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Altamont–A Portion of Red Mountain and Its Park
“But in Red Mountain Birmingham has got its banks and eminences dominant in presence and affording distinct views, and these should be intelligently claimed as the birthright of all the people, and such development should be provided that any of all the people will forever be free to look to their undefaced beauty, be under its environment, or visit these upland areas and use them as their own, inhale the exhil- arating light, clear air, and enjoy the inspiration of the varied distant views. The plans for Altamont, a particular portion of Red mountain which now is to be developed as a high class villa site subdivision makes these provisions in the form of a mountain side parkway.”
— George H. Miller, Birmingham Ledger, September 1, 19121
“Altamont–A Portion of Red Mountain,” lies in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain chain, ris- ing 400 feet above Jones Valley below. The mountain was formed some xxx million years ago. Prior to this time, ancient seas covered the future site of Birming- ham, laying down deposits of sand, pebbles, lime, and red iron ore. During the Appalachian orogeny, Earth’s plates clashed and raised up the mountain 20,000 feet high. Since then, rains falling and running off the mountainside have eroded the mountain, exposing the minerals that led to Birmingham being located here, along a ridge of the once-gigantic mountain named for the red iron ore once visibly exposed at its crest.
City view from Altamont Park. Louise McPhillips, 2019.
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