The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-09
Catalan Home One of Birming-
hams Landmarks
MAKES WAY FOR BUSINESS
Brick Structure Opposite Courthouse
Was Scene of Important Events
q in Early History of
Birmingham.
BY WALTER HARPER.


Birmingham, primarily is town with
out sentiment.
1t is not yet old enough to possess those
fine feelings of retrospective tenderness.
1t is young and busy. We are money
mad
Yet there are moments and occasions
when some of the older citizens, the pi-
oneers of the community, are made to
bow their heads and drop a tear of sad
ness in the lap of the frightening past
Birmingham is little more than quar-
ter of a century old Just a brief space
of time in the history of a country's or
a city's building, but it is ripe in expert
ence and broad activities.
Fortune has been both kind and unkind
to the daring spirits who have fiirted with
her in Jones valley during the primary
years of this towns building. Hardy
pioneers have gone to their graves with
out the reward that is seemingly due them
for the service they did in the community.
Others have prospered and lived to see
the full realization of their dearest
dreams.
Several stages in the building of this,
the greatest Industrial city in the south,
have been passed. More than once ven
lures have been made that seemed to be
in advance of the times BY slow de-
grees the town has grown up to these
advance builders and laid the predicate
for still greater ventures.
While some daring spirits were always
optimistic and aggressive, daring to tread
the stony, unmarked hillside blazing out
the paths of progress, the average citizen
for the first quarter of a century felt his
way carefully, building for today and hop
! ing for the morrow.
But the day of experimentation has
passed In this district.
We have reached that stage where every
step forward is made with elaboration
and for permanence.
Birmingham has found its normal gait
and its progress is merciless.
Landmarks that may be dear, even
sacred, to some of us, will be sacrificed
on the altar of the new and permanent
development. They are already falling
about us.
The old people of the district who twined
their fondest dreams about these OLD
landmarks, may stand by and weep, but
the young, blind money spirit that is
+ now in control of development is heart
less.
| One of the Oldest and most noteworthy
landmarks of Birmingham is now being
RACED at the corner of Fourth avenue
and Twenty-first street
The old Mike Catalan home was the
first brick residence in Jones valley II
| was completed in November of 1872, and
/ ftlh4I1n ,0fafr ofar
moved into it with his family.
| Before this building was erected Mr.
! Catalan and his family lived in a small
| two-room wooden structure Just in the
rear Of the brick on Fourth avenue This
building is still standing, and is used
+ for the office of q messenger service 1t
originally sat long way to the avenue, but
has since been turned with the gable to-
ward the avenue.
| In this old building the first Catholic
mass In Birmingham was celebrated.
Frank Catalan, the well-known Birming-
ham attorney, was also born in this old
building Just before the completion of the
new brick residence.
The brick residence, which is now being
! torn down to make room for a modern
business structure, was at the time of its
erection the most conspicuous building in
Jones valley and was the rendezvous of
oii .ic hotdDIe people or the community.
as well as all prominent visitors.
Great men in all walks of life who WIS.,
tied the district in those good old DAYS
were entertained at the Catalan home. n
was the scene Of many brilliant social az
fairs. 1t Is also the cradle in which many
of the large Industrial undertakings in the
district was laid and fostered.
Mayor Frank P. O'Brien furnished Ybe
sash, doors and blinds for the structure
and also painted the building. AT that
time Captain O'Brien occupied one OF
the first brick business houses In the town
located at the corner of Second avenue
and Twenty-f1rst street, opposite the Jef-
ferson County Savings Bank building.
The first brick building in Birmingham
was two-story structure on First ave-
nue., between Eighteenth and Nineteenth
streets. 1t was on lot No II. in block
80. 1t is now known as No. 1915 First
avenue and is occupied by soft drink
and tobacco establishment
1t is worthy of note that the first news,
paper In Birmingham was published on
the second floor of this building. The Elv-
ton Sun was brought over from EIvton
and for some time was published fron,
this place.
Situation at HartseIe.
Hartseile, October ESPECIAL Much
ho