Photo by Savannah Schmidt
An aerial view of the convergence of U.S. 31 and Colombiana Road in Vestavia Hills.
Vestavia Hills just marked its 75th anniversary. Now the city is looking ahead to the next 75 years.
The city is made up of several distinct communities — historic Vestavia Hills, Cahaba Heights, Rocky Ridge, Patchwork Farms and Liberty Park — each contributing to its identity and diversity.
Vestavia Hills is projected to grow to nearly 50,000 residents in the coming decades, with new investment reshaping Liberty Park and development spreading east. But the city’s future success will hinge on whether it can balance growth with the values that made it thrive in the first place.
“The sustenance of our city economically and culturally required good planning and continued commitments to the institutions that were priorities for our founders,” City Manager Jeff Downes said. “An excellent education system, commitment to public safety and a careful use of resources that reflect the community's priorities.”
Vestavia Hills incorporated in 1950, with the annexation of Liberty Park in the 1990s under Mayor Pat Reynolds. This allowed for essential land development for schools and recreation, supporting long-term stability. Cahaba Heights was annexed during Mayor Scotty McCallum’s term, expanding the city’s geography and improving infrastructure connectivity from Interstate 65 to Liberty Park.
Downes anticipates an investment of more than $850 million in Liberty Park over the next 10 to 15 years, highlighting the area’s economic growth potential.
The local school system, funded primarily by property taxes, serves as a foundation for community attraction and stability, emphasizing the importance of educational quality.
“Vestavia Hills is the home to people who are high achievers and are committed to their families and giving back to the community,” Downes said. “As a result, our residents demand and enjoy a top-notch education system. It is the envy of all Alabamians. On top of this, Vestavia Hills is safe, has great natural beauty and prioritizes quality-of-life investments. These priorities allow Vestavia Hills to stand apart from other communities.”
PLACE THAT STANDS APART
The youth of Vestavia Hills will largely be responsible for what Vestavia will become in the decades to follow.
Part of the initiative for creating leaders, even at a young age, is Youth Leadership Vestavia. The group is made up of students at Vestavia Hills High School who take an active role in the student body and work to “make a big school feel small.”
One of those is senior Baker Stewart, who has lived in Vestavia his entire life — like his father and grandfather before him. His family is deeply rooted in the city that he describes as large in size but small in feel.
“The thing about growing up here is everyone pretty much knows everyone,” Stewart said. “You have kids that grow up together whose parents were also friends when they were growing up.”
Stewart envisions the future of Vestavia Hills to have a more centralized town center, allowing for more community events to be held in one place.
“If you go to Homewood and Mountain Brook, they have a homecoming parade through the center of their town,” Stewart said. “It just gives off a more tight-knit feel. It would be hard for us to do that with the way the city is structured now, but maybe over time we develop a more centralized town center?”
Stewart said whatever the future of Vestavia looks like, he hopes that the history of what has kept Vestavia thriving for 75 years will continue.
“I think it is really important that Vestavia never loses the sense of community we have,” Stewart said. “It really is a version of Mayberry, where you walk around and everybody says hello to you. It is a place that is just really top of the line, and I only see that continuing in the future.”
It was the small-town feel that immediately drew senior Vivian Shi to embrace the community she found herself calling home seven years ago when her family relocated from Cleveland, Ohio.
“I was immediately drawn to the people of this community,” Shi said. “I have lived in five different states across the United States from Wisconsin to Texas, and there is truly no place like Vestavia. Everyone here is so kind and welcoming and there is a genuine connection among the community’s residents that no other place matches.”
Shi, also a member of the high school’s Youth Leadership Program, said something she hopes will continue growing over time is more community events — especially during the summer months.
“I always look forward to events like ‘I Love America Night,’” Shi said. “If we had more movie nights or local concerts, it could bring our community even closer. I think it is important for people to understand it is our community that sets us apart, and no one knows how to grow it better than the people that make it. I hope our city continues to welcome everyone and spread its joy.”
Senior Sela Rickert, the current president of the Youth Leadership Program, said she loves that Vestavia continues to add more restaurants and recreational community spaces.
“I think there are some sidewalk master plans happening, and I love that because seeing everyone out walking is something I love about our city,” Rickert said. “If I were to come back and raise my kids here, I would want to make sure the school system stays top-notch. It is just an amazing place to be able to grow up, and I would only want that to continue for future generations.”
PRESERVING PAST FOR FUTURE
Rocky Ridge Drug Co. owner Keri Bates, who serves as the chairwoman of the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce, said residents need to stay engaged for the city’s next 75 years.
“It is important to listen and learn from those who helped shape the city we live in today,” Bates said. “This will allow us to understand the reasons behind where we have come from. Engagement and shared responsibility will ensure that our growth stays true to the heart of Vestavia.”
