Helena, Alabama

History

The community that would become Helena started in 1845 as the town of Cove. In 1856 the town changed its name to Hillsboro, at the same time as a rolling mill was built. This rolling mill would produce arms for the Confederacy and would later be destroyed by Union raiders at the end of the Civil War.

During Reconstruction, railroads would be extended through Helena as part of the post-war development of central Alabama’s mineral resources. The Louisville & Nashville Railroad sent an engineer named Pete Boyle to survey a route south from Birmingham to Montgomery, Alabama. The station established near the town of Hillsboro was named Helena after Boyle’s sweetheart, Helen Lee. After the area around the station developed and encompassed the town of Hillsboro, the community incorporated to become the City of Helena. The City's first mayor was M.H. Williams, a railroad agent.

The steel mill was subsequently reopened and the city flourished during the late 19th century and into the early 20th century with numerous industrial facilities such as steel mills, a cotton gin, a grist mill, coal mines, and a rail yard, along with residences, stores, and hotels. Fire swept through the city in 1895, destroying many structures in the downtown area and along Buck Creek.

Around 1920 the boom ended with the closing of the coal mines and the relocation of the steel mill. The population declined as residents moved in search of jobs. The Great Depression dealt Helena another blow, as did the devastating 1933 tornado which killed 14, injured 150, and destroyed 110 homes.

Helena remained a small town in the largely rural county until suburban growth from Birmingham reached Helena in the late 20th century. Numerous residential and commercial developments spurred improvements in city facilities and services. By the early 21st century, Helena was experiencing large population gains, and growing pains, as a result of its convenient location and high quality of life.

Geography

Helena is located at 33°16′47″N 86°51′22″W (33.279715, -86.856060).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.1 square miles (44 km²), of which 17.1 square miles (44 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) (0.12%) is water. The Cahaba River and its tributary Buck Creek run through Helena. Buck Creek is dammed upstream of Alabama State Route 261 in the Old Town area to form Lake Davidson which was used for recreation and water wheel power at the turn of the 20th century. Fishing, wading, and canoeing are popular uses of both waterways.

Helena sits at the foothills of the very southern extent of the Appalachian Mountains as they descend into the Gulf of Mexico coastal plain. The area is largely rolling hills with numerous small streams, undeveloped areas are primarily mixed woodlands.

Climate

The climate of Helena is typical of the Deep South, with long, hot, humid summers and short, relatively mild winters. Summer high temperatures are commonly in the upper 90s and low 100s F; winter lows are usually in the 20s F. Measurable snowfall is rare, occurring only a few times a decade. Thunderstorms are frequent occurrences during the summer months The Helena area experiences two severe weather peaks, early spring (March–April) and late fall (November), with tornadoes being frequent hazards during both peaks. Hurricanes coming ashore on the northern Gulf coast occasionally reach Helena with tropical storm force winds.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,793 people, 3,828 households, and 3,043 families residing in the city. The population density was 603.0 people per square mile (232.9/km²). There were 3,983 housing units at an average density of 233.3 per square mile (90.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White, 13.1% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races 3.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,828 households out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.2% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 42.7% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $62,908, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $45,291 versus $32,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,323. About 1.4% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The local economy is broadly diversified among professional, service, and manufacturing jobs. Many of the residents of Helena commute to work in other communities within the greater Birmingham area. There is no dominant employer in the city and recent economic growth has mainly come in the service industries to support the increased population. Well known local industries include the Vulcan Materials Company construction aggregate quarry and the Plantation Pipeline depot and tank farm. A developed industrial park includes a wide variety of manufacturers.

Arts and culture

Helena holds numerous arts and crafts fairs and musical performances throughout the year in public spaces. Helena’s residents also benefit from the multitude of cultural attractions in the greater Birmingham area such as the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Museum of Art, McWane Center, and Vulcan statue and park. During 2005, Helena gained nationwide notice as the hometown of singer Bo Bice who was a finalist on the popular Fox program American Idol.

Annual cultural events

Major annual community events largely reflect traditional small town American life and include the Easter Egg Hunt, Buck Creek Festival, 4th of July Picnic, concert and fireworks, Fall Carnival, Spring Fling, and the Christmas Parade.

Museums and other points of interest

Major points of interest include the Cahaba River, Old Town Amphitheater, and the Old Town district which includes the 19th century jail and railroad freight depot as well as commercial structures from the 19th century. The Kenneth R. Penhale Museum opened in October 2011 in the Old Town district.

Sports

Outdoor sports are popular in Helena. Football attracts the most participants and spectators at all levels; golf, basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer are also popular among residents. Some children participate in city-sponsored sports as well as school-sponsored sports. Others participate in sports at the nearby Pelham YMCA.

