County Past
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Jefferson County, Alabama

Historic newspapers, landmarks, and county history layers for genealogists and local historians.

—newspaper titles
—digitized titles
188historic places
—earliest paper
1819formed
674,721pop. 2020
100cemeteries
—CW battlefields

At a glance

Summary

The National Register of Historic Places includes 188 listed properties in the county, first listed in 1970; 3 are also National Historic Landmarks. Most listings are in or near Birmingham, Bessemer, Leeds.

Summary generated automatically from the source data on this page.

Newspapers

Library of Congress

Newspaper directory data for Alabama is not yet loaded on this site. Browse Jefferson titles at the Library of Congress.

National Register of Historic Places

NPS NRHP

90 of 188 listings mapped; some locations are restricted by NPS to protect sensitive sites.

188 listed properties
PropertyCityTypeListed
Age-Herald BuildingBirminghamBuilding1984
Agee HouseBirminghamBuilding1986
Alabama Penny Savings BankBirminghamBuilding1980
Alabama TheatreBirminghamBuilding1979
American Laundry Company BuildingBirminghamBuilding2024
Anderson Place Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1986
Anderson Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict1991
ArlingtonBirminghamBuilding1970
Arlington ParkBirminghamDistrict1995
Automotive Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1991
AvalonBirminghamBuilding1985
Avondale Park Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1998
Bank of EnsleyBirminghamBuilding1984
Bass, Jonathan W., HouseLeedsBuilding2008
Belcher-Nixon BuildingBirminghamBuilding2009
Belview Heights Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2000
Bethel Baptist Church, Parsonage, and Guardhouse NHLCollegevilleBuilding2005
Birmingham Civil Rights Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2006
Birmingham Wholesale & Retail (West) Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2024
Birmingham Wholesale Warehouse Loop West Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2015
Birmingham, Railway, Light and Power BuildingBirminghamBuilding1980
Birmingham-Southern CollegeBirminghamDistrict1999
Blessed Sacrament AcademyBirminghamBuilding1980
Blessed Sacrament Catholic ChurchBirminghamBuilding2015
Bottega FavoritaBirminghamBuilding1986
Bradshaw HouseBirminghamBuilding1980
Brown, Dr. A. M., HouseBirminghamBuilding1974
Bush Hills Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2024
Cahaba Homestead Village Historic DistrictTrussvilleDistrict2006
Caldwell-Milner BuildingBirminghamBuilding1979
Canaan Baptist ChurchBessemerBuilding2005
Center Street Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2007
Chestnut Hill Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1987
Claridge Manor ApartmentsBirminghamBuilding1984
Continental Gin CompanyBirminghamDistrict1980
Country Club Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2003
Crittenden BuildingBirminghamBuilding1981
Cullom Street-Twelfth Street South Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1986
Downtown Bessemer Historic DistrictBessemerDistrict1992
Downtown Birmingham Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1982
Downtown Birmingham Historic District (Boundary Increase II)BirminghamDistrict1998
Downtown Birmingham Historic District (Boundary Increase III)BirminghamDistrict2016
Downtown Birmingham Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict1985
Downtown Birmingham Retail and Theatre Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1989
Downtown Birmingham Retail and Theatre Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict1998
Downtown Ensley Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2010
Dr. Pepper Syrup PlantBirminghamBuilding1990
Dunbar High SchoolBessemerBuilding2011
East End Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
