Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County,

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

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. It is a suburb of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. As of the 2010 census its population was 25,167, and in 2019 the estimated population was 25,377. Homewood is home to more fast food restaurants per capita than any other U.S. town.

History

Early history and development

The first settlers of the area which would eventually become Homewood arrived in the early 1800s. The area's population, however, did not grow significantly until Birmingham suffered a major

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

epidemic in 1873 (See

Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 19th century * 1871 ** Birmingham founded and incorporated. ** Robert Henley becomes mayor. * 1874 ** Birmingham becomes seat of Jefferson County. ** First ...

). Speculators soon began buying up land and developing communities in the countryside surrounding Birmingham. Many of the smaller communities which would eventually become Homewood were developed during this time period, including Rosedale, Grove Park, Edgewood, and Oak Grove. Edgewood saw the greatest amount of development. The community contained an

Electric Railway A railway electrification system supplies electric power to railway trains and trams without an on-board prime mover or local fuel supply. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), ele ...

leading to downtown Birmingham by 1911 and a man-made lake by 1915. The lake was created by the construction of a dam along Shades Creek near Columbiana Road. Two parallel roads were graded on either side of the lake with the intention of creating a race track around the lake, however these plans never came to fruition. The roads eventually became Lakeshore Drive and South Lakeshore Drive.

Incorporation

In 1926, a local attorney named Charles Rice started a movement to merge several of the communities surrounding Birmingham. In September of the same year, Rosedale, Edgewood, and Grove Park voted to incorporate under the name Homewood. The city of Hollywood, Alabama was annexed into Homewood in 1929. In 1955, Oak Grove was also annexed into Homewood.

Great Depression and World War II

The Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

and a polio epidemic, which sickened 80 children in Homewood, greatly damaged Homewood's economy and social landscape. The regional economy picked up after the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the accompanying steel boom in Birmingham, where production ramped up in order to contribute to the war effort. During the 1940s, Homewood's police and fire departments doubled in size to accommodate a 73.9 percent increase in the city's population from 1940 to 1950.

Civil rights era

In 1959, Homewood voters defeated a move by Birmingham to annex the city. A second attempt supposedly succeeded in July 1964, but voting irregularities and lawsuits prevented the outcome of that election in the courts until September 9, 1966, when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled the 1964 vote null and void (See "City of Birmingham v. Bouldin"). In a special election on December 13, 1966, a vote for annexation failed with 65 percent of Homewood residents voting against the annexation. Homewood avoided the worst of the turmoil associated with the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

and, more specifically, the

Southern Christian Leadership Conference The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is an African-American civil rights organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. SCLC is closely associated with its first president, Martin Luther King Jr., who had a large role in the American civi ...

's 1963

Birmingham campaign The Birmingham campaign, also known as the Birmingham movement or Birmingham confrontation, was an American movement organized in early 1963 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to bring attention to the integration efforts o ...

. However, in September 1963, the ''Shades Valley Sun'' newspaper reported on a racially motivated bombing on Central Avenue in Rosedale. In 1970, Homewood created its own school system, breaking away from the Jefferson County school system. The new Homewood High School opened in December 1972.

Hollywood

Hollywood is a former town annexed into Homewood, Alabama, in 1929. A

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

of much of the area is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as Hollywood Historic District. The district is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 31, U.S. Highway 280, and Lakeshore Drive and is significant for the

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

and

Spanish Colonial Revival The Spanish Colonial Revival Style ( es, Arquitectura neocolonial española) is an architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In the ...

architectural style of surviving houses and other buildings. Clyde Nelson began developing Hollywood Boulevard as a residential subdivision in 1926. He employed a sales force of 75, armed with the memorable slogan "Out of the Smoke Zone, Into the Ozone", to entice

residents over Red Mountain. Architect George P. Turner designed many of the new homes in the

Spanish Colonial Revival architecture The Spanish Colonial Revival Style ( es, Arquitectura neocolonial española) is an architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In th ...

, which had become fashionably linked with the glamour of

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

in the early days of the motion picture industry there. Turner also nodded to the English Tudor style which was already widespread in Birmingham and over the mountain. The Hollywood Country Club on Lakeshore Drive (destroyed in 1984 by fire) and the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...

