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Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
An aerial view of the shopping centers along U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills.
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Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
A 1964 aerial shot looking south on U.S. 31 and the sites of the developments of Vestavia Plaza, Warren Shopping Center and Todd’s Vestavia Mall.
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Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
George Ward stands in front of a sculpture of a woman. Ward constructed a model of the Roman Temple of Vesta in the mid-1920s at home and named the model “Vestavia.” The city later adopted this name for the new area.
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Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
From left, Sam King, Bill Breneman, Chief W. O. Haynes and M.C. Bottom stand outside at the first Vestavia Hills Police Department in 1960.
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Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
In 1960, Vestavia Hills Fire Department Chief J. H. Ayres stands in front of a fire truck with fire department members, from left, Keith Warren, Tommy Stewart, Bill Towers, Bobby White, Bill Maddox, Clyde Hutchinson, Lewis Harrison and Jimmy Vance.
For years, Vestavia Hills has been a place families have chosen to put down roots. But before it became a thriving city of 37,000, it was a rugged, untamed landscape — so wild that early explorer Andrew McLaughlin once claimed he spent five days trapped in a hickory tree after a pack of wolves chased him down Shades Mountain.
Much has changed since then. What was once considered an “unlivable wilderness” became an incorporated city on Nov. 8, 1950 — two weeks after 96 voters cast their ballots, 88 in favor — turning a growing suburb into an official municipality.
Now, as Vestavia Hills approaches its 75th anniversary, the city is launching a months-long celebration to reflect on its transformation. This feature marks the beginning of a series of stories leading up to the milestone. Throughout the year, the city and its residents will honor the journey from its early days to the thriving community it is today, with historical presentations, community gatherings and the 61st Dogwood Festival already underway.
“The early stories of Vestavia Hills are really quite remarkable when you think of what the city is like today,” said Sheila Bruce, president of the Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
A 1964 aerial shot looking south on U.S. 31 and the sites of the developments of Vestavia Plaza, Warren Shopping Center and Todd’s Vestavia Mall.
Reports in the early 1900s describe the area as heavily forested with rugged terrain, making accessibility difficult. It wasn’t until the 1940s and 1950s that people began moving up the mountain in greater numbers.
“A man by the name of Charles Byrd really helped develop so much of the city,” Bruce said.
Byrd, a real estate developer, saw potential in the wooded slopes of Shades Mountain and envisioned a community where families could settle. He dreamed of taming the wilderness into a thriving subdivision of 1,000 residents — despite skeptics who thought the terrain was too steep and isolated.
Among those who took a chance on Byrd’s vision was Sara Wuska, who moved to Vestavia Hills 69 years ago. She would later make history as the city’s first female mayor in 1984.
“Mr. Byrd opened properties out in the area, and he knew there was a need for more growth,” Wuska said. “We had three children at the time and needed more space. You could get more property for your money, and we decided to take a chance and move up here from Homewood.”
That decision wasn’t without its challenges.
“The mountain was very difficult to ascend,” Wuska recalled. “It was steep, curvy and isolated, but we recognized Byrd’s vision for a community where families could thrive. And we wanted a place for our children to grow up.”
Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
George Ward stands in front of a sculpture of a woman. Ward constructed a model of the Roman Temple of Vesta in the mid-1920s at home and named the model “Vestavia.” The city later adopted this name for the new area.
At the time of Vestavia Hills’ incorporation, only about 600 people lived in the city. Soldiers returning from World War II were looking for places to live, and the population soon began to swell.
“I think people were willing to take a chance on Vestavia because they recognized the need for more housing,” Wuska said. “Mr. Byrd was a pioneer because he had visions for what this city could be, and he really shaped it into what it is today.”
Byrd’s first major real estate success came in 1947, when he hosted an open house on Shades Crest Road.
“There were cars lined up and down,” Wuska said. “He couldn’t believe how many people had come to look. Soldiers were coming back from war, many living with in-laws because housing was scarce. They were eager to settle down, and they weren’t afraid of a big hill after what they’d been through.”
As more families arrived, Vestavia Hills transformed from a scattered collection of homes into a tight-knit community.
“In those days, we didn’t have air conditioning, so we kept our windows open,” recalled longtime resident Ruby Denson. “That meant we talked to our neighbors more, watched out for one another. We were always there when someone needed something.”
Denson, who describes herself as “90-ish,” moved to Vestavia Hills with her husband shortly after incorporation.
“I am very proud of the city,” Denson said. “It has just been a wonderful place to live over the years, and I have seen so much change that I could not be more proud of the way it is now.”
Wuska echoed that sentiment, remembering the early days of churches forming, garden clubs springing up, and families building lifelong friendships.
“Back in those days, garden clubs weren’t just women exchanging recipes,” Wuska said. “We were thinking of ways to make this city better.”
By the late 1950s, Vestavia Hills Shopping Center opened, providing residents with much-needed conveniences.
“When we got the shopping center in 1959, it had things like a grocery store, a drug store, a hardware store,” Wuska said. “We thought we had died and gone to heaven because we didn’t have to drive to Homewood for everything.”
Today, Vestavia Hills is home to roughly 37,000 people, with a nationally recognized school system and thriving neighborhoods.
The Vestavia Hills school system, established in 1970, remains one of the city’s strongest draws for new families. The city has also expanded, with Liberty Park joining in 1992 and Cahaba Heights in 2002.
Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
From left, Sam King, Bill Breneman, Chief W. O. Haynes and M.C. Bottom stand outside at the first Vestavia Hills Police Department in 1960.
Current Mayor Ashley Curry, who has lived in Vestavia Hills for more than 30 years, said the city has far exceeded its founders’ early aspirations.
“The founders envisioned a quiet village on top of Shades Mountain,” Curry said. “The growth of Vestavia Hills has been phenomenal — stretching from its original site on Shades Mountain some 20 miles northeast to Liberty Park. We’ve gone from 600 residents in 1950 to 37,000 today.”
Curry said surveys show that schools, safety and parks are among the top reasons families continue to choose Vestavia Hills.
“This is consistently the number one reason our citizens choose to live here,” Curry said. “Civic engagement is also very strong. We could not operate our city boards, sports teams and community activities without the involvement of our residents.”
Photos courtesy of Vestavia Hills Historical Society.
In 1960, Vestavia Hills Fire Department Chief J. H. Ayres stands in front of a fire truck with fire department members, from left, Keith Warren, Tommy Stewart, Bill Towers, Bobby White, Bill Maddox, Clyde Hutchinson, Lewis Harrison and Jimmy Vance.
For Wuska, the transformation has been remarkable.
“I have no doubt that the early founders would feel tremendous pride in seeing how far this community has come,” she said. “I know I’m partial, but I think it’s just the best place in the world.”
Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:56 a.m. on April 3 to correct the official incorporation date of the city to Nov. 8. The vote to incorporate took place about two weeks before on Oct. 24.