Empire BuildingBirminghamBuilding1982
Enslen HouseBirminghamBuilding1975
Episcopal Church of the AdventBirminghamBuilding1983
Exclusive Furniture ShopBirminghamBuilding1984
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta-Birmingham BranchBirminghamBuilding2003
Fire Station No. 10BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 11BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 12BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 15BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 16BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 19BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 22BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 3BirminghamBuilding1990
Fire Station No. 6BirminghamBuilding1990
First Baptist Church, East ThomasBirminghamBuilding2005
First Baptist Church, KingstonBirminghamBuilding2005
First Christian Church Education BuildingBirminghamBuilding1980
First Ebenezer Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
First National-John A. Hand BuildingBirminghamBuilding1983
First Presbyterian ChurchBirminghamBuilding1982
First United Methodist ChurchBirminghamBuilding1982
Five Mile Creek BridgeMcCallaStructure1973
Five Points South Historic (District Boundary Increase III)BirminghamDistrict2019
Five Points South Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1983
Five Points South Historic District (Boundary Increase II)BirminghamDistrict1991
Five Points South Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict1986
Flintridge BuildingFairfieldBuilding2004
Forest ParkBirminghamDistrict1980
Fourth Avenue Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1982
Fox BuildingBirminghamBuilding1980
Gaston, A.G., BuildingBirminghamBuilding2000
Gleissner, John D. and Katherine, Lustron HouseBirminghamBuilding2000
Glen Iris Park Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1984
Graymont SchoolBirminghamBuilding2007
Hanover Court ApartmentsBirminghamBuilding1988
Hanover Place Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2003
Heaviest Corner on EarthBirminghamDistrict1985
Highland Avenue Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1977
Highland Plaza ApartmentsBirminghamBuilding1984
Hollywood Historic DistrictHomewoodDistrict2002
Hotel RedmontBirminghamBuilding1983
Howard College Estates Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1999
Ideal Department Store BuildingBirminghamBuilding1985
Jefferson County CourthouseBirminghamBuilding1982
King, A.D., HouseBirminghamBuilding2008
Kress, S. H., and Company BuildingBirminghamBuilding1982
Lakeview SchoolBirminghamBuilding1977
Lakewood Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2000
Leeds Downtown Historic DistrictLeedsDistrict1995
Liberty National Life Insurance Company BuildingBirminghamBuilding2025
Loveman, Joseph, & Loeb Department StoreBirminghamBuilding1983
Lustron House on Columbiana RoadBirminghamBuilding2000
Magnolia Avenue South Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2018
Manchester TerraceBirminghamBuilding1989
McAdory BuildingBirminghamBuilding1979
McAdory, Thomas, HouseBessemerBuilding1972
Miles Memorial College Historic DistrictFairfieldDistrict1994
Milner Heights Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2003
Morris Avenue Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1973
Morris Avenue-First Avenue North Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1986
Mount Ararat Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
Mountain Brook Estates BuildingMountain BrookBuilding2003
Mountain Brook Office Park Historic DistrictMountain BrookDistrict2022
Nabers, Morrow and Sinnige, BuildingBirminghamBuilding1980
New Pilgrim Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2007
New Rising Star Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
North Lakeview Industrial DistrictBirminghamDistrict2016
