Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad Signs Project to reach 200th milestone—Here’s how you can help

The Birmingham Mineral Railroad (BMRR) was once one of the most important modes of transporting freight in Birmingham.

More than 100 years ago, the once-active railroad started here in the Magic City and became prominent in the early growth of Birmingham.

Now, the historic railroad is being remembered by The Historic Birmingham Railroad Signs Project, which aims to raise awareness of the railroad and how it served our city.

Read on to learn more about how you can help them reach these goals and many more.

What is BMRR?

Once highly regarded as being a big part of the founding of our very own Magic City, The Birmingham Mineral Railroad was once alive and thriving.

Opened in 1884, the railroad was established by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad on Red Mountain. As the railroad progressed, the main focus was to connect Red Mountain’s ore mines and nearby coal and limestone resources to blast furnaces in Jones Valley, near Red Mountain.

The railroad vastly contributed to Birmingham’s economic growth by connecting various mines to local furnaces and mills. Now, the signs project is working vigorously to install signs throughout our city in order to attract awareness of the railroad history.

This is a project of the Mid-South Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society and aims to educate locals on our foundational history.

“The goals of this project art to educate the general public about a significant part of the area’s iron industry history.  To install the signs in places of high visibility in all areas served by the BMRR. 

Some initial goals that have been met are that the signs have been installed in all Birmingham City Council districts, all Jefferson County Commission districts, in all levels of socio-economic status, in all six counties served by the BMRR and in all major cities in which the BMRR ran.”

James Lowery, Project Coordinator, Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad Signs Project

How you can help the Historic BMRR Signs Project reach their goals

As the project begins to close in on 200 signs across Birmingham, the project continues to seek more support for signs.

They have installed 196 signs in Jefferson, Shelby, Bibb, Tuscaloosa, Blount, and Etowah counties.

Want to support The Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad Signs Project? Complete this form to make a tax-deductible donation, or contact the project through its Contact Us at this link:  https://bham-mrr.com/contact/

Have you seen any of the railroad signs? Which location did you see them? Let us know @bhamnow.