BGuthrie Photos: AL -- Birmingham -- Vulcan Park and Museum -- Park

AL -- Birmingham -- Vulcan Park and Museum -- Park:

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[1] VULCAP_161109_001.JPG	[2] VULCAP_161109_012.JPG	[3] VULCAP_161109_015.JPG	[4] VULCAP_161109_023.JPG	[5] VULCAP_161109_026.JPG	[6] VULCAP_161109_029.JPG	[7] VULCAP_161109_031.JPG	[8] VULCAP_161109_033.JPG	[9] VULCAP_161109_035.JPG
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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. VULCAP_161109_001.JPG: I came here the day after Trump won the and his Russian allies had won the electoral college. I had come down south to see civil rights sites in reaction to a campaign where racial tensions had become very visible. I didn't talk to whites about the election since, well, they lynch people down there but I talked to some African Americans about their experience. A woman here said she had voted for Hillary but only because Trump had said all those horribly misogynistic things. She said she had been so disappointed in Obama's second term. Why? She: When he put those rainbow colors on the White House... Me: You were pissed off at gay marriage? She: Yes. I'm a minister [everyone is a minister down there] and it's an abomination. Me: Gee, you know, someone said the arc of justice is long but it bends toward freedom... [The actual MLK quote is "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.] She: I don't care. I'm just not ready. I hadn't appreciated being a bubble until that moment.
2. VULCAP_161109_015.JPG: Designing Vulcan Park Vulcan Park isn't just Vulcan's home; it's also a public park. The original project, funded by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) aimed for "general beautification of the entire acreage" to create" an ideal spot for untold scenic beauty." The plantings in the park today reflect the original WPA balance between the naturalistic and the formal. Formal Design The cascade fountain, a design element often found in Italian Renaissance gardens, created a formal approach to the tower, tall and column-like Lombardy poplars reinforced the formal axis of the cascade. Pyramid-shaped arborvitae creates a similar effect today. A Park for the people Construction during a surge of interest in public parks, Vulcan Park was positioned both near a city streetcar line to serve local visitors and along old U.S. Highway 31 to attract vacationers on their way to Florida. Naturalistic Features The margins of Vulcan Park were left naturally wooded for a "rugged rustic" effect. Native species of trees, including oak, hickory, and pine, are still found throughout the park and its perimeter. Yellow poplar, a species known for moving into deforested areas, populates the park's northern boundary, near Lone Pine Mine No. 3.
3. VULCAP_161109_023.JPG: The Iron Man: Vulcan The giant, cast iron statue you see towering above you is Vulcan, the Roman god of metalwork and the forge. The 56-foot tall statue was commissioned by Birmingham leaders to represent their new, growing city at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. After a smashing success at the fair, he was brought home to Birmingham. Sculptor Giuseppe Moretti took on the daunting assignment creating the statue in just seven months. The statue was cast by local foundry men, using iron ore taken from Red Mountain mines. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library. Catalog # Moretti, Giuseppe The statue, accompanied by a display of local minerals, was one of the most popular attractions at the fair, taking home the Grand Prize as the best exhibit in the Mineral Department. Courtesy of Missouri Historical Society In 2002 - 2003, after years of braving the elements, Vulcan was meticulously restored, reinforced, and returned to his pedestal.
4. VULCAP_161109_026.JPG: Mineral Railroad Trestle The railroad trestle support wall across the road is a remnant of L&N's 156-mile Mineral Railroad, the backbone of the local iron industry. This segment ran along the north edge of Vulcan Park on its route around the Birmingham District, linking mines and mills. The railroad not only transported raw materials locally; it also connected to the nationwide rail network to ship pig iron and finished iron and steel. From the park, the only visible remnant of the Mineral Railroad is the stone trestle support across the street. The trestle was build in 1889 to support the tracks as the crossed the road and passed along what is now the Vulcan Trail. The view of the train trestle may be blocked seasonal plant growth. Illustration by Paul R. Olso The Mineral Railroad would wound its way along Red Mountain and through the Birmingham District. This ten-mile spur line, known as the Red Gap Branch, carried one mined from Red Mountain to furnaces in Jones Valley. Illustration by Paul R. Olson he mineral railroad provided an efficient delivery system, sending mined minerals straight to local furnaces. This system helped give the local industry a competitive edge. Above, coal is being loaded into railroad carat the Risco Coal Mine, which was served by the system. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives, Catalog # 26.89
