Friday, July 19, 2013

Anniversary in Birmingham, AL

 
 
We celebrated our 25th anniversary. We have booked a trip to Italy in the fall so I wasn't expecting to go anywhere else bet dinner and when I got my beautiful 25 roses I called to say thank you and he told me to pack an overnight bag. He had hotel points so we got a room in Birmingham, AL. Birmingham is about 90 miles south of us. I've been to Birmingham many times, but always for events or home school activities, not as a tourist.

 This is the Vulcan. It is the largest iron statue in the United States. It was made for the World's Fair. It sits on Red Mountain and at the base of the man there is an observation deck. It was so funny because the height didn't bother me at all and there was a guy that stood in the doorway of the stairwell and I was wanting a photo in the doorway and he wouldn't move. He finally tiptoed out, very far away from the railing and I realized he was petrified to be up there. He wouldn't go near the railing at all or around to the front. And he took the stairs four flights because it was a glass elevator. We stood over an hour waiting for the sun to set and every single group that came up had someone in it that was scared to get near the railing. It was so funny to watch them.

 The tower overlooks the city. We enjoyed watching the sun go down and reflect in the clouds.












 Their botanical gardens were free so we went and walked around.











 Downtown is the Alabama Theater. It is amazingly beautiful inside, but it was closed. On the sidewalk they have stars of famous Alabama people.




 Last year when I downloaded a free copy to the book While the World Watched by Carolyn Maull. She experienced living in Birmingham during the civil rights times. She was just a few feet away when the bomb went off at 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four of her friends. It was a really great read and taught me so much about what all happened during that time. I am saddened by what our people did to people of color back then.


 Across from the church is Kelly Ingram Park. In 1963 the park was the staging ground for the demonstrations. In the park the police chief made the mass arrests, then let loose the dogs and fire hose cannons on the people. Most of them children!






 Then we went to Sloss Furnace. It is an old iron furnace.

















 
 Some signs around town. The old Dr. Pepper bottling plant has been turned into an antique mall.
 



 I've never heard that Birmingham has a replica of the Statue of Liberty. It was commissioned by the founder of Liberty National Life Insurance to sit upon the headquarter building in Birmingham. It was later moved to its current location.

6 comments:

Bamawhitney said...

Happy 25 years!!!

Southerner said...

Thank you Balma Girl in AZ !

Southerner said...

Thank you Balma Girl in AZ !

Charmed said...

Happy Anniversary!!

Did you know that the Sloss Furnace Co. is actually haunted?! My daughter and I were watching a show about places in Alabama and it was one of the top haunted places here.

Southerner said...

I heard that, Andi. I think it was on one of those haunted places shows, too. Thank you for your anniversary wishes :)

Unknown said...

Oh wow! What a beautiful pictures.
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