Red Mountain Park

major THANKS.

Content Editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:36:15 +0000

We would like to thank Action Environmental for donating some of their time and attention toward the Mt. Olive cemetery this week. Jeff Newman captured a great photo of the team after they finished clearing a large portion of the land–their job was to get rid of the privet on the property, and what a great job they did.

So this week’s blog goes out to the folks at Action–thank you from Red Mountain Park!

Action Environmental Volunteers

Impressed.

Content Editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:30:50 +0000

Birmingham Southern. Miles. UAB. Lawson State. Samford. Montevallo.

I am impressed with the overwhelming opportunities this area provides through these institutions. I am excited about the relationships the park project will create with each of these institutions and some of these relationships have already taken their roots–for example, UAB with our oral history project. There are other departments within different schools that we are continuing to reach out to: history, athletics, digital community studies, technology, engineering….

I plan to make the most of these incredible local resources and to also offer back benefit for their purposes. It’s another great way to continue to build this community into the park.

Newest Staff Addition

Content Editor — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:28:35 +0000

The park staff has grown with the addition of a part time maintenance position. Jeff Newman has been hired to work on maintaining our park trails–he has done an incredible job creating the trails that allow for our monthly public tours. He’s had a cold past couple of days out on the property, but did seem to make the most of the weather in building a helper for cutting down some privet..(see photo)

Look for Jeff’s bio soon on the staff page!

the new RMP maintenance (snow)man

Great Weekend with a Camp Kid

Content Editor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:40:01 +0000

Paul Stokes came to pay us a visit all the way from Texarkana, Texas. He grew up in the Ishkooda mining camp and has incredible memories of his life as a Red Mountain camp kid. We were able to listen to his stories and pick his brain about life on the mountain. If was a fun-filled, educational weekend and we are grateful for his visit.

Since his visit last week, we have begun to make contact with more camp kids that Paul knew and look forward to the other stories that are soon to head our way.

Paul looks at the No. 13 entrance where his father sometimes worked.

We capture Paul's description of how the park looked back in its heyday.

Paul tells us the story of watching the skip cars fly from the slope up the the tipple at No. 13.

Archeology @ RMP

Content Editor — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:52:35 +0000

I wanted to share a couple of photos from the work going on at the property lately….shovel tests done by Jack Bergstresser, Marty Schulman, and helpful students from UAB. Photos courtesy of Eric McFerrin.

Marty, Sarah Clarke, and Kelly Jackson

Jack and Chrystel Carlisle

What are you doing this weekend?

Content Editor — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:30:53 +0000

If you don’t have any plans for the weekend(or even if you do!), you should consider coming out to the park this Sunday, January 20th at 2:00 p.m. for our public hike through the park. We have a great time every time- you will learn some cool things and hopefully become excited about this project.

Let us know if you have any questions for us at all: (205) 254-1909. We will begin the tour at the Frankfurt Drive cul-de-sac which is located off of Lakeshore Parkway. Complete details and directions can be found here :http://www.friendsofredmountainpark.org/wp/park-tours/

See you Sunday on Red Mountain!

happens every time

Content Editor — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:49:58 +0000

You never know who you’ll meet. Or at least I never seem to.

Oxmoor Neighborhood Association Meeting: January 11, 2010

Each time I present the park to a group, I end up leaving with new information about Red Mountain and Birmingham. I always meet someone who provides another piece to the puzzle. At last night’s gathering with the park’s Oxmoor neighbors, I met a room full of people with park knowledge. There were 4 people who had very strong connections with the park’s history: 2 women who had valuable information about the Oxmoor and Mount Olive mining cemeteries, a woman who tragically lost her father in a mining accident on Red Mountain, and a man who worked underground in the number 14 mine.

Oxmoor Neighborhood Association Meeting: January 11, 2010

Their personal ties to the mountain made the Oxmoor Neighborhood Association a special group to talk to. It was fun to let them know about the latest plans for the park’s arrival. I presented the park’s master plan and talked about 2 things: how we are building the park into the community, and how we are building the community into the park.

Don’t miss the first tour of 2010!

Content Editor — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:17:40 +0000

We are back at it with our public tours–it is a fun way to preview the park pre-construction. You will get some fresh air, good exercise, and a remarkable Birmingham history lesson. That’s this Sunday, January 17th at 2:00 p.m.

We will start in our usual meeting place, the Frankfurt Drive cul-de-sac. Frankfurt Drive is off of Lakeshore Parkway. Heading West on Lakeshore from I-65, Frankfurt Drive is 1.4 miles past its intersection with West Oxmoor Road. Across the street from the Frankfurt turn is a small shopping center with a Subway and nail salon. Park along Frankfurt.

Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the tour departs to sign waiver forms and to meet your tour guides. I will see you there. Remember that dogs are welcome, too!

Oxmoor Neighborhood Association Meeting

Content Editor — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:58:26 +0000

Our second NA visit of 2010 will be this coming up Monday, January 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Shady Grove Baptist Church, located at 2581 Wenonah Oxmoor Road. I’ll either see you there or let you know how it goes!

First Neighborhood Association Meeting of 2010- TONIGHT!

Content Editor — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:23:09 +0000

The 2010 year is off to a great start with several NA meetings scheduled over the next few weeks. The Neighborhood Associations are full of some of the people who are most excited about the park, and I look forward to speaking to each and every group. It’s a productive time to provide park updates and to answer any burning questions. Please check out the schedule below and feel free to join:

Tonight @ 6:00pm
Powderly Neighborhood Association
Henry Crumpton Community Center
346 Gloria Road

January 11, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
Oxmoor Neighborhood Association
Shady Grove Baptist Church
2581 Wenonah Oxmoor Road

January 19, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m.
Garden Highlands Neighborhood Association
Mount Hillard Baptist Church
2611 24th Street, SW

January 26, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Tarpley City Neighborhood Association
Lawson State Library
3060 Wilson Road

February 1, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
West Goldwire Neighborhood Association
Lawson State Library
3060 Wilson Road