by Olivia Halverson

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A rumbling furnace and the sharp clangs of metal striking metal echo the sounds of a young Birmingham, Alabama.

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As a city born of the industrial age, Birmingham attracted a population of innovators, artists and laborers. While the first days of Birmingham are often remembered for booming industry, there were hardships of that age that cannot be forgotten -- exploitation of resources, pollution, industrial inequity, civil rights and many others. Nonetheless, the men and women who built Birmingham up from mineral-rich ground propagated an iron-willed culture that would prevail throughout the city’s lifetime.

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The Birmingham of today is hardly the industrial hub that it once was. Over the last decade, the greater Birmingham area has experienced rapid growth in population, economy and diversity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, surrounding cities like Hoover, Vestavia Hills and Homewood have experienced the highest percentages of population growth since 2010, with Hoover topping the charts at a 4.9% population increase.

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As the population continues to grow and diversify, the business community has followed suit. It seems that new restaurants, local shops and residential areas are popping up daily. Pizitz Food Hall, Big Spoon Creamery and The Waites residential development are among many businesses that joined the Birmingham economy in 2017.

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The city is now a growing metropolis with up-and-coming neighborhoods and a vibrant food and entertainment scene. Many communities are thriving, while others wrestle with problems associated with growth such as gentrification, pollution and competitive economy.

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The stories in this project explore redevelopment in Birmingham through many lenses including demographics, business, housing, environment and culture. Each section contributes to a comprehensive narrative about the present and future stages of the city. However, Birmingham’s present and future cannot be discussed without acknowledgement of the city’s past. The industrial foundation upon which the city was built has been preserved in Birmingham’s iron namesake. Even several years after the industrial era has ended, Birmingham is still known as the “Iron City,” and no amount of redevelopment will change that.

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“When cities reinvent themselves, they often want to pull from their past,” said Jennifer Speights-Binet, a geography professor at Samford University who studies urbanism and public memory. “Birmingham has never shied away from its past. Rather, it has always tried to celebrate the magic city piece of Birmingham and the industrial boom.”

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According to Speights-Binet, the redevelopment of Birmingham occurred slowly, until about 10 years ago. Alabama census reports for Jefferson County show that the population decreased by 0.52% from 2000 to 2010. Since 2010, however, the population of Jefferson County has steadily increased at a rate of 0.2%. This slow process of growth has enabled Birmingham to preserve a lot of its historical context.  

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Sloss Furnaces is one of Birmingham’s best preserved historical landmarks.  The furnaces first went into blast in 1882, just 11 years after Birmingham was officially founded as a city during the prime of the industrial boom. While the furnaces no longer function at full capacity as they did in their industrial heyday, the iconic sounds of a rumbling furnace and metal clangs can still be heard at Sloss today as artists lead iron pours and metalworking demonstrations for community visitors.

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Ira Hill is an artist in residence at Sloss Furnaces where he specializes in sculpting and casting. He has been perfecting his craft at the historic site since January of 2017. “One of our main responsibilities here at Sloss Furnaces is ‘keeping the fire alive,’” said Hill. “By doing these [metalworking] demonstrations every week, we are able to show people the process of what built this city.”

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Sparks of growth in Birmingham today are reminiscent of the furnace flames that set the city in motion. The city is refining because, much like any raw metal, it has imperfections. It can grow dull in some areas and dangerously sharp in others. But a city founded on iron is never beyond repair, because as iron sharpens iron, so one Birminghamian sharpens another.