Gary Avenue
Gary Avenue is a major thoroughfare through downtown Fairfield, part of the street pattern planned by the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company in 1909, and named in honor of Elbert Gary, the first president of TCI's parent company, U.S. Steel.
Gary Avenue runs southwest as a continuation of Avenue E Ensley, which also becomes Lloyd Noland Parkway as it passes below I-20/59. Gary Avenue and Lloyd Noland Parkway split between 40th Street Ensley and 41st Street Ensley, with Gary bending westward and crossing Opossum Creek (in a culvert) before entering Fairfield's business district. The street proceeds southwest, then turns to the south at 47th Street Ensley, terminating at Valley Road / Donald Parkway. Formerly the section of Valley Road continuing to E. J. Oliver Boulevard was also addressed as Gary Avenue.
The Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Company's No. 5 Ensley-Fairfield streetcar line ran down Gary Avenue, and that service continues as MAX Transit Route 5.
Notable addresses
- avenue begins
- 41st Street Ensley intersects
- 4109: 3D Foodmart / Mobil gas station, formerly M & N Foodmart
- 42nd Street Ensley intersects
- 43rd Street Ensley intersects
- 4301: Sparkle Learning Center
- 4318: Extreme Auto Detail
- 44th Street Ensley intersects
- 4400: former location of Fairfield Dry Cleaning Co. (1935)
- 4401–4403: former location of Fairfield Service Station (1935)
- 4407: Tasty Jamaica
- 4412: Kay Bags Plus
- 4416: Greekwood Monogram, former location of The Birmingham News branch (1935)
- 4418: former location of Palace Barber Shop (1935)
- 4420: Nedra's Unlimited HairCare, former location of Graham's Grill (1935)
- 4431: former location of Cities Sales Corp. gas station (1935)
- 45th Street Ensley intersects
- 4501: Goudy Entertainment Center (2020–)
- 4502: African International Market, former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1935)
- 4503: former location of Martha's Beauty Shop / William Oliver real estate (1935)
- 4505: Trucks & Trucks Law
- 4506: Birmingham Islamic Center's West Side Masjid (2010–)
- 4510: former location of Fairfield Bakery (1935)
- 4511: former location of Fairfield Post Office (1935)
- 4513–4515: former location of Smith Appliance Co. (1935)
- 4515½: former location of St Charles Apartments (1935)
- 4514: former location of Fred Demeritt soft drinks (1935)
- 4516: former location of Hall's Pharmacy (1935)
- North Plaza intersects (southeast only)
- Fairfield Memorial Park (built 1910)
- Crawford Street intersects (northwest only)
- South Plaza intersects (southeast only)
- 4600–4604: Carmichael Building
- 4600: former location of Herlong Drug Co. (1935)
- 4602: former location of Homestead Savings & Mortgage Co. / Donald Real Estate & Insurance Co. / Homestead Building & Loan Association (1935)
- 4604: Julius Routman dry goods (1935)
- 4604½, former location of Fairfield City Hall / Josiah Carmichael & William Carmichael physicians / Robert Shirley dentist / Arthur Esslinger attorney / Fairfield Lodge No. 749 (1935)
- 4601: Church of The Reconciler, former location of First Bank of Corey / Hotel Plaza (built 1910)
- 4606: former location of Marie's Beauty Shoppe (1935)
- 4607: former location of Fairfield First National Bank Branch (1935), AmSouth Bank
- 4610: Magic City Grill
- 4612: former location of Great A & P Tea Co. (1935)
- 4615: Walter J. Hanna Public Library
- 4618: Realty Building
- 4618½: Gabor Club / George Benton attorney / Milton Dulaney / E. Wood Tucker physician / Malta Naramore dentist / D'Accord Club (1935)
- 4600–4604: Carmichael Building
- 47th Street Ensley intersects
- 4701: Fairfield City Council
- 4702: Beauty Land
- 4705: Escapes N Travel
- 4712: former location of William Wren hardware (1935)
- 4714: Glorious Touch Alterations
- 48th Street Ensley intersects
- 4800: former location of William Wren hardware warehouse (1935)
- 4801: Restoration Academy high school
- 4806: Gildra's House of Style
- 49th Street Ensley intersects
- 4900: former location of Gary Avenue Motor Co. (1935)
- 4901: Payless Drugs, former location of Elze Townsend service station (1935), A & P (1950–)
- 4902: former location of Fairfield Bowling Club (1935)
- 4904: former location of Robert Phillips feed store (1935)
- 4908: former location of AAA Key & Lock Co. (1977)
- 4917: former location of Bagley's Florist (1977)
- 4918: former location of Mack's Garage auto repair (1935)
- 50th Street Ensley intersects
- 5001: former location of Loo Coon Laundry / Walter Fullenwilder shoe repair (1935)
- 5001A: Larry Williams Income Tax (2011–)
- 5001B: former location of Tony's Beauty Salon (2011)
- 5003: New Era Heating & Cooling (2016–), former location of Capstone Counseling Center / Neo Jazz School of Music
- 5004: Lacy & Sons Car Wash, former location of Gary Theatre (1924)
- 5006: InterUrban Accounting & Tax Service
- 5005–5009: Ann's Flooring
- 5005–5007: former location of Fairfield Theatre (1950s)
- 5008: Now Faith Church, former location of Erwin Appliance Co. (1977)
- 5010: former location of James Embry grocery (1935)
- 5011: The Eye Care Place
- 5013–5019: Ann's Flooring
- 5012: Beautiful Endings Hair Studio
- 5014: former location of Bowen Electric Co. (1935)
- 5016: former location of Saul's Five Cents to Five Dollars Store (1935)
- 5018: Shillo's Hair Design, former location of Gordon's dry goods (1935)
- 5021: American Legion Post 347
- 5001: former location of Loo Coon Laundry / Walter Fullenwilder shoe repair (1935)
- 51st Street Ensley intersects (Gary Avenue also addressed as Valley Road)
- 5100: former location of Hill Grocery Co. (1935)
- 5104: Stephen Smith Fine Art (2016–), former location of Fairfield Theatre (1920–1935), T-Shirt Shop (2011)
- 5106: Aicha's African Hair Braiding, former location of Angelo Angelakis hat cleaner (1935)
- 5112: Kids Inc. Christian Academy (2011–), former location of Fairfield Sanitary Market (1935)
- 5114: former location of Nu Way Cleaners (1935)
- 5116: Fairfield Main Street (2011–), former location of James H. Long barber (1935)
- 5118:
- 5118A: MD African Hair Braiding, former location of KNOW Business Power Solutions (2011), Greekwood Monogram
- 5118B: Elegance African Hair Braiding (2009–2011)
- 5120: Levert, Levert & Associates (2009–)
- 52nd Street Ensley intersects
- 5224: former location of Piggly Wiggly (1925)
References
- Polk's Birmingham (Jefferson County, Ala.) City Directory (1935) Richmond, Virginia: R. L. Polk & Co.