5. VULCAP_161109_029.JPG: Before Birmingham: Jones Valley Red Mountain, where you are standing, and Jones Valley, which stretches before you, were sites of human activity long before Birmingham's founding in 1871. Native American presence: Recorded history and archaeological evidence indicate the presence of Native American people in Jones Valley stretching back 12,000 years. • From 1500 to 1800 members of Alabama's Creek Nation fished and hunted in the area. • The Creeks, or Muscogee, are believed by many to descend from the mound-building people who flourished in the area from 1000 to 1450. Early settlement: Pioneers from Virginia, the Carolinas, and other states settled throughout Jefferson County and lent their names to towns and communities that dot the valley to this day. • Among the first pioneers was John Jones, who traveled from Tennessee in 1815 to settle in the valley that today bears his name. • By 1860, only 12,000 people lived in Jefferson County, and farming was the main occupation. Toward an iron Industry: Although the dream of an industrial city in Jones Valley would not be realized until after the Civil War, iron sparked the imagination of early settlers and visitors to the area in the decades preceding the city's founding. • One early inhabitant, Baylis Grace, was said to first prove that Red Mountain contains iron ore when he sent local ore to a nearby forge and got back wrought-iron bars. • Local iron, processed in Civil War foundries in Irondale, Tannehill, and Oxmoor, supported the manufacture of armaments of Selma.
6. VULCAP_161109_031.JPG: Native American presence: Recorded history and archaeological evidence indicate the presence of Native American people in Jones Valley stretching back 12,000 years. • From 1500 to 1800 members of Alabama's Creek Nation fished and hunted in the area. • The Creeks, or Muscogee, are believed by many to descend from the mound-building people who flourished in the area from 1000 to 1450.
7. VULCAP_161109_033.JPG: Early settlement: Pioneers from Virginia, the Carolinas, and other states settled throughout Jefferson County and lent their names to towns and communities that dot the valley to this day. • Among the first pioneers was John Jones, who traveled from Tennessee in 1815 to settle in the valley that today bears his name. • By 1860, only 12,000 people lived in Jefferson County, and farming was the main occupation.
8. VULCAP_161109_035.JPG: Toward an iron Industry: Although the dream of an industrial city in Jones Valley would not be realized until after the Civil War, iron sparked the imagination of early settlers and visitors to the area in the decades preceding the city's founding. • One early inhabitant, Baylis Grace, was said to first prove that Red Mountain contains iron ore when he sent local ore to a nearby forge and got back wrought-iron bars. • Local iron, processed in Civil War foundries in Irondale, Tannehill, and Oxmoor, supported the manufacture of armaments of Selma.
9. VULCAP_161109_039.JPG: A New City Building early Birmingham The arrival of two railroad lines in Jones Valley opened nearby deposits of iron ore, limestone, and coal to commercial development and helped make Birmingham one of the great industrial cities of the post Civil War South. In 1871, the year of Birmingham's founding, civil engineer William P. Barker with North and South Alabama Railroad laid out Birmingham's system of streets and avenues to align with the main rail lines that still run through the city. Development began to fill in Birmingham's grid, first with simple wood-frame structures common to the American frontier, then with brick buildings, and, in little more than three decades, with the city's first skyscrapers. A view of Birmingham looking north from Red Mountain, 1885. This bird's eye view of Birmingham from Red Mountain, created around 1885 to promote the young city, provides a glimpse of an area that was, just two decades prior, mostly farm land. Compare this early view of Birmingham with the city you see before you today. We have indicated modern-day landmarks to orient you. 1. Interstate 20/59 2. Financial District 3. UAB Medical Center 4. Birmingham-Shuttleworth Airport 5. Elton B. Stephens Expressway 6. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
10. VULCAP_161109_041.JPG: A view of Birmingham looking north from Red Mountain, 1885. This bird's eye view of Birmingham from Red Mountain, created around 1885 to promote the young city, provides a glimpse of an area that was, just two decades prior, mostly farm land. Compare this early view of Birmingham with the city you see before you today. We have indicated modern-day landmarks to orient you. 1. Interstate 20/59 2. Financial District 3. UAB Medical Center 4. Birmingham-Shuttleworth Airport 5. Elton B. Stephens Expressway 6. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
11. VULCAP_161109_043.JPG: "Design has to be part of the culture of the city." -- Philip Morris This plaza is dedicated to his vision, 2015
12. VULCAP_161109_045.JPG: Industry Iron and steel manufacturing Heavy industry, the reason for Birmingham's founding, is still an economic force here today. Foundries and pipe plants dot the landscape, the railroad runs through the city's center, and steam rises periodically in the distance from the quenching of super-heated metals. North view from Red Mountain 1. ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Company) 2. Principal railroad lines 3. Hardie-Tynes Company 4. ABC Coke – Division of Drummond Company 5. McWane Pipe Company 6. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
