Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
McCalla, Alabama
View on Wikipedia
McCalla is a census-designated place in Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, Alabama, United States,[3] southwest of Bessemer and the geographic terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.[4]
Key Information
The community is named for Richard Calvin McCalla, a well known civil engineer, who served as chief engineer of several railroads throughout the South, including the Alabama and Chattanooga, the Tuscaloosa and Northern and the Knoxville and Ohio. He also served as surveyor of many of the rivers throughout the South.
Demographics
[edit]McCalla first appeared as a CDP in the 2020 census.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 12,965 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] | |||
2020 census
[edit]| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 7,322 | 56.48% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,596 | 35.45% |
| Native American | 23 | 0.18% |
| Asian | 120 | 0.93% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 453 | 3.49% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 450 | 3.47% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,965 people residing in the CDP. Information on households and families is unavailable at the moment, but the totals will be added once those figures are released for McCalla.
Recreation
[edit]

Tannehill State Park features a 19th-century blast furnace, the Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama, various historical buildings, rustic cabins, and a campground. The park also has a slave cemetery. The park is home to several festivals throughout the year, including the Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Festival, the Down Home Psaltery Festival, archery tournaments, a civil war reenactment, and other events.
Schools
[edit]The McCalla area is served by McAdory Elementary, McCalla Elementary, McAdory Middle, and McAdory High School.
Notable people
[edit]- Chad Smith Major League pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Morris Higginbotham, head football coach for several high schools in the Birmingham area.
- Bo Jackson was raised in Martin Town, and went through the McAdory school system where he set state records in multiple sports. He is an American former professional baseball and football player and is the only athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports.
- Sherri Martel, known as Sensational Sherri, was a professional wrestling valet who died in McCalla
References
[edit]- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ "McCalla". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: McCalla, Alabama
- ^ http://www.waymarking.com
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
McCalla, Alabama
View on GrokipediaGeography
Location and boundaries
McCalla is an unincorporated community spanning Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties in Alabama, United States, with its census-designated place (CDP) located in Jefferson County.[1][6] It was first designated as a CDP for the 2020 United States Census.[7] The community is centered at geographic coordinates 33°18′11″N 87°01′36″W.[7] Primarily located in Jefferson County, McCalla spans portions of both Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.[2] It is situated southwest of Bessemer, approximately 5 miles distant, and lies about 15 miles southwest of downtown Birmingham.[8][9] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the McCalla CDP covers a total area of 34.21 square miles (88.60 km²), consisting of 33.77 square miles (87.49 km²) of land and 0.44 square miles (1.14 km²) of water.[7] These boundaries define the statistical area used for census data collection and reflect the community's position in the western part of the Birmingham metropolitan area.[1]Physical features
McCalla, Alabama, is situated at an elevation of 509 feet (155 m) above sea level, contributing to its gently undulating landscape.[10] The terrain consists of rolling hills that represent the geographic terminus of the Appalachian Mountains, transitioning from the more rugged highlands to the flatter coastal plains further south.[11] Water bodies in the area, including local streams and ponds, account for approximately 1.3% of the total area, with the remainder dominated by upland features. Soils are characteristic of central Alabama's Piedmont Upland region, featuring old, red, clayey residuum derived from weathered metamorphic and igneous rocks, which support mixed forests of oak, hickory, and pine, alongside remnants of historical farmland.[12][13]History
Early settlement
