Nelson, also known as Nelson Switch, or Cates Crossing, is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Shelby 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 ...

, United States. Nelson is located at the crossing of Alabama State Route 25 and the

Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...

, between Columbiana and Wilsonville.

History

Nelson was the birthplace of Frank Nelson, Jr. Nelson grew up working in his father's store in Columbiana. After attending the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...

, he began manufacturing charcoal that was shipped to

Brierfield Furnace The Brierfield Furnace, also known as the Bibb Naval Furnace and Brierfield Ironworks, is a historic district in Brierfield, Alabama, encompassed by Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park. The district covers and includes one building and nine ...

and

Shelby Iron Company The Shelby Iron Company was an iron manufacturing company that operated an ironworks in Shelby, Alabama. The iron company produced iron for the Confederate States of America and was destroyed towards the end of the American Civil War. The company ...

. He then moved to

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 ...

and founded the North Birmingham Land Company. Due to his efforts, over thirty manufacturing plants located to

North Birmingham North Birmingham is a community of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. Currently the North Birmingham community is further subdivided into six neighborhoods: Acipco-Finley, Collegeville, Fairmont, Harriman Park, Hooper City, ...

, including the

American Cast Iron Pipe Company American Cast Iron Pipe Company is a manufacturer of ductile iron pipe, spiral-welded steel pipe, fire hydrants, and valves for the waterworks industry, and electric-resistance-welded steel pipe for the oil and natural gas industry. Headquarte ...

and

American Radiator Company The American Radiator Company was established in 1892 by the merger of a number of North American radiator manufacturers. The company expanded in the early 20th century into Europe under the brand National Radiator Company. In 1929, it amalgam ...

. Nelson then became president of the Empire Coal Company located in

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

. The Frank Nelson Building, located at the corner of 20th Street North and 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham, is named in his honor. The Columbiana Ore Company operated iron ore mines at Nelson in 1918. A post office operated under the name Nelson from 1857 to 1904. On April 18, 1953, Nelson was damaged by an F3 tornado.

References

Unincorporated communities in Shelby County, Alabama Unincorporated communities in Alabama {{ShelbyCountyAL-geo-stub