13. VULCAP_161109_048.JPG: North view from Red Mountain 1. ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Company) 2. Principal railroad lines 3. Hardie-Tynes Company 4. ABC Coke – Division of Drummond Company 5. McWane Pipe Company 6. Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
14. VULCAP_161109_051.JPG: The Lone Pine Mine You are standing in front of the entrance to Lone Pine Mine Number 3. This mine is one of over one hundred ore mines on Red Mountain that were active between 1860 and 1960. In the early twentieth century, iron ore was extracted from this mine and loaded onto the Mineral Railroad. The Lone Pine Mine's tunnels have never been completely mapped. However, some Red Mountain workings (the parts of a mine that have been excavated) are as much as fifteen miles long. The extensive workings of the Valley View Mine, located about half a mile west of Vulcan Park, are shown in this map. Ore mines were just one place where men did hard labor to support the iron industry. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives, Catalog #7.06 The first mining on Red Mountain was relative easy. Miners used pickaxes and shovels to gather ore from a major surface outcropping. After that was gone, they had to undertake the dangerous job of underground mining. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives, Catalog #29.81
15. VULCAP_161109_056.JPG: The Works Progress Administration The WPA (Works Progress Administration) funded the design and construction of Vulcan Park in the late 1930s. This was done in conjunction with the Alabama Highway Department's improvement of U.S. Highway 31, the major north/south route that runs along the east side of the park. Local builders and stonemasons, funded by the Works Progress Administration, executed the park's design. As with other WPA-era projects in Birmingham and across the state, native sandstone was prominent feature. Thanks to careful study of original plans and historic photos, today's park looks very much as it did in the 1930s. The WPA was the principal relief agency of President Franklin Roosevelt's Depression-era New Deal; it put millions of unemployed people to work on civic projects.
16. VULCAP_161109_059.JPG: Birmingham District Minerals The availability of seemingly limitless mineral resources was the key to the success of the Birmingham District, an area defined by geologic deposits that span five counties (Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Bibb). Some of the minerals essential to the iron industry and to the creation of Vulcan lie directly beneath you in the heart of Red Mountain. Where Did They Come From? These important minerals were deposited hundreds of millions of years ago and then pushed up into ridge formations by continental collision. limestone Mineral sediments deposited in a shallow inland sea 505-438 million years ago eventually became limestone, which is used to separate pure iron from impurities in the iron ore. iron ore Iron-fixing bacteria swimming in the inland sea 435-396 millions year ago laid down enormous amounts of iron ore that formed a rich seam. Iron ore is the main ingredient in cast iron and steel. coal Swamps developed when the primordial sea started to dry up 320-286 million years ago. The plants and animals in the swamps became coal when their decaying remains were compressed under great weight. The coal was originally one large deposit, but it slowly broke up into three major fields: the Cahaba, the Coosa, and the richest – the Warrior.
17. VULCAP_161109_061.JPG: You're Standing on It Red Mountain was named for its red, iron-rich soil. A giant iron outcropping once covered the crest of the mountain. Today, a 35-foot vein of iron ore known as the "Big Seam" still runs through Red Mountain -- directly below your feet.
18. VULCAP_161109_065.JPG: Restoring Vulcan Park By 1999, it was apparent that Vulcan would have to be restored. Both the statue and the park had fallen into disrepair over the years. Additionally, Vulcan Park lost much of its original character when, in the late 1960s, the tower and park landscape were modernized. As part of the revitalization of Vulcan Park, completed in 2004, the statue and tower were restored to their intended condition. A new visitor center was added to provide a place to learn about Vulcan and Birmingham's history. Over time, exposure to the elements and expansion of Vulcan's internal concrete anchor severely damaged the statue. Now, repaired and reinforced with an interior steel frame built by Robinson Iron Corporation, Vulcan can stand indefinitely. Concrete poured inside Vulcan in the 1930s expanded and caused cracks. Eventually, iron strips were used to bandage the most severe cracks, as seen in this photograph of the statue's torso, taken after engineers removed Vulcan from his pedestal. Photo by BillyBrown.com As part of Vulcan Park's late 1960s modernization, geometric structures and extensive paving replaced the park's 1930s-era blend of formal balance and rustic charm. Courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History In the late 1960s, marble panels were attached to the outside of the tower. An enclosed observation deck and exterior elevator were also added. Courtesy of Birmingham Library Catalog #43.76 To restore the park's historic character, the marble was removed, the base rebuilt, and the park landscape rehabilitated. (c) Vulcan Park Foundation, Photographer: Rob Lagerstrom, Streamline Studios
