Evergreen - Birmingham, AL

Memorable locations within Evergreen, including 16th Avenue Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park, were central to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and add historical depth to the neighborhood. The nearby Birmingham Civil Rights Institute presents a history of the movement, featuring an unbiased presentation of artistic elements that show the various issues of race and freedom throughout the history of Birmingham.

Popular annual events include the Magic City Brewfest at the beginning of June, presenting several locally-brewed beers and ales for tasting among Birmingham residents. Also, at parks such as Railroad Park, there are several free concerts and movies throughout the summer for Evergreen residents as well as all of Birmingham.

Right inside the downtown Birmingham area, Evergreen is within walking distance of plenty of restaurants and cafes for both evening dinners and lunch breaks during the workday. Niki’s West Steak & Seafood Restaurant, open from breakfast through dinner, serves a wide variety of entrées including the popular Greek chicken and Southern side dish of fried okra. Trattoria Centrale provides Italian breakfast and lunch all week long, and is well-known for daily specials like the Sunday frittata and polenta brunch. Order their always-tasty grits on the side of any meal.

Good People Brewing offers several internally brewed specialties, including Snake Handler and Coffee Oatmeal Stout, among the various beers and ales served on tap. Take tours of the brewery or reserve the taproom for special events. And don't miss their annual downtown Brewfest. Another well-known pub downtown, Carrigan’s Public House, has happy hour specials including both drinks and food. There is much to enjoy from lunch all the way through a spicy night out, including corn dogs, falafel burgers and pork cheek sliders. Carrigan’s provides a list of specialty cocktails such as Sweet Lies, which is made of gin, lemon, Strega, Campari and cucumber. Another popular choice is the Black Sails cocktail, made of brown ale, gin, jalapeno, grapefruit, celery and ginger ale.

Though there are not specific bicycle lanes or trails, Evergreen includes sidewalks for easy walking around the neighborhood. The majority of Evergreen residents have a work commute of 15 minutes or less, facing minimal traffic and delays. Though Uber is not available directly in the Birmingham area as of yet, within the city limits Evergreen residents have the ability to hail a taxi as needed. Public transportation exists around Evergreen and throughout Birmingham, managed by the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, providing bus service around the entire county. Illinois Central Railroad and Southern Railway are also both located throughout Birmingham and directly within Evergreen for easy access to travel out of the city.

Kelly Ingram Park sits across the street from the Civil Rights Institute. The park is named for Osmond Kelly Ingram, a local fireman and the first U.S. sailor killed in WWI, and provides a plentiful walking and hiking trail. In addition, the park recognizes historical events such as the 1963 conference with Reverends Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel and Fred Shuttlesworth and the boycotts and protests that followed. The massive battle that arose between local demonstrators against the police and firemen led to national news, eventually ending public segregation and national development of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Railroad Park, a 19-acre local open space, provides a great open-air location for various activities and can be reserved for public and personal events. The park developed as a joint effort between Railroad Park Foundation and the City of Birmingham, providing a local option for family activities and several free summer city concerts and events. This park is open from 7 a.m. until 11p.m. every day and features a long walking trail and a beautifully enhanced landscape of trees and flowers among the lakes and wetlands. Bring your dog, but remember to keep him on a leash Amenities include free WiFi and fitness classes, two different play areas for different age groups, outdoor gym equipment and a children’s skate park.

Nearby Caldwell Park also provides an open and active location for family activities and the ability to play fetch with the dog. Available for picnics and family fun, this small and comfortable park provides all the space needed for personal activity along with the opportunity to rent picnic gear or other needs as your day expands.

The median rent for a one-bedroom residence in Evergreen is around $340 per month, which falls just below the overall average for Birmingham. You can get a good meal at a variety of nearby restaurants and bars for an average of $12, along with domestic draft beers averaging $2.50. For those who don’t drive on their own, individual adult bus fare is $1.25, with $0.80 additional for a child. Monthly passes, available for $44, provide unlimited public transportation throughout the city of Birmingham. Drivers access the same average gas price per gallon in Evergreen as they do in Birmingham, about 10 percent below the national average.

Aldi, Publix and Piggly Wiggly are the major grocery stores around the Birmingham area, and there are a great number of additional shopping options to meet your specific needs. The popular Alabama Farmers Market sits just on the north side of Evergreen, selling revered produce and other quality items for great prices.

Local independent stores around downtown provide specialty inventory, including What’s On 2nd? for antiques and consignments and Charm for locally-created jewelry. Sojourns serves as a local art gallery and also sells handcrafted clothing, home accessories and garden supplies.