A young railroad town that grew like Magic.
Birmingham stands in the heart of the Deep South, but it’s not an Old South city. Founded in 1871 at the crossing of two railroad lines, Birmingham grew so quickly through the early 1900s that people said it was “just like Magic,” earning the new town its moniker, the Magic City.
Prosperity forged by iron and steel.
Deep within the mountain ridges that bring our area so much beauty, early adventurers discovered something even more beautiful: the key elements of steelmaking: coal, limestone, and iron ore. Mining, forging and industry grew at a rapid clip until the Depression, when Birmingham suffered greatly.
Civil Rights Movement: painful lessons and a path to redemption.
The eyes of the nation were cast on Birmingham during the early 1960s as the city wrestled with its past, and peaceful protesters demanded an end to old Jim Crow laws. You can gain a deeper understanding as you explore the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, opened in 1993 as a moving and educational example of how a city found a way to heal.
Today’s Birmingham: diversified and thriving.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has been an important driver for economic growth. Today it’s one of America’s largest recipients of NIH funding, one of the nation’s top medical centers, and a vital engine for biomedical research. Birmingham is also a growing hub for the arts, tech startups, banking, and advanced manufacturing.
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra “Goes Wild” at the Birmingham Zoo with Special Concert October 5
Wall Street Journal: The Cities Where College Grads Are Actually Landing Jobs – Including Birmingham
GBCVB, RTJ Trail + AL Tourism Receive International Golf Tourism Award
New Leader Brings Unique Vision, Fresh Ideas to GBCVB
BJCC, Legacy Arena Climb Pollstar’s Rankings of World’s Top Venues
