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| Whether you grew up in Norwood, visited your family members who lived in Norwood, dated someone from Norwood, or celebrated your child's first Christmas in Norwood, you are one of many people who have fond memories of our neighborhood. We invite you to share those memories and to come back often to read the memories shared by others. |
Image courtesy of J. D. Weeks
I grew up at 1500 North 36th place, living with my Grandparents, mother
and uncle. What a wonderful childhood. There were eight of us kids on
the same block which dead-ended into the woods going to Village
Creek. Many a Saturday we would walk the railroad tracks in search of
"hobos" and gathering sandstone to play with. Playing ball on the
Boulevard, going to Miller Drugs for cherry cokes and going swimming
at the pool at the end of the Boulevard; these are the fondest memories
I have.
Walking the Boulevard every day to go to Norwood School was so much
fun. By the time we all reached the school we had a huge group of kids
walking with us. There was one house that had a fence around it and a
cow bell on the front of the fence, naughty children that we were, we
would ring the bell and run, run, run, as the story was that there was a
witch in the house who would get you!
My dream is to move back into that old house, it was so wonderful. I
have already contacted a realtor to see about the revitalization project;
as I will soon retire and want to move back home.
Karen Mitchell Porter
Hermitage, Tennessee
My parents and I moved to Norwood, 3408 13th Ave. North, in 1959,
when I was in the 8th grade at F.D. McArthur Elementary, near Carraway
Hospital. Our house, a large, solid brick and frame bungalow, was listed
for sale at 14K, but my dad was able to negotiate the price down to an
amount below that figure. What stuck me most about the neighborhood,
even back then, was the broad grandeur of Norwood Boulevard, the
majestically immaculate homes, green lawns, flowering shrubs and the
stately old trees that lined the shady streets and avenues. The area
could best be described as clean and safe, populated by law-abiding,
God-fearing families. Norwood in the early 60’s was a mellow period of
easy-living and fun times.
Our house had a high, wide front porch, always nice and breezy in the
summer, from which we could see all the way to town. It was only a short
drive from our house to Phillips High School, which I attended, and the
heart of the downtown Birmingham retail district. When I was younger,
my dad would treat us to milk shakes and cones from the Melrose
Creamry, just up 26th street from Ed Salem’s Drive-In, the ultimate teen
hangout for me and the rest of the Phillips High crowd.
My buddies and I also frequented the soda fountains inside Miller’s and
Warren’s drug stores on 12th Ave. & 32nd St. Once one of the guys won
a five-gallon container of ice cream in a contest, and we had free frozen
snacks for several weeks. But the biggest delight of all was treating
ourselves to the scrumptious hamburgers at Milo’s. (the small
restaurant on 12th Ave. right off 31st St.) The price at the time was $.25
a burger; four for a dollar. Unlike the franchised restaurant patties of
today, which are still good, but processed, Milo Carlton would start with a
fresh stack of ground beef, attack it with fencing-like moves, and in few
clattering spatula snaps, he had created a neat array of succulent
smoking sizzlers. A quiet man, I never heard him speak to customers.
His wife waited the seven stools and kept the burgers moving. Milo’s way
of communicating to the ravenous public was by producing
indescribable mouth-watering meaty masterpieces. That was just fine by
us!
I found myself becoming well-acquainted with the area when I took a job
throwing The Birmingham News in the afternoons and Sunday
morning. The route included a long stretch of the Boulevard, running
from 29th street to Norwood Circle (another homey enclave within the
neighborhood boundaries) My 150 customers were friendly and
appreciative of the service I provided, even when I collected door-to-
door every Saturday morning. There were no credit cards back then, so
everyone paid me in cash, which I, in turn, had to use to settle my
charges at the paper branch (12th Ave. & 27th St.) each Saturday
afternoon. Sunday morning newspapers were so large, my father drove
my route in his pickup truck so I could toss the heavy editions with two
hands from the back.
Growing up in Norwood was a most pleasant life experience; a quiet,
slower time of innocence. There were probably minor incidents in the
neighborhood, but I cannot recollect any crime or upsetting event ever
happening. It was as close to a picture book middle class existence as
one can imagine. Homeowners took great pride in keeping green lawns
neatly trimmed, and sprucing up the homes, many of which were
humongous architectural beauties from the early 1900’s. Norwood Park
was a lively community spot, hosting baseball leagues, picnics and rock
bands at the armory, as well as serving as a popular parking spot at
night for dating couples. I attended Norwood Methodist Church, which
offered many activities to its youth groups. While in high school, I filmed
a group of friends who volunteered to be impromptu actors for my
biology project, “The Five Senses”. Looking back at that footage now,
which I shot on the Boulevard, brings back a flood of fond
remembrances of the era.
It is encouraging to see the influx of new owners of Norwood homes, who
have been welcomed by the long-term residents. It appears they are in
the process of joining forces to spearhead an initiative to revive the
once down-and-almost-out community to its original flourishing
condition. It is my hope and prayer that the current inhabitants of
Norwood can successfully recreate the uplifting, positive atmosphere
that so many of us enjoyed in our earlier lives. WELCOME BACK
NORWOOD!
Joe O. Ray
Hoover, Alabama
I grew up in Norwood. I had my first pair of roller skates at Christmas
about 1948, and I know every crack in the sidewalks around 34th and
33rd Streets and 12th Avenue, the little steps at the corner of 33rd St.
and 13th Ave. and the steep hill at what was then 34th Street and 12th
Avenue.
My memories of Norwood are happy ones. When I was born, my family
lived at the "lower end" of the boulevard. Then we moved to a huge red
brick house closer to Vanderbilt Road. I think that house was later a
pastor's home. We moved then to 3406 12th Avenue North, my great
grandmother lived on 33rd Street, my cousins lived in Walnut Hills on
about 13th Avenue and 22nd Street. I went to kindergarten on 13th
Avenue and 33rd Street and attended Norwood School.
