Bayview, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Bayview is a community in Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
. The community is built around Bayview Lake. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area
. Bayview voted to be annexed by its nearest town of Mulga
. However, Bayview today retains its own community identity.
by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co. (TCI) for workers employed at the Mulga coal mine
and their families. It was a model community when it was created and it received an award at the New York World's Fair
. The community included a commissary
for shopping, doctor's office, schools, community center/library, churches, and parks. Public bus service was available to other communities in the county.
This community typically consisted of two-, three-, four-, and five-room houses that were owned by TCI and rented to the workers. The rent was USD $2.00 per room per month for the TCI employees living in the homes. Later TCI eliminated the rental program and sold the homes to the workers. TCI was later purchased by U.S. Steel
corporation.
The Mulga mine flooded and was eventually closed. Some residents in the community then worked at the nearby Edgewater mine. Today, residents in Bayview work for businesses across the county and are not exclusively associated with the mining
industry.
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The community is built around Bayview Lake. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area
Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area
The Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL CSA sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is made up of 8 counties in Central Alabama....
. Bayview voted to be annexed by its nearest town of Mulga
Mulga, Alabama
Mulga is a town in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. At its 2000 census the population was 973. This town includes the community of Bayview. Its communities were damaged by an F5 tornado on April 8,...
. However, Bayview today retains its own community identity.
History
It was developed as a company townCompany town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co. (TCI) for workers employed at the Mulga coal mine
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
and their families. It was a model community when it was created and it received an award at the New York World's Fair
New York World's Fair
New York World's Fair may refer to:* 1939 New York World's Fair* 1964 New York World's Fair...
. The community included a commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
for shopping, doctor's office, schools, community center/library, churches, and parks. Public bus service was available to other communities in the county.
This community typically consisted of two-, three-, four-, and five-room houses that were owned by TCI and rented to the workers. The rent was USD $2.00 per room per month for the TCI employees living in the homes. Later TCI eliminated the rental program and sold the homes to the workers. TCI was later purchased by U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
corporation.
The Mulga mine flooded and was eventually closed. Some residents in the community then worked at the nearby Edgewater mine. Today, residents in Bayview work for businesses across the county and are not exclusively associated with the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
industry.