Evening star., 1951-10-19

KeQ q {
| |Cleorint
| Conducted by 3
BIRMINGHAM.
from Mrs. w. S. S.. Alexandria, J
Since both my husband and ]
grew up in Birmingham. we hope
this letter will be of some as
|sistance to you. I can only hope
you enjoy your stay in Birming-
ham as much as we enjoy living
In this area. ! think you will find
1T interesting and probably rather
different from your present loca-
tion. We have been away for five
years, but as ! have been back for
long visits with our families each
year perhaps ! viii have enough
information to help you.
The city's industry is based to a
large extent upon the steel mills
which are interesting and some
times spectacular. Birmingham
lies in Jones Valley and one Of
the loveliest residential sections In
the world spreads over Red Noun
tain into Shades Valley and up
Shades Mountain. The cities Of
Homewood and Mountain Brook
which are extensions Of Birming-
ham are full Of gracious and
lovely homes. The principal resi-
dental sections Of Birmingham
proper are Southside (the oldest
section and much of it quite
good. Norwood. East Lake, Wood
lawn and West End which con-
tain moderate income homes.
There are, of course. many new
subdivisions all over the city.
Most residential sections lie a
little further from the shopping
district. than you are probably ac-
customed to but public transpor-
tation is fast and frequent.
Until the period following
World War II. Birmingham was
never a city of apartment houses
but several good ones have been
built and the rentals are similar
to good apartments in this area
$40 to $50 or 500 for one bedroom
seems to be the average but I am
not sure enough Of this for you
to depend upon it. It is still pre-
dominantly city of houses. II
is my personal opinion that more
lis obtained for your housing dollar
In this area than there. assume
you are not interested In buying
and I just do not have recent in
formation on house rentals. ]
would suggest getting a copy OF
the Sunday Birmingham News OF
the daily News or the Post Herald
You can frequently obtain these
from one Of the newsstands in
Washington which handle out-of-
town papers. Most houses for
rent there probably will not be
furnished with stove or refrig-
orator as 1t has never been Gus
tomary. The newer apartments
will be.
There are good restaurants and
movies with fairly frequent dra-
matte attractions. There is q
good civic symphony and regular
lecture series. There are a good
many city parks, a large city audi
torium and a very attractive Civic
Center (City Hall. Court House,
'etc.). The large downtown office
buildings are modern and attrac-
tive. You would probably enjoy
llunching at Vestania (which is a
replica of a Roman temple atop of
Shades Mountain. There are ex-
Icellent country clubs which are
limited to membership but the
public golf course. tennis courts,
ETC., are very good. Birmingham
us becoming one Of the leading
medical centers of the South.
The climate is good. The sum-
mers are hot and the winters
sometimes quite cold. Last winter
lit was usually colder there than
here but the humidity is much
lower so that it has little or no
bearing on your comfort. Nights
in summer are usually cool and,
OF course. winter is shorter. Twas
there last year in late February
and March and enjoyed spring SO
much and then six weeks later
enjoyed it over again here. Some
times snnog is q problem. This
lis mixture Of smoke and fog but
it is not SO prevalent as it used
Ito be.
The shopping is excellent. There
are four or five large and excel
lent department stores and many
smaller stores ranging from ex-
pensive speciality shops to chair
dress stores. The stores are all
close together and shopping is
easy. Clothing prices are q little
higher than here in many cases
There are many good groceries
some independent, some chain
stores. These are equal in most
cases to groceries in this area.
Birmingham has always been q
city of churches and at one time