Bates, a business owner herself, said businesses both big and small will play a key role in the city’s future growth.
“It is vital we support businesses whose owners and leaders feel a sense of responsibility to the community,” Bates said. “They do not always have to be small businesses, since larger businesses are important as well. But they should also be invested in Vestavia itself. We have seen in other communities what happens when businesses do not have ties to the place they operate in, and we must be intentional about who we invite into our city.”
Bates said Vestavia is the type of community where it provides residents with all of the conveniences they could want.
“Whether it is great restaurants, retail shops or grocery selections, you really do not have to leave Vestavia to find what you need,” Bates said. “I also love the emphasis we place on education and beautification, which makes Vestavia not just a safe place to live, but also a beautiful one.”
Vestavia Hills has grown as a city along U.S. 31.
Things that add to the city’s charm include known landmarks that Bates said are treasured parts of the city.
“The Sybil Temple is a part of our history, and preserving those symbols of our heritage is vital,” Bates said. “Preserving does not always mean keeping things the same. It can also mean improving and reimaging while holding onto the spirit of what they represent. The revitalization along south Highway 31 is a great example of this balance, where the city can honor history while making thoughtful improvements to keep our city vibrant and beautiful.”
Sheila Bruce, former president of the Vestavia Hills Historical Society, has lived in the city for roughly 50 years.
One of her passions for the city she calls home has been preserving the past for future generations.
Bruce was instrumental in helping to digitize every record the Historical Society had, including scrapbooks dating back to the 1980s.
While Bruce officially stepped down from her role with the Historical Society in June, she hopes the next generation will continue the mission of preserving the past for decades to come.
Bruce imagines a virtual screen at City Hall where students can maybe browse photos, maps and additional information about the city.
Tait Stoddard, executive director of Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation, said those who live in Vestavia have a strong sense of purpose, and she hopes that purpose will always be lived out.
“We have a shared belief in investing in our schools, our families and our future,” Stoddard said. “Families are drawn here not only for the excellent school system, but for the long-standing sense of tradition.”
Whether Vestavia Hills will look drastically different in 75 years or not remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the next generation of leaders and residents will inherit both opportunity and responsibility — to manage growth, to honor the city’s traditions and to hold on to the qualities that made Vestavia thrive in its first 75 years.
VESTAVIA AT 75: THE SERIES
The official birthday is Nov. 8, but October makes more sense — better weather, fewer conflicts, and a chance to gather before the holidays take over.
For the past year, Vestavia Voice has been telling the stories behind that milestone. The people who shaped the city. The schools that built it. The decisions that set its future. What follows is a collection of those stories — one place to revisit 75 years of Vestavia Hills.
Commemorating 75 years of Vestavia Hills
From wolves on Shades Mountain to the vision of developer Charles Byrd, this story traces the journey from rugged ridge to thriving community of 37,000. Read the story here.
The vote that built Vestavia Hills
On Oct. 24, 1950, just 96 residents cast ballots on whether to incorporate. Eight voted no, 88 voted yes — and Vestavia Hills was born. Read the story here.
A historian’s front-row seat: Pat Boone unleashed
For more than two hours, longtime city attorney and civic leader Pat Boone recounted the city’s defining moments — from incorporation to desegregation battles, from annexations to his partnership with Sara Wuska. Read the story here.
Road to prosperity: How two boundary-crossing annexations reshaped Vestavia Hills' map and set its future
The annexations of Liberty Park in 1992 and Cahaba Heights in 2002 didn’t just expand the map — they secured Vestavia Hills’ path to growth, influence, and stability. Read the story here.
Schools that built a city: Vestavia system lives up to founders' dreams
Born in the turbulence of desegregation in 1970, Vestavia Hills City Schools have become the city’s soul — driving growth, identity, and achievement for generations. From federal scrutiny to national acclaim, the system has lived up to the vision of its founders. Read the story here.
Vestavia Hills City Schools: Key dates in the system's history
From the opening of East Elementary in 1948 to the district’s national honors in 2025, this timeline traces the milestones that defined Vestavia Hills City Schools. Read the story here.
From scrapbooks to the cloud: Shelia Bruce’s legacy of preservation
After nearly four decades with the Vestavia Hills Historical Society, Shelia Bruce has stepped back from leadership — but not before digitizing decades of archives to safeguard the city’s memory for future generations. Read the story here.
Grand Lady of Vestavia Hills: Sara Wuska broke barriers, built institutions
At 94, Sara Wuska remains one of the most influential figures in Vestavia Hills history — the city’s first and only female mayor, a founding member of its school board, and a leader whose imprint can still be felt today. She reflects on a life of public service and the legacy she helped shape. Read the story here.
Pillars of the Community: 75 for 75
A list of 75 key people and groups that helped make Vestavia Hills the city it is today. Read the story here.