19. VULCAP_161109_068.JPG: Visiting the Park In 1939, Vulcan Park was dedicated and opened to the public at a multi-night festival. Birminghamians were delighted to see the iron man restored to a place of honor. The park was to become a beloved Birmingham icon as well, a favorite spot for locals and tourists. For many years, Vulcan Park served as the region's leading visitor destination. Elements of the original park included inspiring views, stone gateways, and steps, ornamental gates donated by the Kiwanis Club, and the cascade. Then, as now, the observation deck was an open-air experience. This gateway, located adjacent to the old streetcar tracts, was the primary automobile entrance. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog #1047 The interior of the original tower base was faced in black-and-white Sylacauga marble and featured ornate plasterwork. An exhibit in the base showcased Alabama's mineral resources. Courtesy of Birmingham Historical Society to support the Vulcan's restoration 1999 How did people spend their time at Vulcan Park? People came to the popular site for school field trips, first dates, family picnics, and even weddings! Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog #32.35 Vulcan served as a beacon and landmark for anyone traveling in and around Birmingham. He could be seen for miles- even from planes flying overhead. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog 37.98
20. VULCAP_161109_071.JPG: Building the Park In the mid-1930's, civic leaders worked to move Vulcan to a place of honor on Red Mountain. The park was built through the combined efforts of several groups: the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, the Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board, the Alabama Highway Department, Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, and local workers. These groups worked together to raise money from the WPA and other sources, acquire the land, and plan and build the park. The designers of Vulcan Park balanced classical formality with a natural look and made extensive use of local materials. Sandstone blocks, quarried from within a mile of the park, were used to build steps, walkways, and Vulcan's tower. Birmingham architects Warren, Knight, and Davis designed the 124-foot octagonal tower. Local, Italian-born artisans and others were hired to execute the stonework. Site preparations took several years. Here, Vulcan is shown with scaffolding just prior to the completion of the project. Courtesy of Birmingham, Public Library Archives Catalog #616.2 32B Tom Joy, who spearheaded the development of Vulcan Park, and Fred Jackson, who championed the original creation of the statue, were among those who attended the official rising of the statue. They gave a tug on a ceremonial rope to raise the first piece. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog #31.88 After Vulcan came back to Birmingham for his debut at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, he became a popular meeting spot at the local fairgrounds. This "temporary" placement lasted over thirty years. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives, Catalog #31.91 Children explore the giant as he waits in pieces for his installation at the new Vulcan Park in 1937. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog 37.98
21. VULCAP_161109_073.JPG: Children explore the giant as he waits in pieces for his installation at the new Vulcan Park in 1937. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog 37.98
22. VULCAP_161109_075.JPG: Tom Joy, who spearheaded the development of Vulcan Park, and Fred Jackson, who championed the original creation of the statue, were among those who attended the official rising of the statue. They gave a tug on a ceremonial rope to raise the first piece. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog #31.88
23. VULCAP_161109_077.JPG: Vulcan served as a beacon and landmark for anyone traveling in and around Birmingham. He could be seen for miles- even from planes flying overhead. Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives Catalog 37.98
24. VULCAP_161109_080.JPG: South View Suburban neighborhoods south of Birmingham At the turn of the last century, Birmingham residents seeking home ownership and escape from the smoke, congestion, and unhealthy living conditions of an industrial city, began moving south. New streetcar lines encouraged the move "over the mountain." By the 1920s, the rise of the automobile's popularity made possible more distant and exclusive residential communities. South view from Red Mountain 1. Mountain Brook Developer Robert Jemison Jr. and landscape architect Warren H. Manning planned Mountain Brook to appear to have grown up naturally over time. Manning's plan called for nature preserves, roads and lots that followed the terrain's contours, sandstone gates and bridges, and a quaint, Tudor-style shopping center, Mountain Brook Village. 2. Hollywood In 1924, developer Clyde Nelson and architect George P. Turner created the Hollywood neighborhood, known for its Spanish Colonial Revival and English Tudor homes. Nelson enticed Birmingham residents to move to the neighborhood with the slogan "Out of the smoke zone and into the Ozone." The City of Homewood annexed Hollywood in 1929. 3. Homewood Throughout the 1800s, the area south of Red Mountain that became Homewood was mostly farmland. In the decades after Birmingham's founding, investors transformed the area into the site of several residential suburbs. Three of those – Rosedale, Edgewood, and Grove Park – merged to form the city of Homewood in 1927. 4. Rosedale Residents began purchasing small tracts of land in Rosedale, one of the Birmingham area's oldest primarily African American communities, as early as 1889. About a third of early Rosedale residents were laborers while others were among the area's first African American professionals and business owners. 5. Vestavia Hills In 1924, a former Birmingham mayor George B. Ward built his lavish estate – named Vestavia after the Temple of Vesta in Rome - on the crest of Shade Mountain. After Ward's death, real estate developer Charles Byrd purchased the estate along with surrounding land and named his development Vestavia Hills. Today, the Temple of Sybil, a remnant relocated from Ward's estate, marks the entrance into the Birmingham suburb on U.S. Highway 31.
