Page 17 - Demo

“Altamont–A Portion of Red Mountain at Birmingham, Alabama, Study for General Subdivision and Arrangement.”
George H. Miller, Boston, Massachusetts, November 1911. BPL Archives.
areas will not have been procurable. Moreover, the presence of the parkway will so further strengthen the desirability of the section that the city will be enriched by the increased taxable values of the residence sites and these values will continue to increase especially when the development goes on of land facing the park- way, and it becomes more apparent that the number of sites for residences that may enjoy the same air, views and beauty of the parkway is limited.”
— George Miller, Birmingham Ledger, September 1, 1912
The landscape architect and planner further suggests that the general intent for the future planting of the park- way should be primarily to assure that “the mountain as seen from the distance [is of] a generally thick foliated surface with an evergreen foundation.” He continues:
“The line of [the] parkway drive fits the topography and present grading and is close to [the] uphill side where feeling of and actual safety will be greater. This will be increased by formal tree planting along the outside of drive level. For this purpose the merits of mountain ash
have been considered. And then of Lombardy poplars giving the height effect, but it has been deemed best finally to use the thin trunked globe headed Norway maples with the expectation of foliage heads being grad- ually trimmed to flattened globes permitting view from vehicles beneath and from hillside paths above.”
— George Miller, Birmingham Ledger, September 1, 1912
Miller also suggests a carefully worked-out transition from the formal plantings along the parkway to the natu- ralistic areas below in which “the lines of paths contribute to the parkway beauty idea” and “follow easy grades and pleasing lines as far out on the ridge of the downhill side as possible fitting to and taking advantage of the existing sur- face. The paths branch off in places to reach all parts of the parkway [to] vary the elevation of viewpoint, and to accom- modate the probable natural direction of pedestrian travel. It will be noted that in one place the path leads to a stairway right of way outlet, directly down the hill, while in another such outlet is by easier gradients and more attractive wind- ing lanes.”
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