Was’nt Trotwood Park located roughly where the fish pond in the old Eastlake Park was in the 1950s? Haven’t been out in that section of B’ham in many years but recall some talk of Trotwood being located in the park at East Lake when I attended Howard College in late ‘
40s.
Joe McKnight
Yes… And the city leaders demolished the 2nd oldest race track in the nation a couple years ago and publicly celebrated it’s demolishing… I will never forget this for the rest of my life.
My Daddy told me about Vulcan being at the Fair Grounds when he was young. He said they hired him to collect Pigeon eggs and paid him according to how many eggs he collected. A form of birth control for the pesky birds.
Sandy Wahl I love the story of Vulcan it doesnot get enough press . I was raised above the fairgronds but during 50’s and 60’s do it was already at its present location . I could see it’s torch lite from the wraparound porch on our house!
Daddy said it was moved in 1935 to Red Mountain. I should have asked him how they did that. He said all the so called roads were wagon or pig trails with a lot of switch backs.
My grandfather saw it at the worlds fair I believe. The base it was set on was paid by donations I believe . I remember that school children gave their nickels snd dimes to help set it. I believe the CCC did the waterfalls which probably are not their any more. My sister who was a lot older than me claimed the ladder up in the statue.
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Was’nt Trotwood Park located roughly where the fish pond in the old Eastlake Park was in the 1950s? Haven’t been out in that section of B’ham in many years but recall some talk of Trotwood being located in the park at East Lake when I attended Howard College in late ‘
40s.
Joe McKnight
News to me
Did Dan Patch ever race there?
Sure did, even set a world record in the mile on Nov 10, 1903 here
Fantastic. I used to live in western Wisconsin and heard a lot about Dan Patch. They still celebrate Dan Patch Days in Savage, MN every year.
[…] My research started when I wrote, Did you know Birmingham, Alabama had two flourishing horse racetracks? […]
and later the boys from hueytown made history there as well.
i had no idea..it’s really a shame birminghamd never flourished as it could have…mush as nashville,charlotte,and atlanta have done….
An once a race track
Rebecca Green McAnnally looks like you’re still in print! Haha
Interesting to know.
Yes… And the city leaders demolished the 2nd oldest race track in the nation a couple years ago and publicly celebrated it’s demolishing… I will never forget this for the rest of my life.
They do the stupidest things because they now have the power.
Is this how the original Vulcan statue looked?
I found this Wikipedia article and it looks nothing like the one depicted there: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_statue
Yes, it is the same one. We’ve only had one in Birmingham but it has been refurbished over the years.
This is an interesting vignette in Birminham history and gratifying to see a note about an ancestor of mine, Col. JFB Jackson.
My Daddy told me about Vulcan being at the Fair Grounds when he was young. He said they hired him to collect Pigeon eggs and paid him according to how many eggs he collected. A form of birth control for the pesky birds.
Sandy Wahl I love the story of Vulcan it doesnot get enough press . I was raised above the fairgronds but during 50’s and 60’s do it was already at its present location . I could see it’s torch lite from the wraparound porch on our house!
Daddy said it was moved in 1935 to Red Mountain. I should have asked him how they did that. He said all the so called roads were wagon or pig trails with a lot of switch backs.
My grandfather saw it at the worlds fair I believe. The base it was set on was paid by donations I believe . I remember that school children gave their nickels snd dimes to help set it. I believe the CCC did the waterfalls which probably are not their any more. My sister who was a lot older than me claimed the ladder up in the statue.
Wow…Great history.
Wow..great history. Last time I was there, many years ago, you had to climb the steps but were allowed out side on a fenced platform to view the city.