25. VULCAP_161109_083.JPG: South view from Red Mountain 1. Mountain Brook Developer Robert Jemison Jr. and landscape architect Warren H. Manning planned Mountain Brook to appear to have grown up naturally over time. Manning's plan called for nature preserves, roads and lots that followed the terrain's contours, sandstone gates and bridges, and a quaint, Tudor-style shopping center, Mountain Brook Village. 2. Hollywood In 1924, developer Clyde Nelson and architect George P. Turner created the Hollywood neighborhood, known for its Spanish Colonial Revival and English Tudor homes. Nelson enticed Birmingham residents to move to the neighborhood with the slogan "Out of the smoke zone and into the Ozone." The City of Homewood annexed Hollywood in 1929. 3. Homewood Throughout the 1800s, the area south of Red Mountain that became Homewood was mostly farmland. In the decades after Birmingham's founding, investors transformed the area into the site of several residential suburbs. Three of those – Rosedale, Edgewood, and Grove Park – merged to form the city of Homewood in 1927. 4. Rosedale Residents began purchasing small tracts of land in Rosedale, one of the Birmingham area's oldest primarily African American communities, as early as 1889. About a third of early Rosedale residents were laborers while others were among the area's first African American professionals and business owners. 5. Vestavia Hills In 1924, a former Birmingham mayor George B. Ward built his lavish estate – named Vestavia after the Temple of Vesta in Rome - on the crest of Shade Mountain. After Ward's death, real estate developer Charles Byrd purchased the estate along with surrounding land and named his development Vestavia Hills. Today, the Temple of Sybil, a remnant relocated from Ward's estate, marks the entrance into the Birmingham suburb on U.S. Highway 31.
26. VULCAP_161109_085.JPG: In Memory of Giuseppe Moretti Sculptor of the Statue of Vulcan and to the following Italian stone masons and sculptors who by their skillful art and labor helped to erect the tower on which Vulcan stands to perpetuate the name of Giuseppe Moretti and the City of Birmingham Alabama. Gene Bone • Calogero Bordenca • Martino Cantesano • Elviro Di Laura • Francesco Giovino • Salvatore Giombrone • Carmelo Raco • Francesco Mazzara • Nicola Montana • Onofrio Padalino • Pietro Scalia • Alberto Schilleci • Antonio Scozzaro Alfonso Arnone Presented by J. J. Fiore, Pres., Italian - American Progressive Association August 1, 1937
27. VULCAP_161109_087.JPG: VULCAN PARK & TOWER 1938. Sponsored By: The Kiwanis Club & Park & Recreation Board of Birmingham built with the aid of the federal & local governments, under the direction of T.H. Joy, C.E., & R.S. Marshall, Sup't Park Board. KIWANIS CLUB COMMITTEE. J. Mercer Barnett & T.H. Joy, Co-Ch'mn., T.L. Bissell, W.D. Moore, A.C. Montgomery, Erskine Ramsey, W.A. Currie & C.F. Wittigen. PARK BOARD. Thomas Bowron, Karl Landgrebe, J.M. Jones, Jr., Tram Sessions, Mrs. Chas. J. Sharp & C.L. Baily. CITY COMMISSION. J.M. Jones, Jr., Pres., Eugene Conner, J.W. Morgan. Height of Pedestal 125 ft. Weight 2000 tons. FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY. Anchored by links of steel, on Red Mountain's iron vein. Our Vulcan views a city spread over hill and plain. Built, like this tower, by men whose work and skill and Birmingham's best nerve, that helped them to fulfill the prophecy he made in nineteen hundred four; our population grown since then to even ten times more who plead for art and science new victories to reveal and build a greater city with the onward march of steel. J.H. Adams.
28. VULCAP_161109_089.JPG: Vulcan, god of fire and metals. To typify the colossal mineral resources of Alabama, St. Louis Exposition, 1904. Sculptor - G. Moretti, of New York. Cast in Alabama iron by Birmingham Steel & Iron Co., J. R. McWane, Pres't., W. T. Adams, V. Pres't. Built by the Commercial Club, Birmingham, Ala., F. M. Jackson, Pres't., J. B. Gibson, Sec'y., J. A. Macknight, Special Ac't. Executive Committee: Rufus N. Rhodes, F.W. Dixon, T. G. Bush, Culpepper Exum, Geo. H. Clark. Height of Statue, 50 feet, Weight. 120000 lbs. Vulcan's Prophecy Just as my stature towers above the sons of earth so shall the district, from whose breast the ore and coal were torn and fused to give me birth, exceed all others in "Times March." For O'er and O'er, nature hath flung her treasures with a generous hand, and Birmingham sits throned. Both hemispheres can draw on her. The mineral wealth of every land is there allied to rule the world in future years. J.H. Adams.
