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Helena () is a city in Jefferson and Shelby counties in the
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
of
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
. Helena is considered a suburb of
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
and part of the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area. As of 2022, the population estimate was 21,862. Helena initially incorporated in 1877, but reincorporated in 1917 after errors were discovered in the initial incorporation papers. Its population was not recorded separately in the U.S. Census until 1920, reflecting the later date of incorporation.


History


Early settlers

The area was long the territory of the historic Muscogee people, known by English colonists as the Creek Indians. While Scots-Irish and English traders had interaction with them, and there was some armed conflict in the early 19th century, most European-American settlers did not come to this area until 1849. This was after the United States had conducted Indian Removal of the Creek and other Southeastern tribes in the 1830s, to lands west of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. The first European-American settlers to Helena, which they initially named Cove, were veterans of the final campaigns of the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
. Members of
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...
's army were attracted to the quiet, peaceful valleys and streams after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. By 1856, the Cove post office opened. Shortly thereafter, the settlers changed the name of the town to Hillsboro.


Civil War

The onset of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
brought the need for the South to increase its manufacturing production and develop new industries, in service of the
Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...
. Coal and iron ore mines were dug throughout this area and the construction of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad provided new transportation connections. Helena became an important industrial center for the wartime efforts. Around 1864 a rolling mill was built on Buck Creek, near the rail lines to process the iron from Selma. Peter Boyle, an engineer for the railroad working on a new line, met and courted Helen Lee. He would name the rail station that supported the rolling mill after her. Eventually the town was named Helena after the train station.


Wilson's Raid

As the final battles of the Civil War were being fought, Union forces amassed a force for a cavalry raid to attack the South's war fighting capability, as Sherman's march had done the previous year. Led by James Harrison Wilson, this force passed through the town of Helena on March 30, 1865, where they destroyed much of the newly developed industry and residential buildings.


Reconstruction

Within a few years of the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the
reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...
, industrialists were again developing the area coal and iron ore resources. The railroads were rebuilt and coke ovens were established by the Eureka Company in 1870. The rolling mill was rebuilt in 1873, with support spurred by Rufus Cobb, later elected as a two-term governor. Much of what was Hillsboro had been absorbed by the expanding Helena area. The town was surveyed by Joseph Squire in 1873 and incorporated in 1877. By 1880, Helena contained
six mercantile stores, one drugstore, two hotels, and several boarding houses… The rolling mill had been expanded and modernized and the number of merchants had increased.
A rail yard was added by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company.


Depression era

Helena was first incorporated in 1877 but had to reincorporated in 1917 after the initial incorporation paperwork was found to contain errors. Charles Hind was elected mayor the same year. Much of the industry began to decline as the economy contracted in the years after World War I. The rolling mill was closed in 1923 and many mine closures followed. As the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
set in during the 1930s, the town fell on hard times. Many residents left to find work elsewhere.


1933 Tornado

Around 3 AM on May 5, 1933, residents were awoken to a massive tornado that ripped through the heart of Helena. A total of twelve persons were killed; 75 people were reported as injured. Many of the original houses were completely destroyed and railroad cars were overturned. The property damage was estimated to be in the range of $100,000 to $150,000 (not adjusted).


Modern expansion

Helena remained a small town in the largely rural county until suburban growth from Birmingham reached the city in the late 20th century. Numerous residential and commercial developments have taken place, spurring improvements to city facilities and services. By the early 21st century, Helena had large population gains, with related growing pains in trying to provide services, as a result of its convenient location and high quality of life.


2021 tornado

Another tornado struck the town on March 25, 2021, causing EF1 damage to several homes and downing trees throughout several neighborhoods. The tornado eventually reached low-end EF3 strength northeast of town.


Geography

Helena is located at (33.279715, -86.856060). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.12%) is covered by water. The Cahaba River and its tributary Buck Creek run through Helena. Buck Creek is dammed upstream of Alabama State Route 261 in the Old Town area to form Lake Davidson. It was used both for recreation and to generate water wheel power at the turn of the 20th century. Fishing, wading, and canoeing are popular uses of both waterways. Helena sits at the foothills of the very southern extent of the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
as they descend into the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
coastal plain. The area is largely rolling hills with numerous small streams, and undeveloped areas are primarily mixed woodlands. Downtown Birmingham is 20 mi (32 km) north via Alabama Route 261 to US-31 or I-65.


