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Photos by Gary Lloyd.
Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation President Amy Peterson O'Brien gives remarks during the stone gateways dedication ceremony on Jan. 28.
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Photos by Gary Lloyd.
George Glenn, the first baby born in the Cahaba Project, points out his brick at the Parkway Drive stone gateway.
Tommy Trimm thought his company lost its chance.
Trimm Landscapes, Inc. had been reviewing materials and researching prices to place an accurate quote on constructing three stone gateways in Trussville’s historic Cahaba Project, a project spearheaded by the Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation. Months went by, but the hard work paid off.
Trimm Landscapes, Inc. earned the job, and the gateways were officially dedicated on Jan. 28, after work began in September 2023.
“I live in the neighborhood, so it was important to me to be able to do the project because I thought, well, my granddaughter can see these signs and she can say, ‘Hey, my grandfather put these signs up,’” Trimm said. “So much of our work, we never see it again. We do a project for somebody, and we put a lot of work into it, and it’s kind of bittersweet because when you get finished, you never see it again. But I live two blocks down the street, and I’m going to see these things every single day of my life. That’s why it was an important project for us to do.”
Trimm Landscapes, Inc. constructed stone gateways on three Cahaba Project boundaries: Magnolia Mall, the corner of Chalkville Mountain Road and Poplar Street, and the corner of Parkway Drive and Poplar Street. The sandstone gateway designs were based on the original sandstone entrance at the Parkway Drive and Main Street intersection. The gateways were made possible by more than 200 personalized brick orders and sponsorship and support from AmFirst Credit Union, Amerex Corporation, Hero Doughnuts and Buns, Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Zeke Smith of Alabama Power Company, the Bell and Reich families, Mayor Buddy Choat, the Trussville City Council, the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Trussville Public Library, Commissioner Joe Knight, the Jefferson County Commission, the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, state Sen. Shay Shelnutt, state Rep. Danny Garrett, U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer and the Alabama Department of Tourism.
“This is so unique to Trussville,” Garrett said. “I think it’s so appropriate that it describes the history of Trussville. It’s a unique area, one of a kind in the United States. They add so much character and complement the character of the Project area, and we’re just so excited for how they look and what they’re going to mean.”
More than 50 people attended the dedication ceremony, including George Glenn, the first baby born in the Cahaba Project. A brick at the Parkway Drive gateway notes his claim to fame.
“It’s a pleasure for me to be a part of this celebration,” he said. “I think Trussville is the best place in the world to be raised, and I had all 85 years of it here in Trussville. I’ve enjoyed being here, and it’s been a real asset to me and my family.”
I think Trussville is the best place in the world to be raised, and I had all 85 years of it here in Trussville.
George Glenn
Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation President Amy Peterson O’Brien led the dedication ceremony, mixing history, project particulars and thank-yous in a 14-minute speech.
Photos by Gary Lloyd.
George Glenn, the first baby born in the Cahaba Project, points out his brick at the Parkway Drive stone gateway.
“It’s a day that recognizes our past and our present in a very visible and tangible way,” O’Brien said. “The name and dates of our historic village, the people honored by these bricks and the bronze dedication plaque all tell Trussville’s story. By design, these gateways are a beautiful way to welcome people to Trussville’s historic district for generations to come.”
Ralph Mitchell, a former Trussville city councilman who lives in the Cahaba Project, said gateways were planned years ago but never built.
“Well, it finally came true,” he said. “Now, it’s been done. It’s complete. It’s wonderful. It’s such a tribute to the neighborhood, to the city, to the city leaders, and to the Cahaba [Homestead Heritage] Foundation that put it all together.”
As the dedication ceremony ended, Peter Reich unveiled the bronze plaque accompanying the Parkway Drive gateway, which describes the project and key contributors. O’Brien said the stone gateways are “dedicated to the Americans who built the Cahaba Project during the Great Depression, honoring the legacy of their labor and service.” That legacy, she said, continues today with a thriving historic district.
“This community has seen times of Great Depression and great cooperation, times of war and peace,” O’Brien said. “This community knows the name of the first baby born here in 1938. Collectively, this community has mourned the loss of its daughters and sons. Collectively, it has prayed and has persevered. These homes and this neighborhood have been the backdrop and the heart of nearly 100 years of families living out Alabama history and our nation's history, day by day, year by year.”
