th Avenue West]] (west) intersects
** 1021: former location of [[Arthur Shores residence]] (1953)
** 1021: former location of [[Arthur Shores residence]] (1953–1958)
** 1024: [[First Congregational Christian Church]]
** 1022–1024: [[First Congregational Christian Church]] (1958–)
* [[10th Court North]] (east) [[10th Court West]] (west) intersects
* [[10th Court North]] (east) [[10th Court West]] (west) intersects
* [[Center Street Bridge]] over {{I-59/20}}
* [[Center Street Bridge]] over {{I-59/20}}

Revision as of 19:00, 25 March 2020

Center Street in the Smithfield community divides downtown from Western Birmingham.

Prior to 1930, Center Street South ran from the southern city limit along the west line of Section 11, Township 18 South, Range 3 West; to Avenue F. From there it continued as Mary Street through the Sessions Land Company addition to Section 3, Township 18 South, Range 3 West. In Elyton Center Street North continued as Broad Street and Square Street, then was known as William Street in Smithfield, as 11th Street in the Walker Land Company's "Wade track" [sic] and North Birmingham, and as Avenue A in Zion Heights. The 1930 Birmingham General Code renamed all of those sections as "Center Street".

The street is a defining border for the Birmingham street grid. East of Center Street, streets and avenues are designated "north" or "south" depending on their location relative to the Railroad Reservation. West of Center Street, both streets and avenues are designated as "west" if they are north of Valley Creek, while roads south of the creek are designated "southwest".

Prior to the 1950s, the street served as a border between residential areas zoned for white and black residents under Birmingham's segregation laws. As that border was challenged by attorney Arthur Shores, and eventually ruled unconstitutional, the district became the focus of a firebombing campaign aimed both at black families moving in and white families selling out. The neighborhood earned the nickname of "Dynamite Hill".

Route

The street is interrupted in several places. Beginning at its southern end at Green Springs Avenue, Center Street South runs due north, past Center Street Middle School to 6th Avenue South. where it bends with the Birmingham street grid. Continuing north by northwest, it jogs over two blocks at 2nd Avenue South in Titusville, then winds across the Norfolk-Southern Railroad tracks into Elyton. It then crosses Valley Creek and bends due north through Graymont, over I-20/59, and ends at Old Bankhead Highway in Fountain Heights.

Center Street North picks up at Finley Boulevard and runs for a few blocks to 26th Avenue North near the Birmingham Food Terminal.

Locations

Center Street North

Center Street South

References

  • Ridenhour, Norman Jr and Ralph Holmes (August 21, 1963) "No One Injured by Blast on Center Street". Birmingham Post-Herald
  • "Fun facts, historical tidbits and tips to find your way around Birmingham from traffic engineer John Garrett." (January 2, 2007) The Birmingham News
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