Climate

The climate of Helena is typical of the
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
, with long, hot, humid summers and short, relatively mild winters. Summer high temperatures are commonly in the upper 90s and low 100s F; winter lows are usually in the 20s F. Measurable snowfall is rare, occurring only a few times a decade. Thunderstorms are frequent occurrences during the summer. The Helena area experiences two severe weather peaks, early spring (March–April) and late fall (November), with tornadoes being frequent hazards during both peaks. Hurricanes coming ashore on the northern Gulf coast occasionally reach Helena with
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its lo ...
-force winds.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,914 people, 6,718 households, and 5,119 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, 16,793 people, 3,828 households, and 3,043 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 3,983 housing units averaged 233.3 per square mile (90.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White, 13.1% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races; 3.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 3,828 households, 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.2% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were not families; 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was distributed as 28.7% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 42.7% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $62,908, and for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $45,291 versus $32,431 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $26,323. About 1.4% of families and 2.2% 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 ...
, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.


Economy

The local economy is broadly diversified among professional, service, and manufacturing jobs. Many of the residents of Helena commute to work in other communities within the greater Birmingham area. No employer is dominant in the city, and recent economic growth has mainly come in the service industries to support the increased population. Well-known local industries include the Vulcan Materials Company construction aggregate quarry and the Plantation Pipeline depot and tank farm. A developed industrial park includes a wide variety of manufacturers.


Arts and culture

Helena holds numerous arts and crafts fairs, and musical performances throughout the year in public spaces. Helena Old Town Live Summer Concert Series bring thousands into Amphitheater Park to hear great music.Helena's residents also have easy access to cultural attractions in the greater Birmingham area, such as the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Museum of Art, McWane Center, and Vulcan statue and park. During 2005, Helena gained nationwide notice as the hometown of singer Bo Bice, who was a finalist on the popular Fox program ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
''. Magnolia Springs Manor was the host of
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen ( ; born 13 October 1971) is an English comedian, actor and performance artist. Known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Haf ...
’s character Borat in his famous 2006 hit film.


Annual cultural events

Major annual community events largely reflect traditional small-town American life. They include an Easter Egg Hunt,''Helena City News''; City of Helena, Alabama, March 2008 edition Buck Creek Festival,
4th of July Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...
picnic, concert and fireworks; Fall Carnival, Spring Fling, and Christmas Parade.


Museums and other points of interest

Major points of interest include the Cahaba River, Old Town Amphitheater, and the Old Town district, which includes the 19th-century jail and railroad freight depot, as well as commercial structures from the 19th century. The Kenneth R. Penhale Museum opened in October 2011 in the Old Town district.


Sports

Outdoor sports are popular in Helena.
Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
attracts the most participants and spectators at all levels; golf, basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer are also popular among residents. Some children participate in city-sponsored sports and school-sponsored sports. Others participate in sports at the nearby Pelham YMCA. Numerous minor-league sports franchises are located in the Greater Birmingham area, within which Helena is located. Local sports venues (in that area) include the
Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, also known as The Hoover Met, is a baseball stadium located in Hoover, Alabama, United States, a suburb of Birmingham. It was home of the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League from 1988 to 2012, replacing histor ...
(Hoover Met),
Regions Field Regions Field is a minor league baseball park in the Southside community of Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. It is the home field for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League, and it replaced Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the Birmingham suburb ...
in Southside of
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, Legion Field in Birmingham, the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), and
Barber Motorsports Park Barber Motorsports Park is an racing facility in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built by George W. Barber, and includes the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum. It has been the site of the IndyCar Series' Grand Prix of Alabama since 2010 IndyCar Ser ...
in
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
. College sports, which are most popular in Helena, just like the rest of Alabama, use several of these venues. College sports fans in Helena most commonly support the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, UAB Blazers, and Samford Bulldogs, and many are alumni of those schools.


Parks and recreation

Numerous parks are provided within Helena by the city and Shelby County. These parks feature open green spaces, playground equipment, a fishing pond, and a baseball field complex often used for tournaments and recreational leagues. The Helena Sports Complex opened in 2003 and features a community center and spaces for baseball, softball, cheerleading, basketball, and soccer. The most popular parks in Helena include Joe Tucker Park and Cahaba Lily Park. The Old Town Helena Amphitheater, along the banks of Buck Creek, features a stage and grass seating area where numerous productions are staged, including the popular Summer Sundown Cinemas (free movies) and
4th of July Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...
celebration. The Cahaba River and its tributary Buck Creek run through Helena. Buck Creek is dammed upstream of Alabama Highway 261 in the Old Town area to form Lake Davidson. Fishing, wading, and canoeing are popular uses of both waterways.


