It's Nice to Have You ... at Birmingham Rewound

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR
ALL FRIENDS AND VISITORS:

BIRMINGHAM REWOUND will be changing internet hosting providers within the month. What this will mean is the task of migrating every page, image, video and audio file to the new server. Some of you no doubt know that while it's not a difficult process, it is 1) tedious, and 2) time-consuming.

As such, I cannot and will not promise that everything will be unpacked and in its proper place quickly. My first priority will be the main pages and our "This Month" features for both January and - when it's ready - February.

The bottom line: in all probability, you'll experience a lot of "404" brick walls in the process, and the archives for "This Month" will be the last thing to be uploaded (I suspect it'll be the real bear of this exercise). We'll strive to have everything back to our regular deranged and twisted sense of normal with all available expedience.

So consider yourself forewarned. Thank you, one and all, for your patience and understanding.

--Russell Wells, creator and webmaster

"A Gift of History"

In 1937, a Birmingham schoolteacher named Kate Kilby Coleman wanted desperately to raise money for a trip to Europe. She decided to do it by creating a historical map of the city of Birmingham, giving dates, places and drawings of various historical buildings and sites.

Mrs. Coleman, who taught school in the area for 10 years before moving to Auburn, got the idea after talking to some friends who remembered vivid descriptions of early Birmingham given to them by their parents. The beloved teacher spent about 800 hours on the project, but never realized her goal. It was thwarted by the outbreak of war. However, she retained the map and had it copyrighted.

In December 1968, The Birmingham News obtained permission to update the map and run it to commemorate Birmingham's 97th birthday. For historical purposes, BIRMINGHAM REWOUND is pleased to pay tribute to this incredible masterpiece....

Click on the image to download a larger, more detailed version. (almost 2 MB)

Two pictures submitted by K. Allen Culp .....

(LEFT) Allen with the JACK'S Chicken at Green Springs Park, September 1978.
(RIGHT) Circa 1982, Allen and the late Cousin Cliff at her brother's birthday party.

BIRMINGHAM REWOUND remembers
Gardendale in the '60s

UPDATES:

01/01/2009:
This month in history for January.

