Birmingham is The Magic City for many reasons including being home to amazing historic architecture. However, as time carries on and as new projects take shape, many of these magical buildings are left in the past to make room for the future. Let’s take a look at a few Birmingham buildings we’ve lost to history and why it’s important to preserve the ones still around.
Birmingham Terminal Station
After opening in April 1909, Birmingham Terminal Station became riders’ first welcome to The Magic City on its six rail-lines and 10 tracks. The station was designed by architect P. Thornton Marye using Beaux-Arts architecture and notable features included a 7,600 square foot waiting room with a decorative glass skylight. As passenger train transportation eventually decreased and efforts to repurpose the station were unsuccessful, its demolition began in September 1969.
Morris Hotel
Opened in 1891, Morris Hotel was an elite hotel and office building seen as an architectural wonder designed in French Renaissance-style. Some design elements of the hotel included a 2,000-piece stained glass skylight and a dining room adorned with crystal chandeliers and wood paneling. Many years and notable guests later, the hotel was demolished in 1958 with the plan to build a four-story parking garage.
Quinlan Castle
More recently, the demolition of Quinlan Castle took place in January 2022 after standing abandoned for nearly 30 years. Built in 1927, its design was inspired by European castles and its towering structure reflected medieval-style elements with its stone exterior, corner turrets and courtyard. Until the mid-90s, it was utilized as an apartment complex consisting of 72 apartments. In 2008, the building was obtained by Southern Research, but was never re-opened before its 2022 demolition.
While these buildings and others have been torn down, there is importance in preserving Birmingham’s past. These structures reflect the city’s charm and historic timeline, and were built with beautiful design elements and styles we rarely see today. They also provide economic benefits as they have the opportunity to be updated and repurposed for future businesses and projects. Advocating for their restoration, supporting current businesses housed in them and raising awareness through education and conversation all play their part in keeping Birmingham’s history alive and thriving.
References
Durán-Whyte, N. (2023, May 9). Preserving Our Past: Celebrating Historic Preservation Month and Saving the Buildings We Love. Downtown Birmingham. https://downtownbhm.com/news/preserving-our-past-celebrating-historic-preservation-month-and-saving-the-buildings-we-love/
Garrison, Greg. (2022, January 7). Quinlan Castle demolition begins: Iconic Birmingham apartments coming down after 95 years. AL. https://www.al.com/news/2022/01/demolition-begins-on-quinlan-castle.html
Gray, J. (2018, October 17). How Birmingham's iconic Terminal Station was lost to a wrecking ball in 1969. AL. https://www.al.com/news/erry-2018/10/f94dfa70dc6764/how-birminghams-iconic-termina.html
Morris Hotel. (n.d.). Bhamwiki. https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Morris_Hotel