Located at 1st Avenue and 20th Street in downtown…read more It's where the first few 3-4 store buildings were located while it was a small city and boomed into the bigger city it is today with a series of higher story buildings popping up in quick successions. Do no follow the address here on Yelp. So totally off base, must be a joke. Use your Google or Apple Maps instead! Their empire building is here. Mostly valet oak turn around here.

Interesting sidewalk marker in downtown Birmingham Alabama that marks itself the heaviest corner on…read moreearth. I stumbled upon this by accident while on a vacation trip with my family from Lousiville to Destin. We stopped over in Birmingham as a halfway point and this marker was at the corner of the hotel we stayed at. Naturally intrigued by the name I googled what it meant it had to do with the once surrounding buildings on wan corner being so big. Overall interesting and neat call back to do American and Birmingham history. Not much to look at as it just a marking on the ground. But cool nonetheless.

Saturday, March 8th, Tony and I visited the John Wesley Hall Grist Mill at Tannehill State Park…read more OMG..it was so pretty there. I just loved the water, it was so clear. reminded me when i was a small kid and used to play in the water at my grandma's house. I wish there were some blooming flowers there, it would have been so beautiful. The mill itself was closed, but we were able to walk around it and check it out. If you go to the park be sure to check it out.

On April 25 of last year, I read a lengthy article in the NY Times entitled "Scrap-Iron Elegy" by…read moreMichael Tortorello and it was accompanied by many photos. The article is about a somewhat elderly couple named Joe & Hilda Minter and the astounding number of fascinating sculptures that Mr. Minter has made out of scrap iron & other found objects, which occupy every single inch of space on their half-acre property. Some of the sculptures have strong political messages and Mr. Minter is quite a character. For lack of a better description, his work comes under the heading of Roadside Art (see my 9/30/12 review entitled M. T. Liggett [in Mullinville, KS] for another example). Last night I called the Minters (having obtained their phone number by looking them up on People Search [I don't want to list their number - but it's easy to obtain in that manner, and I do think it's polite to call ahead instead of just appearing at their front door]) and I made arrangements for us to visit late this morning. They left us to wander around at our leisure - and walking is very precarious, so watch where you step - and when we were finished, Mr. Minter joined us for awhile and we had quite a conversation. The article mentions the Minters' very constrained financial state, and we thought it was only fair to give them a donation after touring their extraordinary yard exhibit. Further, my husband bought a beautiful t-shirt designed by Mrs. Minter - and I bought a book that Mr. Minter wrote, which includes some photos. It took him many years to write the book and someone kindly helped him publish it. He inscribed it for us and it will serve as a wonderful memory. Mrs. Minter told us that their dream is to have a postal stamp showing one of Mr. Minter's sculptures. For a most unique and special experience, I highly recommend visiting the African Village in America (that's what Mr. Minter calls his yard show). (Update on 4/10/14): Yelp has inexplicably listed the Minters' phone number, although one digit is incorrect.

9/11 tribute located in downtown Birmingham in a adjacent parking lot/side walk area to what…read moreappears to be the science center. Me and my family was on a quick visit to Birmingham and was staying at the nearby Mariott and was walking to the civil rights sights of the downtown Birmingham area when we came across this. I honestly almost missed it. My daughter seen a bench ahead and went to go sit and rest when we noticed the bench had writing on it and then right in front of it was a replica of the twin towers. As with any memorial to that tragic day it is important to remember that frightful day and I used it as an opportunity to teach my kids about some history (something that can be taught plentiful not only in this city but over the next few blocks) Simple yet powerful tribute. Very nicely done.

This is a very small, put powerful tribute to the heroes of 9/11. It consist of a bench with an…read moreinscription on it that reads "This Garden is a Project of Keep Birmingham Beautiful Commission and the People of Birmingham In Memory of the Events of September 11, 2001 9-11", a two replica statues of the twin towers. One is more taller than the other. The top of the shorter one reads, "On September 11, 2001, Freedom Itself Was Attacked, In this Garden We Remember the Innocent, Honor the Brave..." The taller one continues the quote and reads, "...And Celebrate Liberty, We will Not Tire, We Will Not Falter, and We Will Not Fail. George W. Bush, President United States of America." The replica towers are the nicest part of the Garden. They are definitely eye catching. The area as a whole was trashed and seemed pretty neglected. It would have easily been a 4 star, maybe even 5, if they would have done a little up keep and maintenance. There is metered street parking available within a reasonable walking distance from the Garden. As an added bonus, parking is free after 5PM. It is a small spot and as with most memorials such as this one that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

The old rock school building is a historic landmark that is the home for Center Point City Hall…read more The building's exterior is beautiful and definitely has a lot of charm inside and out! It's easily accessible off of Center point Parkway and there is a parking lot available on the side as well as the front of the building. The inside still has the appearance of the former school but the space is well utilized to take on the day to day business of the city. I have attended a number of meetings/events at City Hall and I always enjoy them and learn so much!

