Heart of Five Points South

FIVE POINTS TOUR | MAP 2

Five Points Overview

Nowhere in Birmingham, outside of downtown, is there such a

rich concentration of historic buildings and design quality as Five

Points South. It grew up as a streetcar suburb, as people who

had come to Birmingham to seek their fortunes began moving

south to what was often called South Highlands because of its

location south of downtown and its higher elevations. They sought

to escape the dirt, noise, and crime of the raw, young industrial

town, aided by early street railway connections. In 1887 the area

incorporated as the Town of Highland and in 1893 it was annexed

into the city of Birmingham. In the 1920s retail stores in the latest

trend-setting architecture began changing the residential character

of the Five Points Circle and nearby streets. The Great Depression

and post-World War II suburban fl ight brought setbacks, but in

recent decades Five Points has begun reclaiming its vitality, thanks

to renewed investment and the appeal of urban life, its restaurant

and entertainment scene, and its varied architecture.

On this walk you will see turreted Victorian houses, handsome

skyscraper apartments, buildings with Art Deco motifs, and

historic places of worship, all within a few blocks. One house

and two churches on the tour date from the short-lived Town of

Highland period.