Norwood Historic District (Additional Documentation)BirminghamDistrict2001
Norwood Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict2021
Oak Hill CemeteryBirminghamSite1977
Orlando ApartmentsBirminghamBuilding1990
Owen Plantation HouseBessemerBuilding1976
Owen, Dr. Thomas McAdory, HouseBessemerBuilding1982
Palmerdale Homesteads Historic DistrictPinsonDistrict2019
Parham Apothecary BuildingFairfieldBuilding1996
Peace Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
Phelan Park Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1989
Pinson Hills Historic DistrictPinsonDistrict2016
Pinson Main Street Historic DistrictPinsonDistrict2016
Powell Avenue Steam PlantBirminghamBuilding2014
Powell SchoolBirminghamBuilding1976
Pratt City Carline Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1989
Pratt SchoolBirminghamBuilding1994
Quinlan CastleBirminghamBuilding1984
Ramsay-McCormack BuildingBirminghamBuilding2009
Red Mountain Suburbs Historic DistrictBirmingham (also in Mountain Brook)District1985
Redmont Garden ApartmentsMountain BrookDistrict1993
Reed, William, HouseBirminghamBuilding1987
Rhodes ParkBirminghamDistrict1982
Rickwood FieldBirminghamStructure1993
Ridgely ApartmentsBirminghamBuilding1984
Roebuck Springs Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1999
Rosedale Historic DistrictHomewoodDistrict2004
Rosedale Park Historic DistrictHomewoodDistrict2004
Sadler HouseMcCallaBuilding1975
Saint Andrew's Episcopal ChurchBirminghamBuilding1986
Sardis Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
Seaboard Air Line Railway Freight DepotBirminghamBuilding2023
Second Presbyterian ChurchBirminghamBuilding1986
Shady Grove Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church NHLBirminghamBuilding1980
Sloss Blast Furnace Site NHLBirminghamDistrict1972
Slossfield Community CenterBirminghamDistrict2008
Smith, Joseph Riley, Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1985
Smithfield Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1985
Smithfield Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamDistrict1998
South Central Bell BuildingBirminghamBuilding2020
South East Lake Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1997
South Highlands of East Lake Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2003
Southern Railroad DepotLeedsBuilding1983
Southern Railway Terminal StationBessemerBuilding1973
Southside Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2005
Southside Historic District (Boundary Increase)BirminghamBuilding2011
St. Luke AME ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
St. Luke AME Zion ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
St. Paul's Catholic ChurchBirminghamBuilding1982
Steiner Bank BuildingBirminghamBuilding1974
StonecroftBirminghamBuilding2001
Tarrant City Downtown Historic DistrictTarrantDistrict2010
Thomas By-Product Coke Works Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1995
Thomas Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1989
U.S. Post OfficeBirminghamBuilding1976
VulcanBirminghamObject1976
Waters BuildingBirminghamBuilding1980
Watts BuildingBirminghamBuilding1979
West End Hills Missionary Baptist ChurchBirminghamBuilding2005
West End Masonic TempleBirminghamBuilding1987
West ParkBirminghamSite1984
Whilldin BuildingBirminghamBuilding1982
Wimberly-Thomas WarehouseBirminghamBuilding1985
Windham Construction Office BuildingBirminghamBuilding1984
Woodlawn City HallBirminghamBuilding1988
Woodlawn Comercial Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict1991
Woodlawn Highlands Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2006
Woodlawn Historic DistrictBirminghamDistrict2003
Woodward BuildingBirminghamBuilding1983
Wright, Bernice L., Lustron HouseBirminghamBuilding2000
Wylam Fire StationBirminghamBuilding1990
Zinszer's Peter, Mammoth Furniture HouseBirminghamBuilding1980