Joann Thomason
Leeds, Alabama
I have great memories of playing on 36th Place, just behind our house.
It was a dead end street and a very safe place to play. It ended at the
woods, where my brother and I spent hours pretending to be explorers.
The woods went all the way to the creek and the railroad tracks. Norwood
was full of children. We would stay up late on summer evenings and tell
scary stories, or chase the fireflies.
I attended Norwood School, where Mr. Calhoun was principal at the
time. Some of the teachers I remember were Mrs. Houston, Mrs. Burns
(who made us memorize an entire chapter of Ephesians in her
geography class, Mrs Sparks, and Mrs. Arnold (who taught auditorium).
Thinking back on my early education, I now realize that I was so
fortunate to have such inspiring teachers. I went on to Phillips High and
graduated in 1966.
I attended Norwood Methodist Church. We had the greatest pastor there
for many years. Robert W. Bugg-- just Brother Bugg to most of us. My
Dad taught Sunday School. When I got older I took care of the 2 and 3
year olds with the help of my best friend Cheryl. I sang in the choir,
attended MYF, and had a great time.
I wish everyone well with their restoration projects-- its a very worthwhile
endeavor.
Sheron McCulloch Hughes
Livermore, CA
Memories of Norwood -1961 5 years old
So many good memories come to mind. Even as a young girl I knew
my house was special. In our dining room we had a hole in the floor
where a "bell for service" was previously used, a butler's cabinet with
beautiful cut glass doors, staircase and bookcases in the den. And a
neat "little house in the backyard".
I remember the popsicle boy coming on a bicycle with the icebox
mounted in front. Dreamsicle was my favorite. We played Hollywood
Hopscotch on the sidewalks. My sisters and I played everywhere, never
afraid of an adventure. We would go to Norwood Boulevard to watch the
kites, walk to Warren Drugs for a coke. Even walking downtown to the
Alabama Theatre for a free Wednesday matinee. Afterwards, we rode
the escalators in Pizitz and Lovemans. I swore I would one day have
lunch on the mezzanine and would probably wear a nice hat.
We loved to play "hat shop". Hats in our shop were made of large
leaves, flowers and a feather if we could find one, carefully crafted with a
thorn to hold them together.
One day we took a tour through the Coca-cola factory. During our tour
we got a free coke and a brass coke bottle keyring. We sipped our drink
while we walked through the factory. We were everywhere everyday and
it was great!!
I still dream of our house.
We moved to Mountain Brook, but never did we have another
neighborhood like that again.
Carole M.
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
We moved to Norwood in 1939, just before World War II. Those were
hard times. We lived on one end of Norwood Boulevard and at the other
end was where the streetcar turned around. Looking out our front door
was a baseball diamond. Our house was a two bedroom house with
radiator heat and a kitchen with a trap door in the middle of it which led
to the dirt basement. There were plenty of kids living in Norwood at that
time so we had plenty of things to do; we never got bored. Norwood
Boulevard was a beautiful place to live and I remember until this day
how nice all the people were. We could walk anywhere we wanted without
worrying about thugs, or people who wanted to do harm to anyone. We
would walk to the 12th Avenue drugstore to get ice cream cones, and on
Saturday, after cutting grass all week for spending money, we would walk
to the picture show at the end of 12th Avenue.
Back then cutting grass was about the only way a kid could earn
spending money. We would work all week with a mower that you had to
push to cut. We would cut a good sized front yard for 5 cents and a large
back yard for 10 cents, and if it needed to be cycled we charged 15
cents. One or two good sized yards a week would get us to the picture
show on Saturday. We could take a quarter and go to the movie for 5
cents, get popcorn for 3 cents, a Coke for 5 cents and then after that
walk back to the drugstore and get and ice cream cone 5 and a funny
book for 5 cents. All of the above we got for under 25 cents. Those were
the good times and Norwood was the perfect place to live.
Norwood was such a great place to grow up. It had all the wonderful
things kids need to see in a beautiful neighborhood and it had wonderful
neighbors.
There were so many people back then that cared and wanted to be a
part of the good neighborhood that Norwood was. Everyone was so
helpful and compassionate when families were having trouble of any
kind. When World War II happened, it left a lot of families without the
head of the family and without the oldest son. I guess that drew Norwood
closer together as all of us began to understand what was happening. I
remember all the blackouts we used to have in preparation for air raids.
When that happened all the people in the neighborhood would bring
their chairs and we all would sit around and discuss the war outside
looking up at a beautiful star filled sky in which we were so fortunate to
live under.
We moved to 3434 17th Avenue North, one street over from Norwood
Boulevard in about 1942 and at that time we were all digging up front
yards and back yards to make a victory gardens. Everything was
rationed and money was so tight we had to grow most everything we ate.
Everyone had a victory garden and worked real hard to grow great
vegetables. I remember at that time everyone would get together and
swap veggies that they had a good supply of for ones that they didn’t
grow. It seems today you just can’t find vegetables that tasted like they
did back then, especially big tomatoes that were so big that one slice
would fill up a slice of bread. They had a taste I still can’t find today.
They made a great tomato sandwich!
I will forever remember the childhood I spent on Norwood Boulevard.
