
Reprints of the promotional magazines of Birmingham’s prominent developer, Jemison & Co. “These Jemison people... have unquestionably helped build Birmingham right. The thing is apparent on its face in the buildings they have erected, the enterprises they have financed, and the home places they have literally wrested from the mountain sides and woodlands.”—Sam Trufant Jr., The New Orleans Times-Picayune, February 1929. Reprints of the promotional magazines of Birmingham’s prominent developer, Jemison & Company These pages from The Jemison Magazine tell of the creation of Jemison & Company’s Mountain Brook in forested slopes near Birmingham, the industrial center of the South. The Magazine was widely distributed to potential lot and home buyers from 1926 to 1930. Filled with images depicting the allure of country liv-ing—gentle brooks, scenic views, woodland beauty, children outdoors—it also highlights the sporting amenities and modern conveniences available in the new community. And the issues read as a who’s who of Birmingham in the era. Mountain Brook begins as an investment in planning unparalleled in the region. Along rugged ridges, the firm’s designers select home sites, build roads and bridges, and construct model estates and community amenities, including the Old Mill tea room, a commercial village, a school, a riding academy, riding trails, a country club, and a golf course. The investment creates a park-like residential area and long-term real es-tate values. Specializing in real estate development, property management, mortgage banking, and investments, Robert Jemison Jr.’s firm claims to be the largest such organization, under one roof, in the South. The company’s pride in Birmingham and its “crowning achievement,” Mountain Brook, make for fascinating reading.
Page Count:
179
Publication Date:
2012-01-01
ISBN-10:
0943994373
ISBN-13:
9780943994376
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