29. VULCAP_161109_092.JPG: It was the day after the election and Donald Trump had won the electoral college. I had voted early in Maryland before taking this trip which was heavy on civil rights sites because the campaign had put civil rights in a free fire zone and I wanted to reconnect with whatever good we had had of late as a nation. I avoided talking to whites down in Alabama about the election because, well, they lynch people down there. With the election results known, I asked an African-American woman at Vulcan what her thoughts were about the election. She: Well, I voted for Hillary but it was because of all the misogynistic things Donald Trump had said. I was really disappointed in Obama's second term. Me: Disappointed? She: Yes, when he put those rainbow colors on the White House... Me: (Pause) You were upset about gay marriage? She: Yes, I'm a minister [lots of ministers down in Alabama -- think Roy Moore] and it's an abomination. Me: Well, you know 60 years ago people would have said the same thing about blacks voting and blacks marrying whites. And someone, gee I forget his name... said something like the arc of justice is long but it always bends toward freedom... [MLK: "Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."] She: I don't care. I'm just not ready! That was when I realized that I was indeed in a bubble. Where I live, very few people would question the right of a gay couple to marry and few would see anything wrong with it. In fact, given how many heterosexual marriages end in divorce, the fact that anyone wants to get married is pretty damned courageous to me. But down here in the bible belt, it's a whole 'nother issue. Of course, where I live, having someone like Roy Moore trying to pick up teenage age girls would be considered shocking. Not in Alabama! I still think most of the opposition to Obama was mostly from (1) white trash/racists, (2) male chauvinist pigs, (3) xenophobes, (4) religious bigots, or (5) the 1% who wanted to fleece the American public. But the African-American woman added another dimension to this -- desperate people who are afraid of change. They know they don't have any control over their lives, their jobs, their health, or the environment and they reach out to anything which offers salvation or hope no matter how unrealistic that hope is. No, Little Donnie's not going to bring your job back (automation and economic realities make that impossible), he's not going to help you directly (he's going to help the 1% and let you hope the trickle down sustains you), he's not going to fix health care (he's hoping you shut up and die), and climate change isn't going to go away just by denying it. But if he pretends loud enough, you'll actually believe some of what he says because you're desperate.
30. VULCAP_161109_094.JPG: Have you noticed the Vulcan tower leaks? In 2004 the Vulcan statue and tower underwent an award-winning restoration. Unfortunately, despite its overall success, in periods of heavy rain or humidity the tower sometimes experienced considerable water penetration, causing wet stains and damaging the stairwell's plaster ceiling. Extensive investigation by experts led to sealing the tower's sandstone exterior in 2010, eliminating some 90% of the water entering the tower. One elusive problem area remains, which causes the damage you see. Vulcan Park and Museum and its expert consultants continue to try to solve this problem. Once a solution is identified, it will need to be implemented in a manner sensitive to the tower's historical significance and authenticity.
31. VULCAP_161109_104.JPG: Visitors, Please note that you may encounter wasps while on Vulcan's Observation Tower. We have conducted research and found that these are Polistes wasps, a species that tends to congregate in high elevation areas at the onset of the dry season. These wasps are not aggressive by nature and will not become agitated unless provoked. Thank you, Vulcan Park and Museum
32. VULCAP_161109_233.JPG: The Cascade One popular element of the park's original design was a water feature known as the cascade. Cascading fountains were important features in formal European gardens. Their terraced pools and waterfalls animated the landscape with the sounds and movement of water. Unfortunately, the cascade was removed in the 1969-71 park renovation. No remnants or original technical drawings of the fountain remain. WPA records tell us that the Singing Tower, built in 1928 at Historic Bok Sanctuary in central Florida, was an inspiration for Vulcan Park. Both sites feature a stone tower and a long axial water feature in a park setting. Courtesy of Bok Sanctuary The cascade's strong lines led the eye up the hillside to the tower and statue - the central focal point of the park. Today, the terracing of the slope and the stairs leading up the hill have been returned. Many people who visited Vulcan Park prior to the 1969-71 renovation fondly remember the cascade – and the fish that swam in the pools. B-25 Rear View of Vulcan showing waterfalls and Pools, Birmingham, Ala.
AAA "Gem": AAA considers this location to be a "must see" point of interest. To see pictures of other areas that AAA considers to be Gems, click here.
Wikipedia Description: Vulcan statue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot (17 m) tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge. It was created as Birmingham's entry for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 World's Fair) in St. Louis, Missouri. The statue is the world's largest iron-ore statue, and among the nation's tallest.