Numerous minor league sports franchises are located in the Greater Birmingham area, within which Helena is located. Local sports venues (in that area) include the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (Hoover Met), Regions Field in Southside of Birmingham, Legion Field in Birmingham, the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), and Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds. College sports, which are most popular in Helena, just like the rest of Alabama, utilize several of these venues. College sports fans in Helena most commonly support the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, UAB Blazers, and Samford Bulldogs, and many are alumni of those schools.

Parks and recreation

Numerous parks are provided within Helena by the city and Shelby County. These parks feature open green spaces, playground equipment, a fishing pond, and a baseball field complex often used for tournaments as well as recreational leagues. The Helena Sports Complex opened in 2003 and features a community center and spaces for baseball, softball, cheerleading, basketball and soccer. The most popular parks in Helena include Joe Tucker Park and Cahaba Lily Park. The Old Town Helena Amphitheater along the banks of Buck Creek, features a stage and grass seating area where numerous productions are staged, including the popular Summer Sundown Cinemas (free movie) and 4th of July celebration. The Cahaba River and its tributary Buck Creek run through Helena. Buck Creek is dammed upstream of Alabama Highway 261 in the Old Town area to form Lake Davidson. Fishing, wading, and canoeing are popular uses of both waterways.

Government

The Current City Leadership who were elected in 2016 are:

Council:

The City operates the following departments:

The City enjoys full-time, paid public safety services through the Helena Police Department and Helena Fire Department. The Helena Fire Department has three fire stations and includes volunteer firefighters in addition to the paid staff. The Helena Police Department includes a K-9 unit and, along with the fire department, sponsors a very successful Law Enforcement Explorer Post with Learning-for-Life, a division of Boy Scouts of America.

Education

Public education for students from kindergarten to 12th grade is provided by the Shelby County School System. Helena Elementary School, Helena Intermediate School, Helena Middle School and Helena High School http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us/ Shelby County (Alabama) Schools. Helena has its long-awaited High School which opened Fall of the 2014–15 year.

Media

Helena is within the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston media market. Its major local television stations are WBRC Fox 6, WBIQ APT (PBS) 10, WVTM (NBC) 13, WTTO CW 21, ABC 33/40, WIAT CBS 42, WPXH ION 44, and WABM MyNetworkTV 68. Helena is also served by all the Birmingham radio stations, including 100.5 WJQX, an ESPN Radio station licensed to Helena. The Birmingham News is Helena’s major daily newspaper. The News publishes a special Shelby County section, the Shelby News, in addition to the regular Birmingham edition which is distributed to Helena subscribers. The Shelby County Reporter is a weekly newspaper covering Shelby County, including Helena. Additionally, the Helena City News is published monthly by the City of Helena as a public service and is mailed to all Helena residents. The Helena City News is a newsletter/news magazine style publication, typically runs approximately 30 pages, and includes reporting on past and future community events, profiles on local businesses and residents, and monthly columns by area physicians and elected government officials.

Transportation

Helena is conveniently located near two major interstates. I-459, which joins major east-west interstates I-20 and I-59, is located 9 miles to the north; north-south oriented I-65 is 3 miles east of Old Town Helena. AL-261 runs through the heart of Helena and connects Helena to neighboring city Pelham, where it intersects US-31, located 2 miles east of Old Town. Here it becomes Valleydale Road and continues to its terminus at US-280, ultimately connecting Helena with eastern Hoover. CSX Transportation provides rail service on two separate lines, the S&NA South subdivision between Birmingham and Montgomery, and the Lineville subdivision between Birmingham and Atlanta, Georgia. General aviation and private jet service is available at the nearby Bessemer Airport (EKY) about 8 miles north of Old Town. Extensive commercial flights are available at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) approximately 25 miles to the northeast. Intercity rail service is available on the Amtrak Crescent 19 miles to the north.

Utilities

Electric service is provided by Alabama Power Company, water, sewage and garbage pick-up by the City, and cable television by Charter Communications.

Healthcare

Numerous medical professionals practice in Helena. The city also benefits from its proximity to Birmingham’s extensive medical community including several major hospitals and University of Alabama at Birmingham medical schools. The closest hospital is Baptist Shelby in Alabaster.

Notable people

Helena is the hometown of American Idol's 2005 runner-up Bo Bice and Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers, the first African-American to medal in the Winter Olympics. It is also the hometown of the Broadway star Rebecca Luker, who has appeared as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, Maria in The Sound of Music, Marian in The Music Man, and Claudia in Nine, and Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins. Luker has been nominated for a Tony Award three times. Helena native Liz Cochran is Miss Alabama 2009 competed in the 2010 Miss America Pageant