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Property links open NRHP nomination files at the National Archives.

County formation

Newberry AHCB

Jefferson was formed in 1819 (1819-12-13) from Blount, St.

JEFFERSON created from BLOUNT, ST. CLAIR, and SHELBY.

Source: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Population by decade

Census

Jefferson County population from 1830 to 2020 (Census historical series).

675k341k6,85518301840188019201930196020002020
183018401860188019001920194019501960198020002020
6,8557,13111,74623,272140,420310,054459,930558,928634,864671,324662,047674,721

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau historical county population (Forstall 1790–1990) and public-domain / CC0 county population series through 2020.

Cemeteries & historical places

USGS GNIS

100 cemeteries and 5 historical populated places (ghost towns / former settlements) recorded in USGS GNIS for this county.

Cemeteries — 80 of 100 listed
NameLatLon
Adams Cemetery33.68427-87.02277
Adger Cemetery33.38205-87.08527
Atwood Cemetery33.58482-87.11027
Bagley Bend Cemetery33.67371-87.01555
Bass Cemetery33.57457-86.67238
Bass Cemetery33.51677-86.69721
Beth - El Cemetery33.41982-86.98505
Bibb Cemetery33.73593-86.87666
Bivens Chapel Cemetery33.62038-86.90916
Brewer Cemetery33.8001-86.8711
Brighton Memorial Gardens33.43281-86.9452
Bush Cemetery33.53281-86.7139
Cahaba Heights Cemetery33.46593-86.73165
Cain Creek Cemetery33.81343-86.84666
Cardiff Cemetery33.65565-86.93193
Castle Heights Memorial Gardens33.69593-86.76054
Cedar Hill Cemetery33.39371-86.97666
Creel Cemetery33.75898-86.74888
Crooked Creek Cemetery33.73621-86.87249
Crumley Chapel Cemetery33.5676-86.91638
Dug Hill Cemetery33.52205-87.16999
Earltown Cemetery33.55149-86.67332
East Lake Cemetery33.56232-86.72665
Edward Cemetery33.69426-86.81165
Elmwood Cemetery33.48786-86.84503
Emanuel Cemetery33.52149-86.83082
Enon Cemetery33.82843-86.81805
Fairington Cemetery33.32298-86.9762
Forest Crest Cemetery33.55142-86.63396
Forest Hill Cemetery33.54871-86.75415
Fraternal Cemetery33.5426-86.8861
George Cemetery33.30132-86.99896
George Washington Memorial Gardens Cemetery33.53954-86.92415
Glasgow Hill Cemetery33.61565-86.95277
Grace Hill Cemetery33.47441-86.84299
Greenwood Cemetery33.55296-86.75164
Higgins Cemetery33.58894-86.72552
Highland Memorial Gardens33.42588-86.95949
Hodges Cemetery33.6226-86.87443
Hughes Cemetery33.75287-86.73138
Inglenook Cemetery33.56375-86.77679
Jefferson Garden of Memories33.36094-86.83221
Jefferson Memorial Gardens33.60114-86.63653
Joley Cemetery33.44862-86.95316
Knesses Israel Cemetery33.5226-86.8311
Lakeview Cemetery33.54038-86.9611
Lawler Cemetery33.72732-87.0086
Lincoln Cemetery33.34983-87.02221
Linn Cemetery33.64815-86.97277
Linns Crossing Cemetery33.67732-86.96332
Maben Cemetery33.64427-87.02916
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Cemetery33.4589-87.0062
Marvin Chapel Cemetery33.264-87.03027
Mason Cemetery33.47538-86.95999
Massey Cemetery33.30511-86.97032
McCombs Cemetery33.55932-86.62676
McElwain Baptist Cemetery33.51899-86.72972
Midway Cemetery33.58954-86.94499
Moncrief Cemetery33.67315-86.81388
Morris Cemetery33.75704-86.80916
Mount Calvary Cemetery33.73537-86.56582
Mount Hebron Cemetery33.499-86.60314
Mount Nebo Cemetery33.61458-86.6221
Mount Olive Cemetery33.68232-86.87082
Mud Creek CemeteryNoneNone
Narl Cemetery33.73371-86.89666
New Horizon Memorial Gardens33.73649-87.01277
Oak Hill Cemetery33.52538-86.81665
Oakdale Cemetery33.44038-86.95201
Oakland Cemetery33.49577-86.89857
Pine Hill Cemetery33.33677-87.03249
Pinson Cemetery33.6926-86.6761
Prescott Cemetery33.58594-87.18611
Providence Cemetery33.45233-87.30166
Reed Cemetery33.61848-86.67148
Roberts Cemetery33.54649-86.87971
Sadlers Cemetery33.3661-86.94284
Saint Michaels Cemetery33.63427-86.91888
Salter Cemetery33.57899-87.10416
Shadowlawn Memorial Park33.4737-86.84707
Historical populated places — 5 of 5
NameLatLon
Bullard Shoals33.39206-87.02361
Cedar Grove33.52372-86.57887
Cunningham33.67455-86.76888
East Trussville33.63455-86.57637
Thermal33.81399-86.72583

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (public domain). Cemeteries from the 2021 NationalFile archive; historical places from GNIS HistoricalFeatures topical extract.

Historical markers

HMdb link

Marker text and photos from the Historical Marker Database (HMdb) are not embedded here. HMdb allows non-commercial reuse with attribution, but commercial/compensated use needs written permission; this is a commercial site, so we only link out.

Search HMdb for Jefferson County, Alabama

Terms: hmdb.org/copyright.asp. Linking is encouraged by HMdb.