History

Construction

Commissioned by the Commercial Club of Birmingham, Italian-born sculptor Giuseppe Moretti began designing the monumental figure in 1903, using a 6-foot (183 cm) tall model to study the form. He next sculpted a clay master model in an unfinished church in Passaic, New Jersey, and this was then divided into sections and transported by railroad to the Birmingham Steel and Iron Company for the preparation of casting molds for the iron.

The Vulcan statue consists of 29 cast-iron components with connecting flanges that are bolted together internally. The heaviest section is his whole head, which weighs 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg). Iron forgemen designed and executed the connection details for the statue, which originally had no internal framework and was self-supporting. The grey iron castings were made in Birmingham entirely from locally produced iron.

The completed weight of the god Vulcan's figure alone is 100,000 pounds (45,359 kg). When Vulcan's anvil, block, hammer, and spearpoint are added, the statue weighs a total of 120,000 pounds (54,431 kg) and it stands on a pedestal that is 123-foot tall (37 m). The statue has a chest circumference of 22 feet 6 inches (7 m) and a waist circumference of 18 feet 3 inches (6 m).

1904 World's Fair

The statue was shipped to St. Louis as Birmingham's entry into the 1904 World's Fair. Vulcan dramatically demonstrated the mineral riches and manufacturing capabilities of the Birmingham area while on display in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition's "Palace of Mines and Metallurgy". It was awarded a "Grand Prize".

When the 1904 World's Fair ended, the Vulcan statue was dismantled and returned to its home city of Birmingham, only to be left in pieces alongside the railroad tracks due to unpaid freight bills.

Alabama State Fairgrounds

The Vulcan statue was eventually re-erected at the Alabama State Fairgrounds, but the statue's arms were installed incorrectly, and the god was without his spear, which had been lost on the way from St. Louis.

