Birmingham lies in the north-central portion of Alabama in the southeastern region of the United States. Founded in 1871, after the American Civil War, Birmingham was established at the point where two railroads crossed above a rich set of mineral deposits and was named after its sister city in England.http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1421 The intersection of transportation and abundant natural resources, such as coal, limestone, and iron ore, combined to pave an industrial base in iron and steel. Built upon industry, the city has grown to be the largest population and business center in Alabama with a metropolitan population of over 1 million individuals.http://www.birminghamal.gov/about-birmingham.aspx

The city has moved away from its industrial roots and has been transformed into a service-based economy. It is home to an active medical research center, a significant banking base, and features the largest amount of green spaces by population in the country. Birmingham houses 99 historic neighborhoods and is considered the "cradle of the American Civil Rights Movement".http://www.birminghamal.gov/about-birmingham.aspx

First settled by the Creek Indians, the area was primarily an agricultural hub for cotton prior to the Civil War. James R. Powell proposed naming a new city in Jefferson County "Birmingham" after touring the steel city of Birmingham, England. The city was officially chartered in 1871 by the Alabama state legislature. The industrial steel production focus started with the construction of the Alice and Sloss furnaces. Birmingham became the primary industrial city in the region. After the stock market crash in 1929, the city was significantly impacted by the downturn in the economy, with many of the steel mills closing down. The outbreak of World War II saw the resurgence of the city's steel mills. After the war was over, Birmingham's economy began to diversify with the emergence of more than 140 new industries.http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1421

During the 1960s, Birmingham became a focal point in the Civil Rights movement. The movement saw racially motivated bombings of African American homes, the incarceration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after a demonstration, and the use of police dogs and fire hoses to attack demonstrators. One of the most noted events during the period was the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in which four young girls lost their lives. This event was noted as a major contributor to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1421

Birmingham lies at latitude 33° 38'N and longitude 86° 50'W.http://www.birminghamal.gov/about-birmingham.aspx The city boasts a metropolitan statistical area of 5,332 square miles that encompasses Bibb, Walker, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Chilton and St. Clair counties. At an average altitude of 620 feet above sea level, the city offers an average annual temperature of 61.8F.http://www.birminghamal.gov/about-birmingham.aspx

Birmingham sits in the Jones Valley at the southernmost tip of the Appalachian mountain range.http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1421 The terrain is hilly and mountainous with multiple branches of the Cahaba river system crossing the city and surrounding suburbs.http://www.cahabariversociety.org/about_the_cahaba.php

• Vulcan: The world's largest cast iron statue.http://www.visitvulcan.com/about-vulcan.html
• Birmingham Botanical Gardens: Gardens are situated on 67 acres with more than 25 different garden areas filled with walking paths, over 10,000 plant varieties and outdoor sculptures.http://www.bbgardens.org/index2.php
• Birmingham Zoo: 122 acre facility which is home to about 750 animals, including kangaroos and sea lions.http://www.birminghamzoo.com/about-us/
• McWane Science Center: A children's museum featuring exhibits and an IMAX theater.http://www.mcwane.org/
• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame: Features memorabilia from Alabama's sports heritage.http://www.ashof.org/index.php?submenu=AboutUs&src=gendocs&link=AboutUs&PHPSESSID=5305c0f7c3bf684e6459d13f44877ca4
• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: Offers permanent and traveling exhibitions focused around Birmingham's role in the Civil Rights movement.http://www.bcri.org/exhibitions/index.html

• Condoleezza Rice : Former Secretary of State
• Hugo Black : Supreme Court Justice
• Courteney Cox Arquette : Actress
• Nell Carter : Actress
• Ruben Studdard: Musician
• Bo Bice: Musician
• Taylor Hicks: Musician
• Kate Jackson: Actresshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ORttcMTWxI&feature=related