History

In 1886 iron and steel magnate Henry Fairfield DeBardeleben founded the City of Bessemer, Alabama. DeBardeleleben's dream was to make the city a steel center that would attract companies and people from all over the United States. In 1887 DeBardeleben bought 4,000 acres of land that was rich in coal, iron ore, and limestone (the materials needed for iron production) and marked off blocks for this new town along the rail lines of the Alabama Great Southern Railway.

In April of that same year the first commercial lots were sold and the town of Bessemer began to take shape.

Bessemer experienced a boomtown effect. Within only a few months the city's population reached a total of 1,000 citizens. In less than two years the population soared to 4,000. The city's growth was so phenomenal that it was nicknamed the "Marvel City." Growth was so rapid that DeBardeleben imported several buildings piecemeal via rail to facilitate the rapid growth of the town.

These buildings were the first of many beautiful downtown structures to be built during the following decades. Bessemer's downtown tells a rich history of a southern boomtown and the effects of the coal, iron, and rail industry on our area.

We hope that you enjoy your tour of our historic downtown and we encourage you to stop in and visit our many shops and restaurants along your route.