With nothing to hold in its hands, Vulcan soon became an advertising figure. Over the years, Vulcan held an ice cream cone, a Coca-Cola bottle, and even Heinz pickles. In the late 1920s, the statue was disassembled for inspection. During this time, children would often play around the disassembled statue. It was painted a flesh color and was reassembled in the early 1930s.

On Red Mountain

It was not until 1936 that the statue found a suitable home, thanks to the Works Progress Administration, which partially funded a new park in the city at the top of Red Mountain. A 126-foot (38.4 m) pedestal was built of local sandstone, and Vulcan was hoisted into place. A new spear was fabricated to be held high in his right hand while his left hand held a hammer at his side. Vulcan was repainted in an aluminum like finish. The statue's naked buttocks have been source of humor for many years. A novelty song, "Moon Over Homewood," refers to the fact that the statue "moons" the neighboring suburb of Homewood, Alabama.

A nine-day festival commenced on May 7, 1939 to dedicate Vulcan Park. Evelyn Tully was crowned the Vulcan Queen. Guests of honor included the foundrymen who originally cast Vulcan. A crowd of 5,000 was present for the opening night of the festival.

To take full advantage of Vulcan's position overlooking Birmingham, the city's Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1946 made the statue into a symbol for road safety. His spear was replaced by a neon torch that glowed green, except during the 24 hours following a fatal traffic accident, when it glowed red. The spear was restored after the 1999–2004 restoration.

In 1949, Vulcan gained new neighbors, when two television stations, WAFM-TV (now WVTM) and WBRC located their studios and towers on Red Mountain.

Centennial facelift

Photograph of Vulcan dated to January 1990. The photograph shows how the statue looked prior to the 1999–2004 restoration.
To celebrate Birmingham's centennial, the area around the statue was given a $1 million facelift in 1971. The original tower was clad in Alabama marble with an elevator and observation deck added. A covered walkway also connected a gift shop and snack bar. Vulcan was repainted a rust red a few years later. Vulcan was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 1976.

Unfortunately, the statue itself had, when originally placed atop the pedestal, been filled up to the chest with concrete and had begun to deteriorate seriously due to different expansion and contraction rates of concrete versus cast iron. By 1990, an engineering study found that the statue was in danger of collapse.

1999–2004 restoration

Vulcan was removed during October and November 1999 in preparations for a $14 million renovation process that saw the park and pedestal restored to its original 1938 appearance. The statue sat in Vulcan Park's parking lot until the fall of 2001, when it was shipped to Robinson Iron to be repaired. The statue itself was thoroughly inspected and repaired, with some parts, including the lost spear point, re-cast. The new and restored pieces were thoroughly coated with a durable paint system, including a light-gray finish coat dubbed "Vulcan Gray" by the specifier.

Meanwhile, in 2002, the 1971 park additions were demolished, and scaffolding went up around Vulcan's tower. Workmen cleaned and repaired the original tower. Vulcan's head and right arm went on display at the Birmingham Museum of Art while the tower was prepared.

Vulcan was re-erected on a steel armature atop his tower during June 2003, restored to its original appearance as intended by Moretti, slightly reoriented to the east. Television stations WVTM and WBRC both provided live webcams of the reinstallation.

Shortly after the statue was reinstalled, the scaffolding came down, and a new observation deck, providing panoramic views of the area, was installed. The museum at the base was rebuilt and a new elevator was installed, but oriented so it would not be easily seen from downtown Birmingham. The original waterfalls were not rebuilt, though the stone walkways leading from the parking lot directly to Vulcan's tower were restored. The statue and park were officially reopened in 2004, celebrating Vulcan's 100th birthday. In 2004, Vulcan Park welcomed more than 100,000 visitors who enjoyed the statue's spectacular view of downtown Birmingham.

The restoration project received a National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2006.

Vulcan Park and Museum

Vulcan Park and Museum (VPM) features views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham's story, and a beautiful 10-acre (4 ha) urban green space for visitors and locals to enjoy. In May 2007, Vulcan Park and Museum was designated an official Birmingham Information Center by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau and offers information on transportation services, restaurants, events and other cultural offerings in Birmingham.

Vulcan Park and Museum is operated by Vulcan Park Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and promote Vulcan as the symbol for the Birmingham region, to advance knowledge and understanding of Birmingham's history and culture, and to encourage exploration of the region.
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