Founded on June 1, 1871 by real estate promoters selling lots in the area, Birmingham was based in close proximity to the crossroads between the Alamaba & Chattanooga railroad and the South & North railroad. The area was notable for nearby deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone: The three key ingredients in the production of steel. Being the only place in the world where all three ingredients are in close proximity to each other, Birmingham started out as a great industry center, and its name shows it: The city was named after Birmingham, England, another major industrial city. Struggling through especially hard times during the Great Depression, Birmingham was able to thrive once more during wartime, when steel was in high demand. In the 50's and 60's, Birmingham was in the center of a major civil rights struggle for African-Americans, and in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter From Birmingham Jail.
Currently there are around a billion dollars being invested in reconstructing the downtown area of Birmingham into a 24-hour mixed-use district. The market for downtown lofts and condominiums has mushroomed over the past while, while restaurant, retail and cultural options are beginning to sprout up. Diversity is also strengthening in Birmingham: In 2006 the visitors bureau selected "the diverse city" as a new tagline for the city.
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