Center Street: Difference between revisions

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'''Center Street''' in the [[Smithfield community]] divides [[downtown]] from [[Western Birmingham]]. It was originally '''Broad Street''' in the town of [[Elyton]].
'''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 [[6th Avenue South|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 city center street grid|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".
The street is a defining border for the [[Birmingham city center street grid|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 [[Bombingham|firebombing campaign]] aimed both at black families moving in and white families selling out. The neighborhood earned the nickname of "[[Dynamite Hill]]".
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 [[List of racially-motivated bombings|firebombing campaign]] aimed both at black families moving in and white families selling out. The neighborhood earned the nickname of "[[Dynamite Hill]]".


==Route==
==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]]/[[I-59|59]], and ends at [[Old Bankhead Highway]] in [[Fountain Heights]].
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 neighborhood|Graymont]], over [[I-20]]/[[I-59|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]].
'''Center Street North''' picks up at [[Finley Boulevard]] and runs for a few blocks to [[26th Avenue North]] near the [[Birmingham Food Terminal]].


==Locations==
==Locations==
* 300: former site of [[William Walker, Sr residence]]
===Center Street North===
* 961: [[Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church]]
* [[Alabama Great Southern Railroad]] crosses Center Place North, former location of [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] [[Elyton Street Station]] (1937–1953), [[Elyton Yard]] (1959)
* [[Division Court North]] intersects (east only)
* [[Morris Avenue]] intersects (east only)
** 57: former location of [[Birmingham Fire Station No. 21]]
** 60: [[Arlington Cleaners]]
* [[1st Avenue North]] (east) [[Cotton Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 100: [[Kimbrough Family Life Community Center]]
** 117: [[Starlight Ballroom]]
* [[2nd Avenue North]] (east) [[Tuscaloosa Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 200–206 (previously 100): [[Elyton School]] (built 1908)
** 201: [[Center Street Food Gas Diesel]]
** 208–212: [[Elyton Elementary School]] addition
** 211 (previously 111): [[Henry Barry]] grocery (1937)
** 215: [[JMo's Place]], former location of [[Henry Barry]] grocery (1944), [[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)
* [[Princeton Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
* [[St Charles Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
** [[Johnson Products warehouse]] (burned 2020)
* [[Valley Creek]] bridge
** 270: [[Porter Warner Industries]]
** 275 (previously 213): former location of [[City Ice Delivery Co.]] (1937–1944), [[Boutwell-Foster Co.]] (1944), [[Floyd Beasley Transfer Co.]] (1953), [[B & M Exports Inc.]] (1953–1958)
** 280: [[Paco's Food Mart]], former location of [[Top Dollar Gold & Silver]]
* [[3rd Avenue West]] intersects
** 300–330: [[Elyton Village]] public housing project (built 1938), former location of [[Earle-Greene plantation]]
*** 300: former location of [[William Walker Sr residence]] (built 1848)
** 301: [[Elyton Meat Market]], formerly [[Elyton Meat Center]]
* [[4th Avenue North]] intersects (east only)
* [[4th Court North]] intersects (east only)
** 430: former location of [[Housing Authority of the Birmingham District]] maintenance shop (1958)
** 432: [[Elyton Child Development Center]]
* [[4th Terrace North]] intersects (east only)
** 447: [[7th Avenue Baptist Church]]
** 455: [[Etheridge Brothers Barber Shop]]
* [[Graymont Avenue North]] (east) [[Graymont Avenue West]] (west) intersects
** 501: [[Family Dollar]]
** 517: [[Thirgood Memorial CME Church]]
* [[6th Avenue North]] (east) [[6th Court West]] (west) intersects
** 600: [[Tabernacle Baptist Church]]
** 620: [[Smithfield Library]]
** 621: [[Millennium Mini Mart]]
* [[Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard]] (east) [[8th Avenue West]] (west) intersects
** 801–927: [[Smithfield Court]] public housing project (built 1937)
* [[9th Avenue West]] intersects (west only)
* [[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
** 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
** 1021: former location of [[Arthur Shores residence]] (1953–1958)
** 1022–1024: [[First Congregational Christian Church]] (1958–)
* [[10th Court North]] (east) [[10th Court West]] (west) intersects
* [[Center Street Bridge]] over {{I-59/20}}
** 1100: [[Hayes-Davis residence]], former location of [[Milton Curry]]'s residence, [[List of racially-motivated bombings|bombed]] three times between 1949 and 1950
* [[11th Court North]] (east) [[11th Court West]] (west) intersects
* [[12th Avenue North]] (east) [[12th Avenue West]] (west) intersects
* [[13th Avenue North]] (east) [[13th Avenue West]] (west) intersects
* [[Bankhead Highway North]] (east) [[Bankhead Highway West]] (west) intersects
** [[St Peter Missionary Baptist Church]]
** access to [[Dorothy Spears Greenway]] / [[Enon Ridge Trail]]
** 2113 [[Progressive Community Church]]  (1963)
 
===Center Street South===
* [[Alabama Great Southern Railroad]] crosses Center Place South
* [[1st Avenue South]] (east) [[1st Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
* [[2nd Avenue South]] (east) [[2nd Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
* [[3rd Avenue South]] (east) [[3rd Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
* [[4th Avenue South]] (east) [[4th Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 401: former location of [[Frank Antonio]] grocery (1944), [[P & J Grocery]] (1953), [[Joe Antonio]] grocery (1958)
** 415: former location of [[Red & White Cafe]] (1953), [[Blitz Eat Shop]] (1958)
* [[5th Avenue South]] (east) [[5th Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 501: former location of [[Samuel Dennis]] grocery (1937–1953), [[San Francisco Dennis]] grocery (1958)
** 509: former location of [[Royal Nook]] soft drinks (1953)
** [[Titusville Library]]
* [[6th Avenue South]] (east) [[6th Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
* [[7th Avenue South]] intersects (east only)
* [[16th Avenue South]] intersects (east only)
* [[17th Avenue South]] (east) [[7th Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 1704 rear: former location of [[Powell Beauty Nook]] ([[Samuel Powell]] 1953), [[White & Williams Beauty Shop]] (1958)
** 1705: former location of [[Obie Juice]] barber (1958)
** 1721: former location of [[Center Street Baptist Church]] (1944)
* [[18th Avenue South]] (east) [[8th Avenue Southwest]] (west) intersects
** 1821: former location of [[Center Street Baptist Church]] (1944)
** 1826: former location of [[Sloss Realty Co.]] (1953)
* [[9th Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
** 1923: former location of [[Schlichter Cigar Co.]] ([[William Schlichter]] 1937–1944)
* [[20th Avenue South]] intersects (east only)
* [[20th Court South]] intersects (east only)
* [[9th Terrace Southwest]] intersects (west only)
** 2012–2028: [[Peace Baptist Church (Titusville)]] (1958–)
* [[11th Avenue Southwest]] intersects (west only)
* [[Hollins Drive]] intersects (east only)
* street ends at [[Green Springs Avenue South]] (east) [[Green Springs Southwest]] (west)
* access to [[Spring Haven Park]]


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


[[Category:Center Street|*]]
[[Category:Center Street|*]]

Revision as of 16:24, 4 January 2023

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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