I was genuinely impressed by this library. It's huge!! Three full floors plus an art gallery on the…read morefourth level. The space feels thoughtfully designed, clean, and expansive without being overwhelming. I stopped by to take a meeting in one of the study pods, and the experience was seamless. It was quiet, comfortable, and exactly what I needed to get work done while traveling. Everything felt organized and accessible. I also noticed a dedicated tutoring section, which was such a nice touch. It's clear this library really prioritizes community support and learning at all levels. I loved my experience here and will absolutely be back before I leave Birmingham.

I recently stopped in to get my library card, as I had not renewed my previous one in a while…read more Services were great. The agent was helpful and it took me about five minutes to get my new card. They also have passport services available at this location. So if you are in need of a passport, I recommend visiting the Central location, as they thoroughly explain the services to you. The staff is always so courteous and they have a nice bookstore that offers books for cheap. I have been able to find newer books there too. I highly recommend this location to help with various needs, ranging from book checkout, internet services, and passport services.

If you are visiting the Civil Rights Institute, this statue is immediately outside and honors…read moreReverand Fred Shuttleworth. It is also opposite the Kelly Ingram Park across the street and the 16th street Baptist church. He was a civil rights activist who led the fight against segregation and other forms of racism. The statue shows him with his hand open rather than a clenched fist at his request. It was dedicated in 1992. After his passing in 2011, President Obama said "...And today we stand on his (Rev Shuttleworth) shoulders, and the shoulders of all those who marched and sat and lifted their voices to help perfect our union." He was also the co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He is the "native son of Birmingham" who was a champion of civil rights and justice.

This statue is located outside of the Civil Rights Institute and honors Reverend Fred Shuttleworth,…read morea civil rights activist who led the fight against segregation and other forms of racism. It was dedicated in 1992 and at his request the statue depicts him without a furrowed brow and with his hand open rather than clenched into a fistHe was also the co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. After his passing in 2011, President Obama said "...And today we stand on his (Rev Shuttleworth) shoulders, and the shoulders of all those who marched and sat and lifted their voices to help perfect our union." This is a good stop before or after you visit the museum. Or even if it is closed. It is not a long visit. Primarily a place to pay respects to this "native son of Birmingham" who was a champion of civil rights and justice.

Trussville, TN is a city in the suburbs of Birmingham with a population of about 22,000. They've…read moreconsistently been listed on various publications including Money magazine as one of the most livable places in America. The downtown historic area is listed in the National Historic Registry for historical sites. This city hall houses the Mayor's office, the police department, the municipal courts, clerk's office, business licenses, zoning and subdivision information. For more information http://trussville.org/ There are two markers on this property that I could see. The first is in front of the city hall. It reads: Trussville The town of Trussvile was named for the Truss family who emigrated from North Carolina in the early 1820's. Trussville was incorporated in 1947. The present city hall was constructed in 1959 on land patented in 1821 by Warren Truss. The second marker looks to be a poem. It reads The Gateway to Happy Living Trussville is a marvelous town. The Gateway to Happy Living. Its people will not let you down; They're known for generous giving. Trussville has that quaint, village feel, And small town hospitality. Where love and kindness are so real. And there's peace and tranquility. A town of churches, parks and schools. The place that's best to raise children. Where they are taught to keep the rules And to be a good citizen. A town where fun is common place. With lots of wholesome recreation. A town renowned for charm and grace And its people's dedication. A small city with lots of pride. And a large city's advantage, Where the best folk on earth reside, And fulfill their great heritage, The greatest town upon this earth, Chock-full of people of good will, It's hard to tell how much it's worth To raise a family in Trussville. Everette E. Jones Sr (C) 1962 1103rd review 1/3/2018 23rd for 2018

Shame on the City of Trussville for having too many people assigned to a tiny precinct location for…read morethe 2020 Presidential Election. You knew this would be record turn out and given the fact that Alabama refuses to allow early voting, you knew there would be long lines. You like to boast about the tremendous growth that Trussville has seen over the past 5-10 years, but that also means updating things that you maybe only think about, oh, let's say.. every 4 years. I really hope you take this situation and make changes before the next election... 3.5 hours of waiting in line was entirely too long.