Nelson, Alabama

Nelson, Alabama
Unincorporated community
Norfolk Southern Railway crossing Alabama Highway 25 in Nelson
Norfolk Southern Railway crossing Alabama Highway 25 in Nelson
Nelson, Alabama is located in Alabama
Nelson, Alabama
Nelson, Alabama
Nelson, Alabama is located in the United States
Nelson, Alabama
Nelson, Alabama
Coordinates: 33°12′55″N 86°34′52″W / 33.21528°N 86.58111°W / 33.21528; -86.58111
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyShelby
Elevation
463 ft (141 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)205, 659
GNIS feature ID156773[1]

Nelson, also known as Nelson Switch, or Cates Crossing, is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. Nelson is located at the crossing of Alabama State Route 25 and the Norfolk Southern Railway, between Columbiana and Wilsonville.

History

Nelson was the birthplace of Frank Nelson, Jr. Nelson grew up working in his father's store in Columbiana. After attending the University of Alabama, he began manufacturing charcoal that was shipped to Brierfield Furnace and Shelby Iron Company.[2] He then moved to Birmingham and founded the North Birmingham Land Company. Due to his efforts, over thirty manufacturing plants located to North Birmingham, including the American Cast Iron Pipe Company and American Radiator Company. Nelson then became president of the Empire Coal Company located in Empire.[3] The Frank Nelson Building, located at the corner of 20th Street North and 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham, is named in his honor.

The Columbiana Ore Company operated iron ore mines at Nelson in 1918.[4]

A post office operated under the name Nelson from 1857 to 1904.[5]

On April 18, 1953, Nelson was damaged by an F3 tornado.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Nelson". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ Thomas McAdory Owen; Marie Bankhead Owen (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. S. J. Clarke publishing Company. pp. 1850.
  3. ^ Armes, Ethel (1972). The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama. Birmingham: The Book-Keepers Press. pp. 505–6.
  4. ^ Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama. 1918. p. 2.
  5. ^ "Shelby County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  6. ^ "Siluria Tornado 4/18/1953". National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. National Weather Service. November 16, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2015.


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