Our Roots

A Rich History

From farming homesteads and iron ore mines to railroad lines and one of Birmingham’s most beloved neighborhoods, Crestline Park’s story is woven into the fabric of Alabama history.

1925 Map of Shades Valley showing the Crestline area

Historic McElwaine Area Map — Red Mountain & Crestline

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Pre-1800s → 2026

Pre-1800s

Farming Heritage

Before the mines came, these hills were farmland. Homesteads dotted the ridges, with teams of mules and oxen working the land. The McElwain community grew around farming families, a church, and a cemetery that still stands today.

1800s

Mining Heritage

The hills beneath Crestline were rich with iron ore. The Dago, Huron, and Wilkemont mines operated throughout the area, connected by the Birmingham Mineral Railroad's Red Gap Branch. These mines shaped the landscape we live on today.

1875

McElwain Cemetery

One of the oldest landmarks in Crestline — established as the burial ground for workers and families of Wallace McElwain's Cahaba Iron Works. Listed on the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register, May 2024.

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1887

The Ghost on Jowers Lane

A street in our neighborhood is named for the widow of a man who fell into molten iron at Alice Furnace. The company built her a house right here. And his ghost became the most famous haunting in Alabama.

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1895

McElwain Baptist Church

Families gathered under shade trees on Euclid Avenue before building their own church on December 27, 1895. For 125 years it was the center of community life in McElwain.

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Early 1900s

Neighborhood Takes Shape

As mining declined, the hills and valleys transformed from industrial land into residential streets. The ridges, hollows, and winding roads all trace back to the area's geological and mining past.

1972

CNA Founded

The Crestline Neighborhood Association was established as part of Birmingham's citizen participation program, giving residents a unified voice on zoning, safety, infrastructure, and community life.

2020s

Community Renaissance

The Crestline Park Community Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3). The Shades Creek Greenway expansion and renewed advocacy for traffic safety mark a vibrant new chapter.

2026

Digital Preservation

Over 700 pages of CNA historical records — meeting minutes, agendas, zoning battles, legal correspondence, and community advocacy — have been professionally digitized. Decades of neighborhood history, now searchable and accessible to all.

Hidden Beneath Us

The Mining Legacy

Modern LiDAR imaging reveals what lies beneath our streets: a network of historic iron ore mines that once fueled Birmingham’s industrial revolution. The Dago, Huron, and Wilkemont mines, connected by the Birmingham Mineral Railroad, operated through the very hills our homes sit on.

These scans help us understand our terrain, plan for infrastructure, and appreciate the remarkable transformation from mining country to one of Birmingham’s most desirable neighborhoods.