Monday, November 18

Norwood




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Norwood, in Birmingham, AL, was probably the coolest {and scariest} neighborhood I've ever driven through.
These homes were absolutely UH-MAZING. Beautiful! Well, were.
A lot of the houses that you see above were occupied. Seriously, people lived in them.
And some were just vacant. Abandoned for years.
 
The homes started to be built in 1912 & by the 1920's-1930's, it was a thriving neighborhood full of Birmingham's most elite residents. It had schools, it's own little trolley, healthcare centers, & religious institutions.
After World War II, it started a slow, depressing decline as residents had started moving out due to the haze they lived in because of the neighborhoods high elevation & the fact the freeway was built that totally bypassed the neighborhood and cutting it off from part of "downtown".
Slowly but surely, the residents moved "to the other side of Red Mountain". More like Red Hill, there are no mountains in AL, haha.
The majority of the residents in this neighborhood now are black Americans {i refuse to say african american because not all black people come from africa}. And I'm pretty sure it's Crip territory... STOP sign, last pic. What chu think?
And a little girl, prob like 7 or 8 yelled out while I was taking pictures "what y'all think you're lookin' at!?"
She scared me and I ran off.

The city of Birmingham has dubbed Norwood as part of the Historic Registry. Which basically means, it's going to become beautiful again! People who care about elegant homes & history will move in & take care of their house. They just need to tackle the houses individually. There were quite a few houses that have already been stamped as "worthy", notice the 2nd to last picture has the sign bolted to the brick. Historic. Nooo touchey.

Minus the scary people staring at us, crack heads tweekin' and yelling at the ground, Crip graffiti errywhere & the sad looking homes that were once lived in by the olden days elite, I loved it. Loved.
And the houses were HUGE. My pics don't do them justice but they were giant. 

To read more about the history, go here.
If you want to read memories of the first residents who grew up in Norwood, go here.
If you want to just know more in general about it, go here.
You won't regret it. It's amazing.

Now that you know a little more about it, go back and look at my pics again.
Can you imagine growing up in one of those gorgeous homes and seeing it as it is now?
Kinda depressing huh?

 photo EmilySignature_zps0043f664.png

12 comments :

  1. It is so sad to see them looking like that, I love the old Southern homes. The porches alone and the balconies! So pretty. Hopefully the area gets restored!

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    1. I know! It was so odd driving around a neighborhood like that, where the houses are sooo big and they look the way they do. Something didn't add up...

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  2. Sign me up for a renovation!! I want one now!!

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    1. Me too!! They are CHEAP cheap right now too. I found one of them on Zillow and it was like $30,000. No joke.

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  3. These houses are so gorgeous. It is a shame they have fallen into such disrepair :(

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  4. looks like places around here. and the houses are beautiful and can look 10 times better.

    pinkowl07.blogspot.com

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  5. Wow! I LOVE the architecture of those homes. Such a shame they have lost their luster! I'm your newest follower from the Lets Be Friends Blog Hop. Can't wait to read more!

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  6. Ran? seriously, you people wouldn't even step out of the car to take a pica... i had to beg you to roll down the window.

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  7. Alabama/the south states have thee coolest houses! When we lived in Bama a few years ago I was always in awe over the old houses, it is WAY depressing how some of them been "let go" I definitely agree. You found some way neat ones though, if only the walls could talk in them I wonder about all their stories!

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  8. Ah, Norwood, Norwood, I can only imagine. Love these old houses. I have so many feelings about Norwood and "Old Birmingham" in general. I got interested in it quite a bit this time last year and this past winter. Turns out an old part of my dad's family lived in Norwood way back when. They were also Osbornes (I'm not) and it turns out there's a historic "Osborne Duplex" there and I can't help but wonder if there's any kind of connection. They were the part of those who moved "over the mountain" (to Mountain Brook... the part that is across 280 from Cahaba Heights. bit a ways) in maybe the 40s or 50s, possibly a little earlier? Anyhow, these are wonderful photos, I don't think there could ever be enough. Thank you.

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  9. I know! It was so odd driving around a neighborhood like that, where the houses are sooo big and they look the way they do. Something didn't add up...
    Norwood CPA

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