The Bessemer Hall of History is a museum located in, and devoted to the history of, the city of Bessemer, Alabama.

Southern Railway Terminal Station
Southern Railway Depot
Bessemer Hall of History is located in Alabama
Bessemer Hall of History
Bessemer Hall of History is located in the United States
Bessemer Hall of History
Location1905 Alabama Ave., Bessemer, Alabama
Coordinates33°24′4″N 86°57′1″W / 33.40111°N 86.95028°W / 33.40111; -86.95028
Arealess than one acre
Built1916
NRHP reference No.73000348[1]
Added to NRHPFebruary 28, 1973

The museum is housed in the former Alabama Great Southern Railroad (later Southern Railway) depot in downtown Bessemer. The depot, built by the AGS in 1916, served passengers until the Amtrak era began in the early 1970s.[2] The building sat unused for several years, but was reopened by the city of Bessemer in 1985, and officially rededicated during the city's centennial observance in 1987. The museum houses a wide array of artifacts from the city's history as a mining, steelmaking, and industrial center. The building also houses artifacts relating to the brief imprisonment of Martin Luther King Jr. in the city.[3] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 as Southern Railway Terminal Station.[1]

Preceding station Southern Railway Following station
Mobile Junction New OrleansCincinnati Grasselli
toward Cincinnati

References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Floyd, W. Warner (November 22, 1972). "Southern Railway Terminal Station". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014. See also: "Accompanying photos". Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  3. ^ "Exhibit highlighting Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic stay in Bessemer jail cell to open in January (photos)". al. September 4, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
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