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Exchange's
2003 Annual Convention Goes to the "Magic City"
When Exchange members
meet this summer in Birmingham, Ala., for the 85th
annual convention, they will find a city with true Southern character.
Unlike some larger cities in the South that have traded their soul for
growth and development, Birmingham has retained its down-home heart.
In the 1830s, the area we now
know as Birmingham was just a small pioneer farm settlement called
Elyton. The town was formally organized as Birmingham in 1871, when
railroads and land barons named it after England’s industrial giant.
Birmingham soon became a commercial hub, with railroads crisscrossing
throughout the community. The young city sprang up, thrived and grew so
quickly that many observers said it happened "just like
magic." Soon the nickname "Magic City" was applied to
Birmingham.
However, the 1960s and early
1970s brought events that would forever change the image of the city.
This was the historic era of civil rights demonstrations, which would
leave a lasting mark on Birmingham. But in the mid-1970s, the growing
influence and reputation of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and
the thriving business economy ushered in a new era. The huffing and
puffing of the city’s legendary iron and steel mills gradually was
replaced by a work force of well-educated professionals. The old magic
was back, as smart, affluent people associated with the university and
other businesses took the lead in the community. Birmingham was growing
up. The opening of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in 1993 did
more to heal the city than any other single event. With the opening of
the Institute, the city was able at last to tell its own story, and by
telling, soothe the wounds of the past.
Birmingham is a Southern city
that is—all at once—young, traditional, vibrant, friendly and
complex. It has been said that Birmingham is the last major Southern
city in America. While the city continues to grow more sophisticated,
its people also treasure many of the ways of the small-town South. One
can enjoy asparagus salad with roasted pecan dressing at an elegant
salon for lunch, and look forward to supper at a café serving
country-fried steak and butter beans. And the patrons of the Charity
Ball will be elbow-to-elbow the next morning with workers on a Habitat
for Humanity home. It is diversity that is Birmingham’s greatest
strength. People here talk about progress, but with a decidedly Southern
accent.
Heart of the City
Birmingham rides the rich wooded foothills of the Appalachian Mountains,
giving the area its dramatic topography. With a metropolitan population
of nearly a million people, this is one of Alabama’s biggest cities.
The traditional heart of
Birmingham’s downtown is an 85-square-block zone encompassing an
interesting blend of architectural periods and styles. Early 1900s
skyscrapers are within view of their striking contemporary counterparts,
and quiet neighborhoods are nestled in the woods just minutes away. On a
plateau between Red Mountain and the city center is one of the city’s
most celebrated historic neighborhoods, Five Points South. Focused on a
landmark circle, the area is an intriguing collection of architectural
styles including Spanish Baroque and Art Deco. Streets radiating off the
circle are similarly blessed with a lively mix of old and new buildings,
including more than a dozen restaurants and bars, specialty shops, a
hotel and a theater.
Local Attractions
Birmingham has recently seen the opening of two major attractions:
VisionLand and McWane Center. VisionLand, Alabama’s first major
amusement park, opened to rave reviews. Roller coaster enthusiasts
around the country are hailing the park’s Rampage as one of the best
wooden coaster rides anywhere. VisionLand is one of only a few genuine
"theme parks" in the nation, with an industrial-themed water
park, harkening back to the city’s early steel industry.
At McWane Center, science
becomes an adventure. The center’s new IMAX dome theater treats
viewers to the spectacular, realistic film magic that the name is famous
for, and visitors can also explore the Challenger Learning Center, World
of Water and ScienceQuest, a collection of interactive exhibits
including a ten-foot-tall tornado.
For those who love to shop, the
Riverchase Galleria, one of the country’s largest shopping malls,
offers an upscale assortment of choices. The Galleria boasts the world’s
longest skylight, spanning huge anchor stores along with 200 shops and
restaurants.
At the Birmingham Zoo, nearly a
thousand animals, many of them rare and unusual, entertain and enthrall
the entire family. Across the street, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens
blanket nearly 80 acres with 24 different gardens including a Japanese
Garden with ceremonial teahouse.
History buffs will enjoy the
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, where millions of tons of pig
iron flowed until the furnaces ceased operation in 1971. The facility is
now open for public use and has been carefully preserved and developed
as an industrial museum. There is also the interesting speculation that
the furnaces are haunted by a worker who perished in molten iron.
Birmingham is filled with
stories from the history of African-American citizens here. The city’s
prominent part in America’s civil rights movement is the story most
often told. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute offers a comprehensive
look at the nation’s journey toward equal rights for all citizens and
includes galleries highlighting Birmingham’s momentous role in the
movement. The nearby Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame resides in the historic
Carver Theater and honors jazz greats with ties to Alabama.
