7 Things to Know and Love About Birmingham’s West End

West End holds remnants of Birmingham’s history from before Birmingham was even a city. This neighborhood is where the magic all started and where it continues to shine! Let’s take a walk through the historic West End community.

1—Where is West End?

West End lies slightly southwest of Downtown Birmingham next to Fairfield. The community consists of 5 of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods:

• Arlington-West End
• Germania Park
• Oakwood Place
• Rising-West Princeton
• West End Manor

2—A little history lesson on West End

To say that West End has historical significance is an understatement. This community is home to Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens, Elmwood Cemetery, and the legendary Rickwood Field.

The West End neighborhood is home to Birmingham’s first neighborhood previously known as Elyton. Elyton was a prominent trading center and housed the county seat of Jefferson County until 1873. Elyton now lies within the Arlington-West End neighborhood.

3—Elmwood Cemetery: The Forever Home of Legends

Call me crazy but I’m actually a big fan of cemeteries. Some families go to parks. Mine strolls through cemeteries. Despite being surrounded by death, these places are alive with beauty, history, and art. Elmwood doesn’t fall short of any of these aspects.

Did you know that as of 2002, Elmwood Cemetary was ranked as the 12th largest cemetery in the nation? Established in the 1880s, this 412-acre cemetery quickly became one of the most prominent burial places in the city.

Like most things in Birmingham in the early 1900s, Elmwood was only allowed white people to be buried until it was integrated in 1970.

The vast size and beautiful architecture already set Elmwood apart from other local cemeteries. It’s also home to notable names such as:

• Bear Bryant, University of Alabama football coach
• Mary Anderson, inventor of the windshield wiper
• Eddie Kendricks, singer and co-founder of The Temptations
• Abraham Woods Jr, minister, professor, and civil rights activist (he also has a street named after him)
• Piper Davis, player for the Birmingham Black Barons and Harlem Globetrotter

4—Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens: Birmingham’s last Antebellum home

Built by Judge William Mudd, a founder of Birmingham, the Arlington mansion is located in the Arlington-West End neighborhood. This former plantation home sits on 6 acres of carefully landscaped gardens.

Originally known as “The Grove”, the house was a grand 8-room mansion in the Greek Revival Style. It later was purchased by Robert Munger in 1902 and renamed “Arlington” as a reference to Robert E. Lee’s estate.

Fun fact for all you Auburn fans: the Arlington estate was used by Union troops while planning the burning of the University of Alabama.

The City of Birmingham purchased Arlington in 1953 and it now serves as a decorative arts museum. Here you’ll find 19th-century furniture, textiles, and paintings. It’s also a popular event space for reunions, celebrations, and weddings.

If you’d like to see the Arlington and all its grandeur, check out their website to plan your visit. I heard that they really go all out for Christmas!

5—Where sports fans can catch a glimpse of history

Rickwood Field

West End is home to the historic Rickwood Field. Although Legion Field is technically not in this community, the neighborhood it sits in borders West End. So I figured I’d go ahead and give it a shout out!

You may recognize Rickwood Field, America’s oldest ballpark, from a few movies. It was featured in the movies “Cobb”, “42” and an HBO documentary. Some of the greats like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Reggie Jackson have played here. If you’re a baseball fan like me, that’s a pretty big deal!

Every year, the Birmingham Barons welcome fans back to this historic landmark to watch the Annual Rickwood Classic. The first game held in 1910 was so popular it literally closed the city down. If you haven’t been to Rickwood, this game is the perfect opportunity to check it out.

Legion Field

Legion Field a.k.a. “The Old Gray Lady” lies right next door in the Graymont neighborhood but I wanted to go ahead and include it. Hate to break it to you but if you haven’t been to Legion Field, you’re missing out.

It hosted a soccer match during the 1996 Olympics, the football team Birmingham once had, Legion soccer games, local college teams, and was once home to a long series of Iron Bowl games.

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl

An upcoming event is the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. If you haven’t been to the Old Grey Lady, here’s your chance to check out this historic landmark.

• What: 14th Annual TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
• Where: Legion Field
• When: Thursday, January 2, 2020, 2-6PM
• Get tickets: $30 general admission, $50 reserved
• Specials: 4 complimentary tickets for military families and veterans, up to 4 complimentary tickets for first responders (first come first served), 

Magic City Classic

You definitely don’t want to the Magic City Classic where two of the largest HBCUs in the state play an annual football game. People come from around the nation for this one weekend!

The festivities include the Magic City Classic Parade, the tailgate party, and the Classic Kickoff hosted by the mayor. The real magic happens during halftime when the Mighty Marching Hornets and Marching Marron and White put on performances that rival the Super Bowl halftime in my opinion.

6—Princeton Baptist Medical Center

Princeton Baptist Medical Center has been serving Birmingham from the West End community since 1922. Princeton offers a full range of services. As a matter of fact, they were ranked as the third best hospital in the state.

The hospital recently received national recognition. They earned an ‘A’ for their Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade which recognizes hospitals’ achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

Princeton meets the diverse needs of their patients including cardiology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, psychiatric care, weight-loss procedures, a sleep center, and my OG pediatrician!

7—Community Initiatives and Involvement

WE Gardens

The West End Community Garden was founded in 2008 by Community Church Without Walls and Urban Ministry.

WE Garden grows fresh fruit and veggies while providing residents with essential life skills for living, working, and thriving. You can purchase their produce at Baptist Princeton Hospital’s market (every Wednesday from 10AM-1PM), Pepper Place, or the WE online market!

Although the garden is currently dormant due to the winter season, the hard-working spirit of the community persists.

Where Can I Read About the Other Neighborhoods?

This is the 15th installment in a 23-part series Bham Now is doing to feature Birmingham’s 23 communities, comprising 99 neighborhoods. So far, we’ve featured the following communities:

• Crestwood
• Northside
• Red Mountain
• Roebuck/ South East Lake
• North Birmingham
• Cahaba
• Woodlawn
• Crestline
• Southside
• Ensley
• East Lake
• Titusville
• East Pinson Valley
• Five Points West

Look for our next installments to learn things you never know about all of Birmingham’s neighborhoods.

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Now we want to hear from you, Birmingham. What are your fave spots in West End? Let us know on social @BhamNow.