Birmingham City Hall (1901)

Birmingham City Hall, c. 1909

For other Birmingham City Hall buildings, see Birmingham City Hall (disambiguation).

The Birmingham City Hall (1901) was built in 1901 on the same site as the First Birmingham City Hall, the southeast corner of 4th Avenue North and 19th Street, Block 73.

In addition to municipal offices, the building housed the Birmingham Fire Department, a National Guard unit, the first Birmingham Public Library and several retail spaces. It also housed a gymnasium that was opened for public recreation. Contractor for the $200,000 project was Henry Stockmar, who returned to the building as a member of the Birmingham Board of Aldermen as soon as it opened.

The "Council Chambers", used by the Birmingham Board of Aldermen until 1913 and thereafter by the new Birmingham City Commission for public meetings, were located on the 2nd floor. A City Market operated inside the building, at 1909-1913 4th Avenue North. In 1923-1925 it was managed by T. B. Tanner and J. M. Stewart.

The building was damaged by a fire in 1925, which destroyed the library and caused irreparable damage to the central tower. It was proposed that year that the city acquire Block 20, west of Woodrow Wilson Park as the site for a new City Hall and an option was placed to buy that block for $1,051,590.75, but was made contingent on selling the former site for $1,750,000.00 or more. The highest offer brought to the City Commission was $1,600,000.00, made by a syndicate of "real estate men" just days before the option expired and after the Commission had already engaged the Inglenook Construction Company to repair the older building.

Space in the Martin Office Building was provided for the city while repairs were made. The library relocated to a new building at Woodrow Wilson Park in 1927.

Another fire which broke out shortly after midnight on June 23, 1944, caused heavy damage to the fourth floor, housing the offices of the city comptroller and city engineer. Twenty companies responded to the blaze, which sent flames high into the air. Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor stated that the police radio, the antenna for which was on the roof of the building, was restored to service within an hour of the fire being successfully brought under control.

The 1901 building, without its tower and attic levels, continued to house city offices until 1950 when a new Birmingham City Hall was completed across from the Jefferson County Courthouse at Wilson Park. Its cornerstone was removed and stacked with previous ones adjacent to the south entrance of the new building. The vacant building was demolished in January 1952.

Offices

• 2nd floor
  • 200: Birmingham Traffic Court (1935)
  • 201-203: Birmingham Department of Public Safety, Health and Education (1935)
  • 204-205: Birmingham City Clerk (1935)
  • 205: Birmingham City Civil Service Board (1935)
  • 206: Birmingham Department of Finance and General Administration (1935)
  • 208–215: Birmingham Police Department / Traffic Division / WPFM-AM / Moving Inspector (1935)
  • 212-214: Birmingham Bureau of Identification
  • 218: Birmingham Police Department Woman's Department (1935)
  • 221: Birmingham Recorder's Court (1935)
• 3rd floor
  • 301: Birmingham Division of Child Hygiene and Public Health Nursing (1935)
  • 302: Jefferson County Bureau of Sanitary Engineering (1935)
  • 303–305: Birmingham Department of Health / Jefferson County Board of Health (1935)
  • 304: Jefferson County Bureau of Records and Vital Statistics / Birmingham Bureau of Records and Vital Statistics (1935)
  • 305: Birmingham Division of Food and Dairy Inspection (1935)
  • 306: Birmingham Amusement Supervisor (1935)
  • 308–311: Birmingham Division of Sanitation / Birmingham Division of Communicable Diseases (1935)
  • 312-313: Jefferson County Health Department laboratory / Birmingham Health Department laboratory (1935)
  • 314: Birmingham Department of Public Improvements / Garbage Superintendent (1935)
  • 315–318: Birmingham Building Department / Birmingham Paved Street Department / Street Superintendent (1935)
  • 319: Birmingham Bureau of Health Education and Publicity
• 4th floor
  • 401: Birmingham Electrical Department / Birmingham Street Lighting Department / Birmingham Department of Weights and Measures (1935)
  • 402: Birmingham City Purchasing Agent (1935)
  • 407–408: Birmingham Engineering Department (1935)
  • 410–416: Birmingham City Comptroller (1935)
  • 417–420: Birmingham Law Department (1935)
  • 423–424: Birmingham Park and Recreation Board (1935)
  • 425–426: Birmingham Plumbing & Excavating Department (1935)
  • 427: Birmingham Zoning Board of Adjustment (1935)

Tenants

• 19th Street North
  • 317: Broom Fish Co. (1897), Burson Gun & Key Co. (1925), barber (1931), Nowlins Cafe (1935)
  • 319: C. D. Kenny Co. coffees & teas (1905)
  • 321: Taft's uniform shop, City Hall Barber Shop (1935)
  • 323: former location of Abo-Samra & Kandella art goods (1904), City Hall Watch Shop
  • 325: Hillman Hotel Barber Shop (1925), jewelry (1931), City Hall Hatters (1935)
  • 329 (corner): Levy Bros Drug Co. (1929–1935)
• 4th Avenue North
  • 1901 (corner): Levy Bros Drug Co. (1929–1935)
  • 1903: McCain Tailoring Co. (1929), Dixie Cafe (1941–1945)
  • 1907–1909: Austin Music Co. (1941–1947)
    • 1907: Blue Ribbon Shoe Shop (1923-1929), City Hall Shoe Rebuilders (1964)
    • 1909: Wright Office Equipment (1929), Alabama Reweaving Co. (1964)
  • 1911: City Hall Barber Shop (1929), Jefferson County Board of Health WPA project bureau (1941), Community Finance & Thrift & Community Acceptance Co. (1964)
  • 1913: Birmingham Traffic Department (1929), City Industrial Water (1941)
  • 1915: Cozy Lunch Room (1928-1929), Woodford Electric Supply Co. (1941), Chesterfield Co. loans (1964)
    • 1915½: City Traffic Division paint & sign (1941)

Gallery

• 

  1904 photograph

• 

  1908 photograph

• 

  1909 postcard view

• 

  1910 postcard view

• 

  Birmingham City Hall, c. 1911

• 

  The City Hall fire in 1925

• 

  Birmingham City Hall after 1927

References

• "$1,600,000 Bid For City Hall Refused" (January 17, 1926) The Birmingham News, p. 1
• "Fire destroys city building" (June 25, 1944) Sarasota Herald Tribune/Associated Press
• White, Marjorie Longenecker (1977) Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society.