The streetcar was something we all remember and how great it was to be
able to catch it and ride to Birmingham for 5 cents. Sometimes I would
catch it on Friday afternoon and ride it to 1st Avenue North and transfer
to the Pratt City streetcar for an extra 2 tokens. Those were the
aluminum tokens we had to deal with back then. One token was 1/10 of
a penny and had a hole in the center of it. I would ride for about 2 ½
hours before I would get to Pratt City where my grandmother and my
aunt and uncle lived. I would visit my cousins there and Mom and Dad
would pick me up on Sunday afternoon and bring me back home. I
would always have such a great time and didn’t think anything about
making that long trip. Nowadays there’s no way parents would let a kid
take that long a ride by himself. The conductors were always so helpful
back then and you could tell them what you wanted to do and they would
notify you when you got to where you had to transfer. When I got back
home, it was always a pleasure to tell all my friends what a great time I
had.
I remember the Norwood Grammar School down past where the
streetcar would turn around. It was about 3 blocks away and was a
beautiful school. When we lived on the top of Norwood Boulevard one
block over on 17th Avenue I could walk to school down the hill and get
to the back of the school in the mornings. Most of the time I would walk
with several other kids who lived where I did and it was a lot of fun. In the
afternoon we would play all the way back home. Norwood was a beautiful
place to live and bring up kids and people who lived there wanted to
keep it that way. They were always doing something to better
themselves and where they lived. I was always so proud to tell anybody
who asked, that I lived in Norwood.
We moved away from Norwood in about 1942 to Jasper, Alabama. I will
always remember Norwood Boulevard in Birmingham as the place to
live as it was so beautiful and was so special.
Jack E. Allbritten
Winders, Georgia
A CIRCLE OF WOMEN
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
Gathering at Ann’s beach home
Husbands too– good-natured non-essentials
Content to let us reminisce
Of Girl Scouts, old boyfriends, spend the night parties-
A “remember when” time.
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
Talking of the old neighborhood
Cherry cokes at Miller’s Pharmacy
Old 78 records, playing” Hold me Thrill me, Kiss me”
The 50’s – a time of innocence, romance dreams.
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
No longer young, not yet old
As for dreams– some fulfilled- others will never be.
Separated for 35 years, we now come together once a
Year
To laugh, catch up, and sometimes hurt for each other.
We are the girls from Norwood
A place of big oak trees, trolleys, churches and houses
Once never locked.
A neighborhood which no longer exists- except in our
Hearts
But we remember for –
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past.
[A Circle of Women was written about 14 years ago by Claire Prescott Gross.
The Circle includes Laura Nygren, Ann and Lou Butler, Gwen Faulk, and Claire
Prescott]
At the time I was born,(August of 1932), my parents lived on 33rd Street,
1400 block. My Grand father Dr. William Fielder lived next door and my
mother,s sister lived on the other side of Dr. Fielder who owned all three
houses. When I was 6, we moved to 22nd street behind Barker
Grammar School (between 12th and 13th avenues). During my second
grade year at Barker, the school burned to the ground! I swear I did not
do it. From there, I went to 17th Ave school (later called McArthur) and
then to Norwood School where I graduated from grammar school.
I then went to Phillips High School where I met my future wife, Katherine
Ann McAllister.
I have many fond memories of Norwood and still meet with other
Norwoodians for lunch each month.
Tom Groover
I lived in West End from the mid 50s until 1965 but my grandparents
had friends who lived on Norwood Blvd. I enjoyed the times I was able to
visit because it was the biggest house I'd ever been in up until that time.
The house had about 25 steps leading down to the sidewalk along
Norwood Blvd & I used to always wish I had my bike with me when I'd
see kids riding past. I just knew that had to be a great place to grow up!
I rode through the neighborhood when I moved back to Birmingham in
1987 & was sad to see that the house I used to visit is now an empty lot.
It's good knowing that the neighborhood is in the process of coming
back to life because it was once such a vibrant place!
David C.
Birmingham, Alabama
My parents and I lived in Norwood in 1941 and '42 where we lived at
2836 on the 'Boulevard' and where the Southern Railroad and Frisco
Railroad steam-locomotives used to rumble back and forth between the
Terminal Station and North Birmingham (marshalling-yards). I recall
with fondness the sonorous steam-whistles that the old locomotives
would sound, the metallic clank of their driving-rods, and the hissing of
escaping steam as they rumbled on the tracks that ran behind our
house.
Norwood Theatre was on 12th Ave North, as I recall, showed movies
starring Hopalong Cassidy, Tex Ritter and Gene Autry who brought the
bad guys to heel on the Saturday afternoon twin bill. Evenings would
find many cars parked out front of Piper's ice-cream store on 26th Street
enjoying the treats of chocolate malteds, banana-splits and ice-cream
cones.
Norwood School, where Ms. Maines and her assistant, Ms. Hortenstein,
taught what students referred-to simply as 'Auditorium'. Mr Gallik taught
his aspiring young virtuosi to saw and to squeak-out scarcely
identifiable classical melodies on their violins and cellos. Mr. E.B.
Calhoun, fondly referred to by students as 'Easter Bunny', was the
school principal at that time whose instructing charges, Ms. Mixon, Ms.
White, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Moore and others sternly, if sometimes
patiently, corrected young scalawags who spent all to much of their time
passing notes and pulling pigtails of girls who sat in front of them.
Do I fondly remember Norwood? Only if the Golden Norwood Sun yet
roams its skies of blue.
Gene W Phillips
Alabaster, Alabama
I grew up in West End but had a dear friend, Joe Cotlin, from the First
Presbyterian Church at 4th Avenue and 21st Street, downtown, that lived
with his parents on Norwood Boulevard. Mr. Cotlin worked at ACIPCO.
My father was an architect at Greer, Holmquist and Chambers. I often
rode the streetcar from West End to downtown and, after a transfer, on to
the end of the line in Norwood, just a short walk to Joe's house for a day
trip or to spend the night. I thought it beautiful in Norwood and admired
the Cotlin's house. I guess that none of us noticed the air pollution
because we knew no better.
We played football and engaged in other activities in the parkway on
Norwood Boulevard. Joe went on to play center and linebacker at
Phillips High School while I was the team manager at West End. He
went to Tuscaloosa and I went to Auburn, never to see each other again.
I left Birmingham for good in 1960 but have often thought about the
great neighborhood in Norwood. I was pleased to read some of the
history and current promise of Norwood on this website.
Walter Greer
Conroe, Texas
My parents and I moved in with my mother's parents, Alice and Charles
Steward at 2201 15th Avenue, North about 1933. In 1935, my parents
bought the house at 1425 North 23rd St., I think that the price, in the
middle of the depression was about $1,800.00. I spent all of my
childhood growing up in Norwood, graduating from Norwood School in
1945 at about the end of World War II and from Phillips High School in
1949. I too remember Milo's Hamburgers, but they were eaten at the 7
stool hamburger stand on 12th Avenue near 31st St.
A lot of youngsters would ride the streetcar to town on Saturday (7
cents), go to the Mickey Mouse Movie Club (10 cents), buy a hot dog
and Coke at Pete's Famous (5 cents apiece) and return home (7 cents).
Our Saturday excursion cost a total of 34 cents.
We also loved the Norwood Theatre and its Saturday lineup of a double
feature, with one being a Western and a Chapter Picture such as The
Perils of Nyoka.
We loved to "Sleep Out" in one of our friends' back yard. A favorite thing
to do was ride our bicycles to town in the middle of the night to buy a hot
dog.
We loved to go swimming at the North Birmingham Pool or Ketona
Lake if we could get a ride. Playing sand lot football on the boulevard
was also a great time.
Like most of the Norwood boys, I married an Edgewood girl and we
bought a house that was Over The Mountain in Birmingham.
Jack Cavaleri
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
I moved to Norwood when I was five years old; the year
was 1955. (Growing-up in the fifties was a wonderful time to be a
child.) I have so many memories of Norwood. I wish I could go back in
time for one day! I use to ride my bike for blocks and blocks with my
friends from up the street. We had great times riding and playing hide
'n'seek and board games together. Norwood was a fun place to live. I
went to Norwood School, Phillips High School, and Norwood Methodist
Church.
Those were the days when you felt safe and carefree. I rode the
streetcar home from High School and would sometimes get off at 12th
Avenue. I would go into the drugstore and have a cherry coke and buy
twenty-five cents worth of candy. Twenty-five cents of candy in the 50's
and 60's was a lot of candy. I would come out of the drug store and walk
two blocks home eating and enjoying all that sugar. By the time I arrived
home I had no desire for supper. That was a pure sugar rush!
I also remember Mr. Milo making hamburgers. His spatula would sing
as he slapped the burgers back and forth on the grill. His wife also
helped him at that time. Their place of business was very small but a lot
of people would come in to eat. That was the place for a good burger and
homemade pie!
I can also remember a beauty salon on 12th Avenue where my
mother would go to get her hair fixed. In the shop there was a perming
machine (it may have been a waving machine). It had wires hanging
down with clamps on the ends. In fact, it was kind of scary to look at. I
am not really sure what it did but I do remember seeing it in the beauty
salon. I don't remember anyone using it. Maybe it was already an
antique then! I would have been scared to use it myself. It always
looked like a good way to lose your hair in a fire.
Norwood holds a lot of great memories for me. I have an older brother,
Charles, and he loved playing with the neighborhood gang. They made
these great skate board scooters and would ride them up and down the
streets. If they weren't doing that they were playing army. It was a great
place to grow up.
One of the most special memories would be that Norwood is where I
dated and fell in love and married my husband (Norwood Methodist
Church).However, I don't remember much because my mother gave me
a nerve pill before the ceremony to calm me. I do remember my future
husband standing at the altar with almost a shaved head. I had told him
I knew how to cut hair. It was awful. I told him to wait until he got home to
look in the mirror.
There was also the incident when my brother talked me into going
fishing...in the neighbor's goldfish pond. That did not turn out well
for us...not to mention the fish.
Those were the good ole days. I look forward to returning to visit
the old neighborhood restored to its' original condition.
Mary Elizabeth Self Little
Bremen, Alabama
I moved to Norwood from Bessemer, Alabama the beginning of
my 7th grade school year. My mother, father, younger brother and I
moved into a family house located at 1420 North 32nd Street. It's not
there any longer due to fire after my parents sold it and moved to the
country. My mother was raised up the street at 1400 North 32nd Street.
She graduated from Norwood and Phillips just like myself and my
brother. I have very fond memories of riding the bus downtown to
Birmingham on Saturday to shop and go to the movies. We always ate
at Krystal or Woolworth's. I attended Norwood Methodist Church and we
had great car wash fund-raisers - and the parents would always feed us
Milo's Hamburgers. I can still taste them to this day. I made many
friends there, fell in love there and married there. I am so happy to see
that others will continue to have the opportunity to belong to a great
neighborhood.
Virginia Fancher
Greenbelt, Maryland
Although I was raised in West End, in 1963 my mother moved
to Norwood. From her apartment, one had an unobstructed view of the
downtown Sloss Furnaces. That was quite a show, especially at night.
When I became a Birmingham police officer in 1964, my mother didn't
know it until I stopped by, in uniform, on my way to work my very first
shift. Shortly after 11PM that same night, I found myself spending that
first shift working in.......Norwood. Just to demonstrate how safe and
quiet Norwood was some 40-plus years ago, my partner and I did not
get a call the whole night.
Jeff Webb
Panama City, Florida
I grew up in Norwood in the mid -late 1970's. I remember the
children in the neighborhood racing bikes, playing games like hide and
go seek and so much more. I often return home now to visit my
grandmother and sit on that old rock porch on the hill and reflect about
the wonderful childhood I had there. Things and times changed in the
late 1980's and early 1990's. I'm glad to see that there is an effort going
on to attempt to revitalize what once was such a beautiful neighborhood.
Charles James
Auburn, Alabama
and uncle. What a wonderful childhood. There were eight of us kids on
the same block which dead-ended into the woods going to Village
Creek. Many a Saturday we would walk the railroad tracks in search of
"hobos" and gathering sandstone to play with. Playing ball on the
Boulevard, going to Miller Drugs for cherry cokes and going swimming
at the pool at the end of the Boulevard; these are the fondest memories
I have.
Walking the Boulevard every day to go to Norwood School was so much
fun. By the time we all reached the school we had a huge group of kids
walking with us. There was one house that had a fence around it and a
cow bell on the front of the fence, naughty children that we were, we
would ring the bell and run, run, run, as the story was that there was a
witch in the house who would get you!
My dream is to move back into that old house, it was so wonderful. I
have already contacted a realtor to see about the revitalization project;
as I will soon retire and want to move back home.
Karen Mitchell Porter
Hermitage, Tennessee
My parents and I moved to Norwood, 3408 13th Ave. North, in 1959,
when I was in the 8th grade at F.D. McArthur Elementary, near Carraway
Hospital. Our house, a large, solid brick and frame bungalow, was listed
for sale at 14K, but my dad was able to negotiate the price down to an
amount below that figure. What stuck me most about the neighborhood,
even back then, was the broad grandeur of Norwood Boulevard, the
majestically immaculate homes, green lawns, flowering shrubs and the
stately old trees that lined the shady streets and avenues. The area
could best be described as clean and safe, populated by law-abiding,
God-fearing families. Norwood in the early 60’s was a mellow period of
easy-living and fun times.
Our house had a high, wide front porch, always nice and breezy in the
summer, from which we could see all the way to town. It was only a short
drive from our house to Phillips High School, which I attended, and the
heart of the downtown Birmingham retail district. When I was younger,
my dad would treat us to milk shakes and cones from the Melrose
Creamry, just up 26th street from Ed Salem’s Drive-In, the ultimate teen
hangout for me and the rest of the Phillips High crowd.
My buddies and I also frequented the soda fountains inside Miller’s and
Warren’s drug stores on 12th Ave. & 32nd St. Once one of the guys won
a five-gallon container of ice cream in a contest, and we had free frozen
snacks for several weeks. But the biggest delight of all was treating
ourselves to the scrumptious hamburgers at Milo’s. (the small
restaurant on 12th Ave. right off 31st St.) The price at the time was $.25
a burger; four for a dollar. Unlike the franchised restaurant patties of
today, which are still good, but processed, Milo Carlton would start with a
fresh stack of ground beef, attack it with fencing-like moves, and in few
clattering spatula snaps, he had created a neat array of succulent
smoking sizzlers. A quiet man, I never heard him speak to customers.
His wife waited the seven stools and kept the burgers moving. Milo’s way
of communicating to the ravenous public was by producing
indescribable mouth-watering meaty masterpieces. That was just fine by
us!
I found myself becoming well-acquainted with the area when I took a job
throwing The Birmingham News in the afternoons and Sunday
morning. The route included a long stretch of the Boulevard, running
from 29th street to Norwood Circle (another homey enclave within the
neighborhood boundaries) My 150 customers were friendly and
appreciative of the service I provided, even when I collected door-to-
door every Saturday morning. There were no credit cards back then, so
everyone paid me in cash, which I, in turn, had to use to settle my
charges at the paper branch (12th Ave. & 27th St.) each Saturday
afternoon. Sunday morning newspapers were so large, my father drove
my route in his pickup truck so I could toss the heavy editions with two
hands from the back.
Growing up in Norwood was a most pleasant life experience; a quiet,
slower time of innocence. There were probably minor incidents in the
neighborhood, but I cannot recollect any crime or upsetting event ever
happening. It was as close to a picture book middle class existence as
one can imagine. Homeowners took great pride in keeping green lawns
neatly trimmed, and sprucing up the homes, many of which were
humongous architectural beauties from the early 1900’s. Norwood Park
was a lively community spot, hosting baseball leagues, picnics and rock
bands at the armory, as well as serving as a popular parking spot at
night for dating couples. I attended Norwood Methodist Church, which
offered many activities to its youth groups. While in high school, I filmed
a group of friends who volunteered to be impromptu actors for my
biology project, “The Five Senses”. Looking back at that footage now,
which I shot on the Boulevard, brings back a flood of fond
remembrances of the era.
It is encouraging to see the influx of new owners of Norwood homes, who
have been welcomed by the long-term residents. It appears they are in
the process of joining forces to spearhead an initiative to revive the
once down-and-almost-out community to its original flourishing
condition. It is my hope and prayer that the current inhabitants of
Norwood can successfully recreate the uplifting, positive atmosphere
that so many of us enjoyed in our earlier lives. WELCOME BACK
NORWOOD!
Joe O. Ray
Hoover, Alabama
I grew up in Norwood. I had my first pair of roller skates at Christmas
about 1948, and I know every crack in the sidewalks around 34th and
33rd Streets and 12th Avenue, the little steps at the corner of 33rd St.
and 13th Ave. and the steep hill at what was then 34th Street and 12th
Avenue.
My memories of Norwood are happy ones. When I was born, my family
lived at the "lower end" of the boulevard. Then we moved to a huge red
brick house closer to Vanderbilt Road. I think that house was later a
pastor's home. We moved then to 3406 12th Avenue North, my great
grandmother lived on 33rd Street, my cousins lived in Walnut Hills on
about 13th Avenue and 22nd Street. I went to kindergarten on 13th
Avenue and 33rd Street and attended Norwood School.
Joann Thomason
Leeds, Alabama
I have great memories of playing on 36th Place, just behind our house.
It was a dead end street and a very safe place to play. It ended at the
woods, where my brother and I spent hours pretending to be explorers.
The woods went all the way to the creek and the railroad tracks. Norwood
was full of children. We would stay up late on summer evenings and tell
scary stories, or chase the fireflies.
I attended Norwood School, where Mr. Calhoun was principal at the
time. Some of the teachers I remember were Mrs. Houston, Mrs. Burns
(who made us memorize an entire chapter of Ephesians in her
geography class, Mrs Sparks, and Mrs. Arnold (who taught auditorium).
Thinking back on my early education, I now realize that I was so
fortunate to have such inspiring teachers. I went on to Phillips High and
graduated in 1966.
I attended Norwood Methodist Church. We had the greatest pastor there
for many years. Robert W. Bugg-- just Brother Bugg to most of us. My
Dad taught Sunday School. When I got older I took care of the 2 and 3
year olds with the help of my best friend Cheryl. I sang in the choir,
attended MYF, and had a great time.
I wish everyone well with their restoration projects-- its a very worthwhile
endeavor.
Sheron McCulloch Hughes
Livermore, CA
Memories of Norwood -1961 5 years old
So many good memories come to mind. Even as a young girl I knew
my house was special. In our dining room we had a hole in the floor
where a "bell for service" was previously used, a butler's cabinet with
beautiful cut glass doors, staircase and bookcases in the den. And a
neat "little house in the backyard".
I remember the popsicle boy coming on a bicycle with the icebox
mounted in front. Dreamsicle was my favorite. We played Hollywood
Hopscotch on the sidewalks. My sisters and I played everywhere, never
afraid of an adventure. We would go to Norwood Boulevard to watch the
kites, walk to Warren Drugs for a coke. Even walking downtown to the
Alabama Theatre for a free Wednesday matinee. Afterwards, we rode
the escalators in Pizitz and Lovemans. I swore I would one day have
lunch on the mezzanine and would probably wear a nice hat.
We loved to play "hat shop". Hats in our shop were made of large
leaves, flowers and a feather if we could find one, carefully crafted with a
thorn to hold them together.
One day we took a tour through the Coca-cola factory. During our tour
we got a free coke and a brass coke bottle keyring. We sipped our drink
while we walked through the factory. We were everywhere everyday and
it was great!!
I still dream of our house.
We moved to Mountain Brook, but never did we have another
neighborhood like that again.
Carole M.
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
We moved to Norwood in 1939, just before World War II. Those were
hard times. We lived on one end of Norwood Boulevard and at the other
end was where the streetcar turned around. Looking out our front door
was a baseball diamond. Our house was a two bedroom house with
radiator heat and a kitchen with a trap door in the middle of it which led
to the dirt basement. There were plenty of kids living in Norwood at that
time so we had plenty of things to do; we never got bored. Norwood
Boulevard was a beautiful place to live and I remember until this day
how nice all the people were. We could walk anywhere we wanted without
worrying about thugs, or people who wanted to do harm to anyone. We
would walk to the 12th Avenue drugstore to get ice cream cones, and on
Saturday, after cutting grass all week for spending money, we would walk
to the picture show at the end of 12th Avenue.
Back then cutting grass was about the only way a kid could earn
spending money. We would work all week with a mower that you had to
push to cut. We would cut a good sized front yard for 5 cents and a large
back yard for 10 cents, and if it needed to be cycled we charged 15
cents. One or two good sized yards a week would get us to the picture
show on Saturday. We could take a quarter and go to the movie for 5
cents, get popcorn for 3 cents, a Coke for 5 cents and then after that
walk back to the drugstore and get and ice cream cone 5 and a funny
book for 5 cents. All of the above we got for under 25 cents. Those were
the good times and Norwood was the perfect place to live.
Norwood was such a great place to grow up. It had all the wonderful
things kids need to see in a beautiful neighborhood and it had wonderful
neighbors.
There were so many people back then that cared and wanted to be a
part of the good neighborhood that Norwood was. Everyone was so
helpful and compassionate when families were having trouble of any
kind. When World War II happened, it left a lot of families without the
head of the family and without the oldest son. I guess that drew Norwood
closer together as all of us began to understand what was happening. I
remember all the blackouts we used to have in preparation for air raids.
When that happened all the people in the neighborhood would bring
their chairs and we all would sit around and discuss the war outside
looking up at a beautiful star filled sky in which we were so fortunate to
live under.
We moved to 3434 17th Avenue North, one street over from Norwood
Boulevard in about 1942 and at that time we were all digging up front
yards and back yards to make a victory gardens. Everything was
rationed and money was so tight we had to grow most everything we ate.
Everyone had a victory garden and worked real hard to grow great
vegetables. I remember at that time everyone would get together and
swap veggies that they had a good supply of for ones that they didn’t
grow. It seems today you just can’t find vegetables that tasted like they
did back then, especially big tomatoes that were so big that one slice
would fill up a slice of bread. They had a taste I still can’t find today.
They made a great tomato sandwich!
I will forever remember the childhood I spent on Norwood Boulevard.
The streetcar was something we all remember and how great it was to be
able to catch it and ride to Birmingham for 5 cents. Sometimes I would
catch it on Friday afternoon and ride it to 1st Avenue North and transfer
to the Pratt City streetcar for an extra 2 tokens. Those were the
aluminum tokens we had to deal with back then. One token was 1/10 of
a penny and had a hole in the center of it. I would ride for about 2 ½
hours before I would get to Pratt City where my grandmother and my
aunt and uncle lived. I would visit my cousins there and Mom and Dad
would pick me up on Sunday afternoon and bring me back home. I
would always have such a great time and didn’t think anything about
making that long trip. Nowadays there’s no way parents would let a kid
take that long a ride by himself. The conductors were always so helpful
back then and you could tell them what you wanted to do and they would
notify you when you got to where you had to transfer. When I got back
home, it was always a pleasure to tell all my friends what a great time I
had.
I remember the Norwood Grammar School down past where the
streetcar would turn around. It was about 3 blocks away and was a
beautiful school. When we lived on the top of Norwood Boulevard one
block over on 17th Avenue I could walk to school down the hill and get
to the back of the school in the mornings. Most of the time I would walk
with several other kids who lived where I did and it was a lot of fun. In the
afternoon we would play all the way back home. Norwood was a beautiful
place to live and bring up kids and people who lived there wanted to
keep it that way. They were always doing something to better
themselves and where they lived. I was always so proud to tell anybody
who asked, that I lived in Norwood.
We moved away from Norwood in about 1942 to Jasper, Alabama. I will
always remember Norwood Boulevard in Birmingham as the place to
live as it was so beautiful and was so special.
Jack E. Allbritten
Winders, Georgia
A CIRCLE OF WOMEN
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
Gathering at Ann’s beach home
Husbands too– good-natured non-essentials
Content to let us reminisce
Of Girl Scouts, old boyfriends, spend the night parties-
A “remember when” time.
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
Talking of the old neighborhood
Cherry cokes at Miller’s Pharmacy
Old 78 records, playing” Hold me Thrill me, Kiss me”
The 50’s – a time of innocence, romance dreams.
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past
No longer young, not yet old
As for dreams– some fulfilled- others will never be.
Separated for 35 years, we now come together once a
Year
To laugh, catch up, and sometimes hurt for each other.
We are the girls from Norwood
A place of big oak trees, trolleys, churches and houses
Once never locked.
A neighborhood which no longer exists- except in our
Hearts
But we remember for –
We are a circle of women, bonded by our past.
[A Circle of Women was written about 14 years ago by Claire Prescott Gross.
The Circle includes Laura Nygren, Ann and Lou Butler, Gwen Faulk, and Claire
Prescott]
At the time I was born,(August of 1932), my parents lived on 33rd Street,
1400 block. My Grand father Dr. William Fielder lived next door and my
mother,s sister lived on the other side of Dr. Fielder who owned all three
houses. When I was 6, we moved to 22nd street behind Barker
Grammar School (between 12th and 13th avenues). During my second
grade year at Barker, the school burned to the ground! I swear I did not
do it. From there, I went to 17th Ave school (later called McArthur) and
then to Norwood School where I graduated from grammar school.
I then went to Phillips High School where I met my future wife, Katherine
Ann McAllister.
I have many fond memories of Norwood and still meet with other
Norwoodians for lunch each month.
Tom Groover
I lived in West End from the mid 50s until 1965 but my grandparents
had friends who lived on Norwood Blvd. I enjoyed the times I was able to
visit because it was the biggest house I'd ever been in up until that time.
The house had about 25 steps leading down to the sidewalk along
Norwood Blvd & I used to always wish I had my bike with me when I'd
see kids riding past. I just knew that had to be a great place to grow up!
I rode through the neighborhood when I moved back to Birmingham in
1987 & was sad to see that the house I used to visit is now an empty lot.
It's good knowing that the neighborhood is in the process of coming
back to life because it was once such a vibrant place!
David C.
Birmingham, Alabama
My parents and I lived in Norwood in 1941 and '42 where we lived at
2836 on the 'Boulevard' and where the Southern Railroad and Frisco
Railroad steam-locomotives used to rumble back and forth between the
Terminal Station and North Birmingham (marshalling-yards). I recall
with fondness the sonorous steam-whistles that the old locomotives
would sound, the metallic clank of their driving-rods, and the hissing of
escaping steam as they rumbled on the tracks that ran behind our
house.
Norwood Theatre was on 12th Ave North, as I recall, showed movies
starring Hopalong Cassidy, Tex Ritter and Gene Autry who brought the
bad guys to heel on the Saturday afternoon twin bill. Evenings would
find many cars parked out front of Piper's ice-cream store on 26th Street
enjoying the treats of chocolate malteds, banana-splits and ice-cream
cones.
Norwood School, where Ms. Maines and her assistant, Ms. Hortenstein,
taught what students referred-to simply as 'Auditorium'. Mr Gallik taught
his aspiring young virtuosi to saw and to squeak-out scarcely
identifiable classical melodies on their violins and cellos. Mr. E.B.
Calhoun, fondly referred to by students as 'Easter Bunny', was the
school principal at that time whose instructing charges, Ms. Mixon, Ms.
White, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Moore and others sternly, if sometimes
patiently, corrected young scalawags who spent all to much of their time
passing notes and pulling pigtails of girls who sat in front of them.
Do I fondly remember Norwood? Only if the Golden Norwood Sun yet
roams its skies of blue.
Gene W Phillips
Alabaster, Alabama
I grew up in West End but had a dear friend, Joe Cotlin, from the First
Presbyterian Church at 4th Avenue and 21st Street, downtown, that lived
with his parents on Norwood Boulevard. Mr. Cotlin worked at ACIPCO.
My father was an architect at Greer, Holmquist and Chambers. I often
rode the streetcar from West End to downtown and, after a transfer, on to
the end of the line in Norwood, just a short walk to Joe's house for a day
trip or to spend the night. I thought it beautiful in Norwood and admired
the Cotlin's house. I guess that none of us noticed the air pollution
because we knew no better.
We played football and engaged in other activities in the parkway on
Norwood Boulevard. Joe went on to play center and linebacker at
Phillips High School while I was the team manager at West End. He
went to Tuscaloosa and I went to Auburn, never to see each other again.
I left Birmingham for good in 1960 but have often thought about the
great neighborhood in Norwood. I was pleased to read some of the
history and current promise of Norwood on this website.
Walter Greer
Conroe, Texas
My parents and I moved in with my mother's parents, Alice and Charles
Steward at 2201 15th Avenue, North about 1933. In 1935, my parents
bought the house at 1425 North 23rd St., I think that the price, in the
middle of the depression was about $1,800.00. I spent all of my
childhood growing up in Norwood, graduating from Norwood School in
1945 at about the end of World War II and from Phillips High School in
1949. I too remember Milo's Hamburgers, but they were eaten at the 7
stool hamburger stand on 12th Avenue near 31st St.
A lot of youngsters would ride the streetcar to town on Saturday (7
cents), go to the Mickey Mouse Movie Club (10 cents), buy a hot dog
and Coke at Pete's Famous (5 cents apiece) and return home (7 cents).
Our Saturday excursion cost a total of 34 cents.
We also loved the Norwood Theatre and its Saturday lineup of a double
feature, with one being a Western and a Chapter Picture such as The
Perils of Nyoka.
We loved to "Sleep Out" in one of our friends' back yard. A favorite thing
to do was ride our bicycles to town in the middle of the night to buy a hot
dog.
We loved to go swimming at the North Birmingham Pool or Ketona
Lake if we could get a ride. Playing sand lot football on the boulevard
was also a great time.
Like most of the Norwood boys, I married an Edgewood girl and we
bought a house that was Over The Mountain in Birmingham.
Jack Cavaleri
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
I moved to Norwood when I was five years old; the year
was 1955. (Growing-up in the fifties was a wonderful time to be a
child.) I have so many memories of Norwood. I wish I could go back in
time for one day! I use to ride my bike for blocks and blocks with my
friends from up the street. We had great times riding and playing hide
'n'seek and board games together. Norwood was a fun place to live. I
went to Norwood School, Phillips High School, and Norwood Methodist
Church.
Those were the days when you felt safe and carefree. I rode the
streetcar home from High School and would sometimes get off at 12th
Avenue. I would go into the drugstore and have a cherry coke and buy
twenty-five cents worth of candy. Twenty-five cents of candy in the 50's
and 60's was a lot of candy. I would come out of the drug store and walk
two blocks home eating and enjoying all that sugar. By the time I arrived
home I had no desire for supper. That was a pure sugar rush!
I also remember Mr. Milo making hamburgers. His spatula would sing
as he slapped the burgers back and forth on the grill. His wife also
helped him at that time. Their place of business was very small but a lot
of people would come in to eat. That was the place for a good burger and
homemade pie!
I can also remember a beauty salon on 12th Avenue where my
mother would go to get her hair fixed. In the shop there was a perming
machine (it may have been a waving machine). It had wires hanging
down with clamps on the ends. In fact, it was kind of scary to look at. I
am not really sure what it did but I do remember seeing it in the beauty
salon. I don't remember anyone using it. Maybe it was already an
antique then! I would have been scared to use it myself. It always
looked like a good way to lose your hair in a fire.
Norwood holds a lot of great memories for me. I have an older brother,
Charles, and he loved playing with the neighborhood gang. They made
these great skate board scooters and would ride them up and down the
streets. If they weren't doing that they were playing army. It was a great
place to grow up.
One of the most special memories would be that Norwood is where I
dated and fell in love and married my husband (Norwood Methodist
Church).However, I don't remember much because my mother gave me
a nerve pill before the ceremony to calm me. I do remember my future
husband standing at the altar with almost a shaved head. I had told him
I knew how to cut hair. It was awful. I told him to wait until he got home to
look in the mirror.
There was also the incident when my brother talked me into going
fishing...in the neighbor's goldfish pond. That did not turn out well
for us...not to mention the fish.
Those were the good ole days. I look forward to returning to visit
the old neighborhood restored to its' original condition.
Mary Elizabeth Self Little
Bremen, Alabama
I moved to Norwood from Bessemer, Alabama the beginning of
my 7th grade school year. My mother, father, younger brother and I
moved into a family house located at 1420 North 32nd Street. It's not
there any longer due to fire after my parents sold it and moved to the
country. My mother was raised up the street at 1400 North 32nd Street.
She graduated from Norwood and Phillips just like myself and my
brother. I have very fond memories of riding the bus downtown to
Birmingham on Saturday to shop and go to the movies. We always ate
at Krystal or Woolworth's. I attended Norwood Methodist Church and we
had great car wash fund-raisers - and the parents would always feed us
Milo's Hamburgers. I can still taste them to this day. I made many
friends there, fell in love there and married there. I am so happy to see
that others will continue to have the opportunity to belong to a great
neighborhood.
Virginia Fancher
Greenbelt, Maryland
Although I was raised in West End, in 1963 my mother moved
to Norwood. From her apartment, one had an unobstructed view of the
downtown Sloss Furnaces. That was quite a show, especially at night.
When I became a Birmingham police officer in 1964, my mother didn't
know it until I stopped by, in uniform, on my way to work my very first
shift. Shortly after 11PM that same night, I found myself spending that
first shift working in.......Norwood. Just to demonstrate how safe and
quiet Norwood was some 40-plus years ago, my partner and I did not
get a call the whole night.
Jeff Webb
Panama City, Florida
I grew up in Norwood in the mid -late 1970's. I remember the
children in the neighborhood racing bikes, playing games like hide and
go seek and so much more. I often return home now to visit my
grandmother and sit on that old rock porch on the hill and reflect about
the wonderful childhood I had there. Things and times changed in the
late 1980's and early 1990's. I'm glad to see that there is an effort going
on to attempt to revitalize what once was such a beautiful neighborhood.
Charles James
Auburn, Alabama