By the time of this photograph (ca. 1920), one in ten persons in Birmingham owned an automobile. By the late 1920's, traffic lights were installed downtown and in many suburban communities.

In just 41 years, Birmingham became a booming city. By 1912, Birmingham citizens proudly proclaimed the intersection of First Avenue North and 20th Street as "The Heaviest Corner on Earth."

In 1916, Birmingham's streetcar system was one of the largest in the US. It boasted 250 miles of track and an estimated 135,000 riders per day.

Car parks were unusual when these stores were built on Five Points Circle in 1926. But, developers recognized their convenience to those owning an automobile.

* Images used with the permission of the Birmingham Library

© 2003. The Highlands