Cahaba Heights

Cahaba Heights (originally New Merkle) is a community southeast of Birmingham near the Cahaba River which was annexed into Vestavia Hills in 2002.

The small community of Merkle grew around the Birmingham Water Works' Cahaba Pumping Station beginning in 1887. It was named for the engineer in charge of the project, W. A. Merkle. After a few years the settlement relocated a half mile west to reduce the risk of flood, and became "New Merkle". The community gained a reputation for roughness and was considered a center for moonshine production and bootlegging during prohibition.

A New Merkle School opened in 1906 with 113 pupils. Its principal, E. A. Hollis, suggested in 1933 that changing the name of the community to Cahaba Heights could help it overcome its rough reputation.

Cahaba Heights remained unincorporated until becoming part of Vestavia Hills in 2002.