December 12, 2008: Added 'favicon' (Vulcan's "key lime popsicle") to the site.   Very special thanks go to Beth Walker for creating and submitting.
December 6, 2008: Added two photos from K. Allen Culp, on the main page (Cousin Cliff & the Jack's Chicken). She also "cleaned up" the Pizitz and Rich's Christmas microfilm ads from the December 1978 page (Thanks!).
November 30, 2008: This month in history for December. Also added image of "Birmingham History Map" from December 1968.
October 30, 2008: This month in history for November.
Also added page on the "Heidi game" in Birmingham and some pictures of 1960s Gardendale, courtesy of Robert Brewis.   Moved "Quacker Jack" image to Jack's page.
September 30, 2008: This month in history for October.
September 9, 2008: Added memorial item about Cousin Cliff, who passed away September 8th.
August 31, 2008: This month in history for September. Also added old pavement brick pictures from Savannah, Ga.
August 1, 2008: This month in history for August.
July 18, 2008: Added "Quacker Jack" sticker to main page.
July 6, 2008: Added link to News article on Cousin Cliff Holman (Alzheimer's).
July 4, 2008: This month in history for July.
June 2, 2008: This month in history for June. Also new section on 60th anniversary of KIDDIELAND.
April 30, 2008: This month in history for May.
April 22, 2008: Added info for Tim Hollis book signings to main page. (added one more location 04/24/2008) .
                  ...also added update information for ABANDONED FIVE POINTS WEST MALL & PIZITZ STORE
March 31, 2008: This month in history for April.
March 6, 2008: Aaron Tanner's A Centennial Tribute to Cora Saxon debuts.
February 29, 2008: This month in history for March
January 31, 2008: This month in history for February ... also, REWOUND remembers Valentines of Yesteryear.
January 1, 2008: This month in history for January. Also, debuted new title banners (using color scheme of old Birmingham streetcars).
December 2, 2007: This month in history for December.
October 31, 2007: This month in history for November.
September 30, 2007: This month in history for October.
September 2, 2007: This month in history for September. Also, BIRMINGHAM REWOUND's Back-to-School Special.
July 31, 2007: This month in history for August.
July 25, 2007: Took "Memories" section offline for future overhaul. Removed links from front page.
July 21, 2007: Added mention of Ward McIntyre's passing to front page, with several pictures.
July 6, 2007: Updated and put Eastwood Mall Remembered back online.
July 2, 2007: This month in history for July.
June 1, 2007: This month in history for June.
May 1, 2007: This month in history for May.
April 17, 2007: Added scanned image of late '60s Shoney's Big Boy/WAPI-TV matchbook from Greg Glenn.
April 1, 2007: This month in history for April.
March 13, 2007: Unveiled two new features: Roebuck Plaza's 50th Anniversary and Rockin' With Roddy
March 5, 2007: This month in history for March.
February 2, 2007: This month in history for February.
January 1, 2007: This month in history for January.
December 13, 2006: Christmas Past lives on! Two more Birmingham "retromercials" added to This month in history
December 3, 2006: This month in history for December, with three classic TV commercials for the holidays.
Debuted new feature: a tribute to "Your Album Station", K-99 (WVOK-FM; WRKK).
November 10, 2006: This month in history for November.
October 6, 2006: This month in history for October.
September 3, 2006: This month in history for September; also newly found snapshots from 1956 of the first Romper Room with "Miss Jean" Pierce.
August 7, 2006: This month in history begins.
July 3, 2006: New feature: Showplaces of the South by Tim Hollis.
June 18, 2006: Brand new section: The Listening Room, with audio clips to listen and enjoy.
June 1, 2006: Debuted REWOUND on new webspace, birminghamrewound.com ... New section: Fun & Games ... New feature: Cavalcade of logos
March 2006: New section on Hill's Supermarket added. Added some vintage radio pictures to the RADIO-TV page. Also modified some text.
New page on '70s Birmingham Top-40 Wars added. Added new picture to Five Points West section (WAPI remote - great panoramic shot!)
Added newly-found picture of Birmingham's first Romper Room teacher, Miss Jean, to the MAGIC CITY KIDS' SHOWS section.
February 2006: Some changes to TV history text on RADIO-TV page.
October 2005: New feature added: BIRMINGHAM: THEN AND NOW
New "extra": BIRMINGHAM TEEN CULTURE, 1967 ... small changes to ROADSIDE ... updates to RADIO & TV (info on color TV in Birmingham)
August 2005: NEW UPDATES TO THE EASTWOOD MALL SITE ... many, many new pictures added!
07/02/2005: Updates to SHERER'S DRIVE-IN and ROADSIDE
05/30/2005: Special section added: "MAGIC CITY KIDS' SHOWS"
04/24/2005: Small update to Jack's Hamburgers (added early pic of Sgt. Jack) .... New page added: BURGER IN A HURRY
03/13/2005: Updated BARGAIN TOWN USA (many new pictures), BARBER'S MILK, RADIO & TV (page 2)
New pages added: SHERER'S DRIVE-IN, Joe Dentici on the WENN Radio upheaval of 1976
02/13/2005: Updated Roadside, Radio & TV ... new page added: Jack's Hamburgers
01/31/2005: Updated Retail (BARBER'S MILK, PIZITZ, BRUNO'S, FIVE POINTS WEST)
New page added: ABANDONED FIVE POINTS WEST MALL & PIZITZ STORE

Page last updated 01/01/2009 -- 645 PM EST

LEGALESE: This page is NOT sanctioned by, nor is it produced under the auspices of the City of Birmingham, Alabama. All graphics are self-produced; photos and other memorabilia found on this page originate from the private collection of the Webmaster, and from the high generosity of other, history-loving people (credited throughout the site). All logos, past and present, are the property of their respective owners. They're featured for historical purposes, and the Webmaster does not challenge any ownership rights. That you see them on a public website such as this does NOT translate to their being in the public domain! Bottom line: Please ask permission before using anything you see for your own personal gain. Violators will be forced to endure a fate worse than waterboarding: US 280!!

What it all amounts to is simple, basic manners and good citizenship.