Early history and development

In 1800, the first settlers arrived in the area that is now known as Homewood. However, the area's population would not grow significantly until a cholera epidemic ravaged the city of Birmingham in 1873, an issue only made worse by the financial crisis brought on by the Panic of 1873.^[4] (See Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama).

Seeking new beginnings and safer living spaces, many Birmingham residents began moving out of the city, buying up land and developing communities in the surrounding areas. Many of the smaller communities which would eventually become Homewood were developed during this time period, including Rosedale, Grove Park, Edgewood, and Oak Grove.

Edgewood saw the greatest amount of development. The community had an electric railway leading to downtown Birmingham by 1911 and a man-made lake by 1915.^[5] The lake was created by the construction of a dam along Shades Creek near Columbiana Road. Two parallel roads were graded on either side of the lake with the intention of creating a race track around the lake, however these plans never came to fruition. The roads eventually became Lakeshore Drive and South Lakeshore Drive.

Incorporation

In 1926, a local attorney named Charles Rice started a movement to merge several of the communities surrounding Birmingham. In September of the same year, Rosedale, Edgewood, and Grove Park voted to incorporate under the name Homewood. The city of Hollywood, Alabama was annexed into Homewood in 1929.

In 1955, Oak Grove was also annexed into Homewood.^[5]

Great Depression and World War II

The Great Depression, beginning in 1929, greatly damaged Homewood's economy. Additionally, a polio epidemic, which sickened 80 children in Homewood, struck around the same time. However, the regional community and economy began to recover with the outbreak of World War II and the accompanying boom in Birmingham's steel industry, where production ramped up to support the war effort. Partly due to the steel boom, Homewood's population increased by 74% between 1940 and 1950.^[5]

Civil rights era

In 1959, Homewood voters defeated a move by Birmingham to annex the city. In July 1964, a second annexation attempt allegedly succeeded, but voting issues and lawsuits caused the Alabama Supreme Court to rule the election null and void in September 9, 1966 (See "City of Birmingham v. Bouldin"). In a special election on December 13, 1966, another vote for annexation failed with 65% of Homewood residents voting against it.^[5]

Homewood avoided the worst of the turmoil associated with the Civil Rights Movement and, more specifically, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's 1963 Birmingham campaign.^[5] However, in September 1963, the Shades Valley Sun newspaper reported on a racially motivated bombing on Central Avenue in Rosedale.^[6]

Homewood broke away created its own school system separate from the Jefferson County school system in 1970, opening the new Homewood High School in December 1972.^[5]

Hollywood

Hollywood is a former town annexed into Homewood, Alabama, in 1929. A historic district of much of the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Hollywood Historic District. The district is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 31, U.S. Highway 280, and Lakeshore Drive and is significant for the Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style of surviving houses and other buildings.^[7]

Clyde Nelson began developing Hollywood Boulevard as a residential subdivision in 1926. He employed a sales force of 75, armed with the memorable slogan "Out of the Smoke Zone, Into the Ozone", to entice Birmingham residents over Red Mountain. Architect George P. Turner designed many of the new homes in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, which had become fashionably linked with the glamour of Hollywood, California in the early days of the motion picture industry there. Turner also nodded to the English Tudor style which was already widespread in Birmingham and over the mountain.

The Hollywood Country Club on Lakeshore Drive (destroyed in 1984 by fire) and the American Legion Post 134 (originally Hollywood's Town Hall) were also built at this time.

In order to support his new development, Nelson created the area's first autobus line and extended the first natural gas pipeline into Shades Valley.

Hollywood incorporated as a town on January 14, 1927 with Clarence Lloyd as its first and only mayor. The town was annexed into Homewood on October 14, 1929. The Great Depression virtually ended development of the subdivision.

In 2002, the Hollywood Historic District was registered with the National Register of Historic Places, and is home to The American Institute of Architects (AIA)-nominated houses like 11 Bonita Drive. The listing includes 412 contributing buildings and one contributing site, over a 815 acres (330 ha) area.^[8]

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 26,414 people, 9,566 households, and 5,866 families residing in the city.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 25,167 people, 10,092 households, and 5,760 families living in the city. The population density was 3,032.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,170.7/km²). There were 11,385 housing units at an average density of 1,371.7 per square mile (529.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.696% White, 17.3% Black or African-American, 0.2% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 5,000% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 7.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[9]

Of the 10,092 households 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 34.4% of households were one person and 9.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.02.^[9]

The age distribution was 22.8% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% 65 or older. The median age was 29.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.^[9]

The median family income was $78,252. Males had a median income of $50,163 versus $41,023 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,601. About 5.1% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.^[9]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 25,043 people, 10,688 households, and 5,878 families living in the city. The population density was 3,014.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,164.0/km²). There were 11,494 housing units at an average density of 1,383.6 per square mile (534.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.75% White, 15.30% Black or African-American, 0.20% Native American, 2.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 2.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[9]

Of the 10,688 households 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.0% were non-families. 36.2% of households were one person and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87.^[9]

The age distribution was 20.3% under the age of 18, 17.8% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.^[9]

The median household income was $55,431 and the median family income was $70,256. Males had a median income of $40,969 versus $34,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,491. About 4.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.^[9]

Public schools

The Homewood City School System is made up of five schools, including three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school:^[15]

• Shades Cahaba Elementary School
• Edgewood Elementary School
• Hall Kent Elementary School
• Homewood Middle School
• Homewood High School

Colleges and universities

• Samford University