The area now known as McCalla, located in western Jefferson County, began attracting European-American settlers following the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson, which ceded Creek lands to the United States and opened much of central Alabama to migration from the eastern states.[14] Early pioneers cleared the forested wilderness for agriculture, establishing small farms that relied on the region's fertile soils and proximity to water sources like the Cahaba River. The oldest surviving structure in the vicinity, the Sadler Plantation House, exemplifies this pioneer era; its original single-pen log cabin was constructed between 1817 and 1820 by John Loveless, a settler from South Carolina, on land along Eastern Valley Road near what would become McCalla.[15] The home was later expanded in 1835 by Isaac Wellington Sadler into a more substantial I-house with Georgian elements, reflecting the transition from rudimentary frontier dwellings to plantation-style architecture suited for cotton and subsistence farming.[16] Additional pioneer homes in the surrounding West Jefferson County area highlight the gradual development of settled communities during the mid-19th century. The Owen Plantation Home, built starting in 1833 by Thomas Hennington Owen and expanded in 1838, served as a residence for a family prominent in local politics and education, underscoring the role of influential settlers in shaping early social structures.[14] Similarly, the McAdory Plantation Home, constructed around 1840 by Thomas A. McAdory Jr., represented the growing agricultural economy, with its design accommodating larger-scale farming operations. These structures, preserved by the West Jefferson County Historical Society and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s, illustrate the practical, cedar-log construction typical of Alabama's frontier homes, adapted to the local environment of rolling hills and oak-hickory forests.[14] Throughout the 19th century, the McCalla region formed part of Alabama's early territorial landscape, where farming dominated but was increasingly supplemented by nascent iron production tied to abundant local resources. Settlers exploited iron ore deposits and timber for charcoal, laying the groundwork for industrial activity; by 1830, the nearby Tannehill Ironworks had begun operations as one of the state's first furnaces, drawing workers and spurring economic ties to broader Jefferson County development.[17] This blend of agrarian and extractive pursuits defined the pioneer experience, transforming the area from untamed territory into a hub of self-sufficient communities before formal community organization emerged later in the century.[15]Naming and development
The community of McCalla, Alabama, derives its name from Richard Calvin McCalla (1826–1899), a prominent civil engineer who played a pivotal role in surveying and constructing railroads across the American South during the mid-19th century. As chief engineer for the South & North Alabama Railroad, McCalla contributed significantly to regional infrastructure development, including routes that facilitated industrial transport in central Alabama. The McCalla Post Office was established in 1873, formalizing the area's identity in his honor, after he settled in nearby Tuscaloosa County following his service as a Confederate engineer during the Civil War.[2][18] A cornerstone of McCalla's early industrial development was the Tannehill Ironworks, which marked the area's transition from rural farming to a hub of iron production. Initially established as a bloomery forge in 1830 by Daniel Hillman, the site expanded with the construction of three massive sandstone blast furnaces between 1859 and 1863, utilizing enslaved labor under the direction of Moses Stroup. These furnaces, known as Tannehill No. 1, produced up to 22 tons of iron daily using charcoal, water from Roupes Creek, and steam power, supplying critical materials for Confederate ordnance and civilian goods during the Civil War. The ironworks became a strategic target, suffering destruction by Union forces under General James H. Wilson on March 31, 1865, which halted operations and shifted the site's legacy toward preservation. Today, the remnants form the core of Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, spanning 1,500 acres and highlighting McCalla's foundational role in Alabama's iron industry.[19][17] Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, McCalla's growth was propelled by the interplay of railroads and steel production, building on the ironworks' legacy to attract further industrial investment. The South & North Alabama Railroad's lines, engineered by figures like McCalla, connected the area to broader markets, enabling the transport of raw materials and finished goods from emerging steel mills in the Birmingham district. This infrastructure spurred a shift from agrarian isolation to an interconnected industrial community, with steel expansion in the early 20th century reinforcing economic ties to Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties. McCalla was first officially recognized as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2020 U.S. Census, reflecting its evolution into a defined populated area with 12,965 residents.[2]Demographics
2020 census
According to the 2020 United States Census, McCalla had a total population of 12,965 residents.[20] McCalla first appeared as a census-designated place (CDP) in this census, spanning approximately 33.8 square miles in Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, with a population density of 383.9 people per square mile.[1] The racial and ethnic makeup of McCalla reflected a diverse community, as detailed in the census data. The table below summarizes the key demographic categories:| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.48% |
| Black or African American | 35.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.47% |
| Two or more races/other | 3.49% |
| Asian | 0.93% |
| Native American | 0.18% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.01% |


