Growing Up "Birmingham"

Growing up "Birmingham"? Every generation and every culture is characterized by certain values and attributes that mold us into who we are. Growing up in Birmingham in the 60's and 70's was a tumultuous time marked by racial strife, economic transformation, and never ending battles of "us versus them". Through my images, and the thoughts behind the images, I am sharing my favorite city and a little insight on where we've been, where we are, and where I hope we are going.

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Bogie and Bacall on Valentine's Day on Flickr.

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No Longer An "Outsider" on Flickr.

No Longer An "Outsider"

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Rolling Time Capsule on Flickr.

November 22, 1963 - the day “Camelot” died. (And the day our nation lost a little more of its innocence.) JFK., you were a game changer. We will never know what might have been. Rest in peace.

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Birmingham from the Viaduct on Flickr.

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Fire Station Number One on Flickr.

Fire Protection Week - October 5 - 12, 2014. Smoke alarms, fire safety, all that stuff. And don't forget to thank our emergency responders - the Birmingham area has some of the finest.

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The Lyric Theatre on Flickr.

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The Alabama on Flickr.

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Rickwood Field on Flickr.

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Kid's View of the Turnstile on Flickr.

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Outside the Fence on Flickr.

What do Willie Mays, Satchel Paige, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Honus “The Flying Dutchman” Wagner, Rogers Hornsby, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Stan “The Man” Musial, Sal Bando, Vida Blue, Reggie Jackson, Rob Dibble, Rollie Fingers, John Garland, Catfish Hunter, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, Pie Traynor, Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, and "Piper" Davis all have in common? They all played baseball at storied Rickwood Field - the oldest surviving baseball park in America. Although it is no longer home to regular games, once each year the Birmingham Barons play one of their regular season games at Rickwood. Wednesday, June 25th will be the annual Rickwood Classic with the Birmingham Barons hosting the Mississippi Braves at 12:30 pm. This year's game will be a 1920's theme for players, umps, and fans (if you wish).

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Mario's '69 Lotus on Flickr.

Indy Past Mario Andretti's '69 Lotus. The only Indy 500 win for Mario came in 1969 - but not in this car. In true Andretti hard luck fashion, he wrecked this car in practice and had to race a back-up car. This win came relatively early in his career but he would never again win at Indy. Just as this win came on the front end of a forever winless streak, it ended a long winless streak for his car owner, Andy Granatelli who, as you old buzzard Indy fans remember, kissed Mario in victory lane. This car, along with many others, is on display at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham.

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Up the winding staircase ... on Flickr.

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"Old Hillman" on Flickr.

Hillman Hospital - the humble origins of the rambling UAB Medical Center complex. Originally named the Hospital of United Charity, with the goal of serving the poor and indigent without regard to race and gender, it first opened in Birmingham's Southside neighborhood in 1888 in rented space in an existing building. Through the years the hospital grew and in 1903, the building now known as "Old Hillman", named for its benefactor, D. Thomas Hillman, President of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, opened. In the summer of 1945, it became the home of the new Medical College of Alabama - the forerunner to the University of Alabama School of Medicine. The hospital continued to house charity patients, while serving as the home to the medical school - providing space for faculty and staff and for student teaching. In the decades following its transfer to the university, Hillman Hospital has served many purposes: a hospital for charity patients, a temporary home for the School of Dentistry, and most recently, a location for UAB administrative and staff offices.

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Charmed on Flickr.

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MLK on Flickr.

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Kessler's Christmas on Flickr.

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Rolling Time Capsule on Flickr.

November 22, 1963 - the day "Camelot" died. (And the day our nation lost a little more of its innocence.) JFK., you were a game changer. We will never know what might have been. Rest in peace.