Appropriately situated near the
Birmingham International Airport, the Southern Museum of Flight
preserves equipment and information from the Southeast’s aviation
history. Sports fans enjoy exploring the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Museum, which includes memorabilia from the late University of Alabama
coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and a tribute to Olympic great Jesse
Owens.
Another must-see attraction is
the Alabama Theater, a 1920s movie palace showing film classics as they
were meant to be seen, on the big screen.
Sports and special events
Scheduled to open in early 2003 is the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
and road-racing track. The heart of the park is a 45-foot-wide,
2.38-mile-long, 16-turn banked raceway that winds and climbs through the
middle of the 700-acre property.
Some of the best golf in the
region can be found on public courses in the area, including the Oxmoor
Valley courses, Birmingham’s link in the state’s famous Robert Trent
Jones Golf Trail. The Birmingham Barons are the city’s AA professional
baseball team and were Michael Jordan’s 1994 home in his second sports
career.
The annual Birmingham
International Festival is the world’s oldest and largest continuing
arts celebration. Each year, the festival salutes a different country
through presentations of customs and culture in the form of dance
performances, musical tributes, lectures, art exhibits and a street
fair. The city also hosts dozens of arts and crafts fairs throughout the
year.
Venturing out from the city
If time allows, visitors to the area can explore historical and natural
attractions just a short drive from Birmingham. Tannehill Ironworks
Historical State Park, about 25 minutes from Birmingham, is a reflection
of Alabama life in the 1800s. It was at Tannehill Ironworks that
Confederate forces rolled iron from the cast sheds to produce cannon and
ordnance during the Civil War. Also on the grounds are 19th century
pioneer homes, farm buildings, crafts cabins and an operating gristmill.
About 20 minutes from downtown
Birmingham, Oak Mountain State Park borders a magnificent lake for
swimming, fishing and canoeing. Golf, tennis and mountain bike trails
also lure visitors to the area. Canoe trips on the pristine waters of
the Cahaba River are another excellent recreation choice.
Arts and entertainment
Out of Birmingham’s transition from an industrial to a
service-oriented community arose a big-city sort of appreciation for
things cultural, a fertile environment for the arts. Birmingham’s
multifaceted arts community offers many things to see and enjoy.
The State of Alabama Ballet,
based in Birmingham, is a full-time professional dance company. The city
also boasts more than a half-dozen professional theatrical companies,
including the Birmingham Children’s Theater. The Alabama Symphony
Orchestra, a professional opera company and contemporary dance ensemble
add to the city’s performing arts scene.
The Birmingham Museum of Art is
one of the city’s richest cultural blessings and the largest municipal
art museum in the Southeast. Along with a number of significant visiting
exhibitions, the museum permanently holds the world’s largest museum
display of Wedgwood pieces, as well as impressive collections of Asian
and African art.
Celebrations of all sorts are
carried out in Birmingham nightclubs. Expect the expected fern and
sparkling water bars but look for more. Good and even great music is
regularly going down in small, out-of-the-way clubs on the city’s
Southside and downtown. Music fans can choose from a variety of
establishments offering jazz and blues, cover bands and alternative
music, and more.
Other points of interest
Birmingham is headquarters for the Southern Progress Corporation, home
to Southern Living magazine. The first issue of the magazine was sent to
just over 250,000 subscribers in 1966. Today, the readership of the
magazine is almost 12 million. Best known for wonderful recipes,
Southern Living houses 24 taste kitchens and taste-testing areas where
every recipe is carefully prepared for quality and accuracy.
The Irondale Café, also known
as "The Original Whistle Stop Café," is a home-style
cafeteria with strong Hollywood ties. The café, inspiration for writer
and actress Fannie Flagg’s successful novel, "Fried Green
Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café" and hit movie of half that
name, still feeds hungry folks every day of the week.
A top name in Christian
television, Mother Mary Angelica, takes to the airwaves daily at
Birmingham’s Eternal Word Television Network. On the air since 1981,
the world’s first Catholic cable network is tuned in at 16 million
homes in 49 states.
The Peanut Depot is another
worthwhile stop. The spot is a Birmingham tradition that has added
pleasure and pounds to the lives of residents and visitors alike since
1907.
The Statue of Vulcan is
Birmingham’s unofficial city symbol and a huge oddity to visitors from
around the world. Vulcan is the largest cast-iron statue in the world,
but he currently is not open to the public. His deteriorating state
prompted the city to close the display in 1999. The statue was removed
piece by piece and is currently undergoing extensive restoration. The
statue will be completed in the spring of 2003.
To receive visitor information
on the greater Birmingham area before your arrival, call toll-free in
the U.S. 888-SO-SWEET. Outside the U.S., call 205-458-8000. You can also
visit www.sweetbirmingham.com.
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