Bush Hills

Located on the edge of Birmingham's City Center is Bush Hills, a beautiful historic neighborhood home to Birmingham-Southern College and an incredibly tight-knit community. Established in the 1920s, Bush Hills is known for its tranquil streets lined with well-preserved homes that are sure to charm. Prairie, Craftsman, ranch-style and Tudor homes make up the area, with prices ranging from $40,000 to $300,000. Members of this community are dedicated to consistently improving it. In 2017, the Bush Hills Neighborhood Association started Bush Hills Connections as one of its committees. It soon took on a life of its own, becoming a 501(c)(3) organization that connects local partners for revitalization projects.

Children in Bush Hills attend Princeton Elementary School, which is as old as the community itself. Today, it serves Kindergarten through fifth grade. Birmingham's first STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) school opened in Bush Hills in the fall of 2019. Bush Hills STEAM Academy is the first middle school of its kind in the city's school system to offer this kind of technology-based learning, utilizing tech like iPads to supplement lessons. Teenagers in the community attend Jackson-Olin High School, which offers two academies: the Academy of Health Science and the Academy of Horticulture.

Alabama's oldest baseball field sits at the southern edge of Bush Hills. Rickwood Field was the passion project of a young Birmingham industrialist named Rick Woodward. When he was still in his 20s, Woodward bought a controlling interest in Birmingham's baseball team, the Coal Barons. He then teamed up with Connie Mack to design the "finest minor league ballpark ever." The excitement around the ballpark was so intense that the entire city closed for business on the park's opening day on August 18, 1910. Over the years, some of the greatest players in baseball history have played at this iconic ballpark. The Yankees and Babe Ruth were frequent visitors, along with legends such as Rogers Hornsby and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Dizzy Dean lost 1-0 in one of the most famous games in the stadium's history. Generations of baseball fans have experienced the sport's magic, wonder and spectacle at this iconic ballpark.

A.G. Gaston Park is the spot where locals go to enjoy the outdoors. The park features open green space, ideal for kicking around a ball, playing frisbee or enjoying a picnic. Children can play at the park's colorful playground and a looping path circling the park for pleasant strolls. When area athletes want to live out their own iconic baseball moments, they can play ball at the park's field. McLendon Park is just east of the neighborhood, home to the iconic Legion Field. Fondly referred to as "The Old Gray Lady," Legion Field Stadium was established in 1927. Since then, the venue has gone from 21,000 seats to 71,000. The stadium is famous for hosting the annual Alabama-Auburn Iron Bowl, as well as UAB Blazers football games and soccer matches for the 1996 Olympics. Today, the stadium is home to the Magic City Classic, the largest Historically Black College and University classic in the United States. Local high school games, music festivals and more have all taken place at this legendary venue. Beyond stadium matches, McLendon Park also has soccer fields and basketball courts for friendly pickup games with neighbors.

The Bush Hills Community Garden sits at the site of the old Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. The 4-acres of communal garden plots grow an assortment of produce from potatoes and squash to fruits and leafy greens. Residents can grow their own produce to feed their families with healthy, wholesome food. As much as 50,000 pounds of produce is grown and distributed within the community annually—all at no cost to the residents. Beyond feeding the community, the garden serves as an educational opportunity for the area's children to learn about horticulture and biology. This is just one of many community initiatives implemented by Bush Hills Connection, which has made the old school its headquarters. Now called the Bush Hills Connections Complex, the building functions as a community center. It features a recreation center, auditorium and green spaces.

For jerk chicken that's off the chain, locals head to the casual Southern Carribean Restaurant. This gem serves tasty Jamaican staples. Another popular spot is Prive, which offers wings, mozzarella sticks and other standard sports bar fare. Bush Hills is also the home to Birmingham-Southern College's campus, making it a convenient place to live for students and faculty alike. It's this youthful energy, community revitalization and rich history that makes this neighborhood such a desirable place to call home.

Written By

Rebecca Frankel

Photography Contributed By

Griffin Holmes

Video By

Jacob McAllister