Post 134 (originally Hollywood's Town Hall) were also built at this time. In order to support his new development, Nelson created the area's first

autobus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for ...

line and extended the first natural gas pipeline into Shades Valley. Hollywood incorporated as a town on January 14, 1927 with Clarence Lloyd as its first and only mayor. The town was annexed into Homewood on October 14, 1929. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

virtually ended development of the subdivision. In 2002, the Hollywood Historic District was registered with the

, and is home to The

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

(AIA)-nominated houses like 11 Bonita Drive. The listing includes 412

contributing buildings In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

and one

contributing site In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, over a area.

Geography

Homewood is located at (33.468306, -86.808146). According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. The city, along with the rest of Jefferson County, lies atop iron, coal, and limestone deposits. Shades Creek, which is part of the

Cahaba River The Cahaba River is the longest substantially free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. It is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River basin. ...

system, runs through Homewood.

Demographics

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 25,043 people, 10,688 households, and 5,878 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 11,494 housing units at an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 79.75% White, 15.30% Black or

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.20% Native American, 2.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 2.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 10,688 households 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.0% were non-families. 36.2% of households were one person and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87. The age distribution was 20.3% under the age of 18, 17.8% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males. The median household income was $55,431 and the median family income was $70,256. Males had a median income of $40,969 versus $34,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,491. About 4.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 25,167 people, 10,092 households, and 5,760 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 11,385 housing units at an average density of . The

of the city was 69.696% White, 17.3% Black or

, 0.2% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 5,000% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 7.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 10,092 households 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 34.4% of households were one person and 9.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.02. The age distribution was 22.8% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% 65 or older. The median age was 29.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males. The median family income was $78,252. Males had a median income of $50,163 versus $41,023 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,601. About 5.1% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the

, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 26,414 people, 9,566 households, and 5,866 families residing in the city.

Schools

Public schools

The Homewood City School System is made up of five schools, including three

elementary schools A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

, one

middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

and one

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

: * Shades Cahaba Elementary School * Edgewood Elementary School * Hall Kent Elementary School * Homewood Middle School *

Homewood High School Homewood High School (HHS) is a public high school, serving grades 9-12, in the Homewood, Alabama suburb of Birmingham. It is the only high school in the Homewood City School System. The principal is Joel Henneke. In the summer of 2007, the front ...

Colleges and universities

Samford University Samford University is a private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama. In 1841, the university was founded as Howard College by Baptists. Samford University describes itself as the 87th oldest institution of higher learning in the United Sta ...

Parks

* Patriot Park * Homewood Central Park * West Homewood Park * Woodland Park * Overton Park * Spring Park * Homewood Soccer Park

Notable people

Ameer Abdullah Ameer Abdullah (born June 13, 1993) is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college footbal ...

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

* Mary Anderson (1918–2014), actress *

Paul DeMarco Paul J. DeMarco (born July 20, 1967) is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Alabama. He is a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 46th district since 2005. He ran in the United States H ...

, lawyer and former Alabama State Representative *

Aaron Ernest Aaron Troy Ernest (born November 8, 1993) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 100 meters and 200 metres. He went to Homewood high school and competed for the LSU Tigers from 2012 to 2015. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ernest r ...

, sprinter *

Katy Freels Mary Kathryn Freels (; born April 8, 1990) is an American former professional soccer midfielder. She played for Sky Blue FC of the NWSL. Early life Freels was raised in Homewood, Alabama, where she attended Homewood High School. Auburn Univer ...

, professional soccer

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

Charles Ghigna Charles Ghigna (born August 25, 1946), known also as Father Goose is an American poet and author of children's and adults' books. He has written more than 5,000 poems and 100 books. Ghigna was born in Bayside, Queens. His parents relocated to F ...

children's author Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...

Evan Mathis Evan Bradley Mathis (born November 1, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the C ...

, former American football

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...

Ronald Nored Ronald Nored (born March 1, 1990) is an American basketball coach, currently an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously he served as the head coach of the Long Island Nets of the NBA G Leagu ...

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

assistant coach * Eric Ramsey, former American football player * Samantha Shaw, former State Auditor of Alabama *

Luther Strange Luther Johnson Strange III (born March 1, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from Alabama from 2017 to 2018. He was appointed to fill that position after it was vacated by Sen. J ...

, U.S. Senator * William C. Thompson, Presiding Judge,

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals is one of two appellate courts in the Alabama judicial system. The court was established in 1969 when what had been one unitary state Court of Appeals was broken into a criminal appeals court and a civil appeals c ...

References

;General * Baggett, James L. (April 2004) "Homewood: The Life of a City." ''Alabama Review.''

External links

Official website of the City of Homewood

Official website of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce

Encyclopedia of Alabama: Homewood
{{authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Jefferson County, Alabama Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama