Cruikshank's History of Birmingham, volume 2

The second volume of A History of Birmingham and its environs: a narrative account of their historical progress, their people, and their principal interests published in 1920 by George M. Cruikshank is available online.

Comprised of short biographies, this volume provides a glimpse into the lives of prominent Birmingham citizens. A sampling of some of the more well-known names include Yielding, Ward, Tutwiler, Ruffner, Rushton, Ramsay, Pratt, Pizitz, O'Neal, Mudd, Messer, Loveman, Jemison, Ingalls, Henley, Hanson, Estes, Edwards, Drennen, Carraway, and Caldwell. To view an index of all of the names included in volume 2 click here.

A special thanks goes to our volunteer librarian, Carole Castine who made this online version possible.

New photographs online

Twenty-five photographs have been added to the Birmingham Public Library's Digital Collections database.

Subjects include:

A. G. Gaston
Alabama Boys Industrial School
Alabama Theatre
Blach's
Cascade Plunge
David Vann
Downtown Leeds
Eleventh Avenue Methodist Church
Emory O. Jackson
Empire Theatre
Ensley High School
Erskine Ramsay
Etheridge Brothers Barber Shop
Fair Park Swimming Pool
Highland Court Apartments
Homewood Theatre
Hunter Street Baptist Church
Messer Field
Nina Miglionico
Parisian
Powell Elementary School
Roberts Field Whisky Stills
Take a look.

1911 History of the Jews of Birmingham, Alabama

In 1911, The Reform Advocate published a lengthy article titled "The History of the Jews of Birmingham". The entire article is available and searchable in Birmingham Public Library's online digital collections database.

Contents include:
Temple Emanuel history by Rabbi Morris Newfield
The Ladies Benevolent Society
The Ladies Aid Society
The Temple Chapter
The Council of Jewish Women
Temple Kindergarden
Young People's Study Club of Temple Emanuel
Phoenix Club
Birmingham B'Nai B'rith Lodge
The Young Men's Hebrew Association
Birmingham the Pittsburgh of the South by Benjamin S. Gross


Short biographies (many include photographs):
Rabbi Morris Newfield
M. V. Joseph
Gustave Rotholz
Adolph Bernard Loveman
Simon Klotz
Burghard Steiner
Samuel Ullman
Issac R. Hochstadter
Jacob Fies
Morris Adler
Benjamin Moses Jacobs
Elias Gusfield
Samuel Adler
Bertram Jacobs
Emil Lesser
Mrs. Morris Adler
Mrs. Ben Weil
Mrs. Maurice Lenk
Benjamin Samuel Gross
Leo K. Steiner
Chester G. Bandman
Benjamin Franklin Ezekiel
Joseph Beitman
Isadore Shapiro
Samuel Marx
B. Wellman
Emanuel Rubel
Samuel Stern
Aaron Stern