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.