Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city of 25,400 people in Jefferson County, Alabama, founded in 1887.
Why visit Bessemer
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 54 places to eat, 10 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include PREMIERE 14 Promenade, Bessemer Hall of History, Downtown Bessemer Historic District and Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Bessemer
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bessemer
Bessemer is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a southwestern suburb of Birmingham. The population was 26,019 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 25,079 in 2024. It is within the Birmingham–Hoover, AL Metropolitan statistical area, of which Jefferson County is the center. It developed rapidly as an industrial city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
From the Wikipedia article Bessemer, Alabama (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
PREMIERE 14 Promenade
Cinema and theater · 2.6 mi
4801 Promenade Parkway, Bessemer
Museums and landmarks5
Bessemer Hall of History
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
History museum located in the former Southern Railway Terminal Station in Bessemer, Alabama
1905 Alabama Avenue, Bessemer
Tu-Sa 09:00-16:00
Downtown Bessemer Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic district in Bessemer, Alabama
Owen Plantation House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
House in Jefferson County, Alabama
Paul William Dunbar High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Public school for African-American students in Bessemer, Alabama, USA
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Sadler House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Frontier I-House with Georgian architectural elements in McCalla, Alabama
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure
Sports field and stadium · 1.7 mi
Amusement & water park
4599 Splash Adventure Pkwy, Bessemer
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes54
Applebee's
Diner · American · 1.9 mi
5050 Academy Lane, Bessemer
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-22:00
The Bright Star Restaurant
Restaurant · 2.4 mi
1826 3rd Avenue North
Mo-Th, Su 11:00-21:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-22:00
42 more on the map.
History
The town was founded in the Reconstruction Era by the Bessemer Land and Improvement Company, named after Henry Bessemer and owned by coal magnate Henry F. DeBardeleben. He had inherited Daniel Pratt's investments. The mayor and councilmen voted to incorporate the city of Bessemer on September 9, 1887. Located 15.3 miles southwest of Birmingham, Bessemer grew rapidly and its promoters believed that it might overtake the other city in economic power.
Given the iron ore, coal and limestone deposits in the area, the city became a center of steelmaking from about 1890 through the 20th century. It attracted rural migrants from across the South, as well as European immigrants. By the 1950s, the city was majority African American in population.
The steel industry went through considerable restructuring in the late 20th century, and jobs moved out of the area. Steel is no longer made there. By 2019, Bessemer was named Alabama's “Worst City to Live in.”
In 2019, it was named Alabama's "Worst City to Live in" by 24/7 Wall Street.
From the History section of Bessemer, Alabama on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay10
Churches and places of worship94
Canaan Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.0 mi
2400 7th Avenue North, Bessemer
Shopping17
Gas and EV charging23
Schools, colleges and libraries49
Alabama Aerospace And Aviation High School
School · 2.0 mi
114 2Nd Avenue North, Bessemer
Healthcare9
Map of Bessemer
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 34°F | 5.4 in | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 37°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 43°F | 5.4 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 50°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 83°F | 59°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 67°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 70°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 42°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 37°F | 5.2 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bessemer 3 Wsw (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jefferson County has had 26 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2021-12-21: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-04-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-09-14: Hurricane Sally (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Hueytown 4 mi northwest, about 6 min by car
- McCalla 6 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Helena 8 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Hoover 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Homewood 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Alabaster 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Pelham 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Birmingham 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Vestavia Hills 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Mountain Brook 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Southern Railway Depot, 1905 Alabama Avenue, Bessemer (Jefferson County, Alabama), Jet Lowe, Public domain
- CanaanBaptist-Bessemer-8020445, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- DunbarHS-Bessemer-8020481, Cecouchman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sadler House 7, Pgreenwood1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cheddar Chase 1, Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
- Rampage (Alabama Adventure) 1, Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
- Joe Jonas Paparazzo Presents CloseUp, Paparazzo Presents, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Westlake Mall west side, Taylor2646, CC BY-SA 3.0
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