Government

The city has an elected mayor-council form of government. The mayor and council is elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
Those elected in 2020 are: * Mayor - Brian Puckett Helena City Council: * Chris Willis - Place 1 * Christopher R. VanCleave - Place 2 (Pro-Tempore) * Alice Lobell (City Council President) - Place 3 * Laura Joseph - Place 4 * Hewy Woodman - Place 5 The city operates the following departments: * Administrative * Building Inspectiins,Planning * Cou * Fire * Human Resources * Parks & Recreation * Police * Public Works * Revenue and Finance * Utility Board The city enjoys full-time, paid public safety services through the Helena Police Department and Helena Fire Department. The Helena Fire Department has three fire stations and includes volunteer firefighters in addition to the paid staff. The Helena Police Department includes a K-9 unit. Together with the fire department, it sponsors a Law Enforcement Explorer Post with Learning-for-Life, a division of Boy Scouts of America.


Education

Public education for students from kindergarten to 12th grade is provided by the Shelby County School System, including Helena Elementary School, Helena Intermediate School, Helena Middle School, and Helena High School. A new high school, to accommodate the increased number of students, was constructed and opened in the fall of the 2014–15 year.


Media

Helena is within the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston
media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television station, television and radio broadcasting, ra ...
. Its major local television stations are WBRC Fox 6, WBIQ APT (PBS) 10, WVTM (NBC) 13, WTTO CW 21, ABC 33/40, WIAT CBS 42, WPXH ION 44, and WABM MyNetworkTV 68. Helena is also served by all the Birmingham radio stations, including 100.5 WJQX, an
ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The netw ...
station licensed to Helena. The '' Birmingham News'' is Helena's major daily newspaper. It publishes a special Shelby County section, the ''Shelby News'', in addition to the regular Birmingham edition, which is distributed to Helena subscribers. The ''Shelby County Reporter'' is a weekly newspaper covering Shelby County, including Helena. Additionally, the ''Helena - The Magazine'' is published monthly by the City of Helena as a public service; it is mailed to all Helena residents. The ''Helena - The Magazine'' is a news and culture magazine-style publication, that runs 52 pages, and includes reporting on past and future community events, profiles on local businesses and residents, and monthly columns by area physicians and elected government officials.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Helena is located near two major interstates. I-459, which joins major east–west interstates I-20 and I-59, is located 9 miles to the north; north-south oriented I-65 is 3 miles east of Old Town Helena. AL-261 runs through the heart of Helena and connects the city to neighboring Pelham, where it intersects US-31, located 2 miles east of Old Town. Here it becomes Valleydale Road and continues to its terminus at US-280, ultimately connecting Helena with eastern Hoover.
CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
provides rail service on two separate lines, the S&NA South subdivision between Birmingham and Montgomery, and the Lineville subdivision between Birmingham and
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. General aviation and private jet services are available at the nearby Bessemer Airport (EKY) about 8 miles north of Old Town. Extensive commercial flights are available at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) about 25 miles to the northeast. Intercity rail service is available on the Amtrak
Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...
, 19 miles to the north in Birmingham.


Utilities

Electric service is provided by Alabama Power Company; water, sewage, and garbage pick-up by the city; and cable television and internet provided by multiple providers.


Healthcare

Numerous medical professionals practice in Helena. Many cater to family and individual patient's needs in areas such as counseling, dentistry, psychiatry, physical therapy and primary care. The city also benefits from its proximity to Birmingham's extensive medical community, including several major hospitals and University of Alabama at Birmingham medical schools. The closest hospital is Baptist Shelby in Alabaster.


Notable people

* Bo Bice, ''American Idols 2005 runner-up * Liz Cochran, 2009 Miss Alabama and competitor in the 2010 Miss America Pageant, was born here. * Vonetta Flowers, Olympic Gold Medal gymnast * Rebecca Luker, actor and singer, who appeared in several musicals * Leigh Hulsey, member of the
Alabama House of Representatives The Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal number of districts, with ...
and former member of the city council * Richard Fitts, Boston Red Sox pitcher, was born here. * Brent Hinds, guitarist and vocalist of
Mastodon (band) Mastodon is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 2000, the band's lineup of Troy Sanders (bass/vocals), Brent Hinds (lead guitar/vocals), Bill Kelliher (rhythm guitar/backing vocals) and Brann Dailor ...
grew up in Helena.


Images

Image:Helena No 1 in Alabama IMG 7392.JPG , Street banner announcing ''Money ''naming Helena the number-one place to live in Alabama in 2007. Image:Helena Fire Department Engine 62 Helena Alabama.JPG, Helena Fire Department Engine 63.http://www.cityofhelena.org/Default.asp?ID=153&pg=Apparatus City of Helena; Fire Department; Apparatus This 1980s engine won several awards for appearance and is currently in service as a reserve unit. Image:City of Helena Alabama Welcome Center.JPG, The City of Helena Welcome Center is housed in a Louisville & Nashville Railroad caboose in Old Town next to the
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...
S&NA Subdivision tracks.


References


External links



City of Helena, Alabama {{Authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Shelby County, Alabama Cities in Jefferson County, Alabama Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama Populated places established in 1845