Editing Mountain Brook, Alabama

{{Short description|City in Alabama, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = Old Mill in Mountain Brook, Alabama.jpg
| image_caption      = The "Old Mill" on Shades Creek
| image_seal         = MBCityLogo.png
| motto              = "Find Peace.  Find Mountain Brook."
| image_map          = File:Jefferson County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Mountain Brook Highlighted 0151696.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|29|13|N|86|44|26|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Alabama]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Jefferson County, Alabama|Jefferson]]
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = March 24, 1942
| government_type    = Council-manager
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Stewart Welch
| area_total_sq_mi   = 12.84
| area_land_sq_mi    = 12.82
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 955
| population_total   = 22461
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 1752.03
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 35213, 35223, 35243
| area_code          = [[Area codes 205 and 659|205 & 659]]
| website            = http://www.mtnbrook.org/
| footnotes          = Mtn. Brook City Schools @ www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us. —
4 Primary schools, 1 Jr. High School, 1 Sr. High School
| timezone           = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 01-51696
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2404329<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2404329}}</ref>
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
| map_caption        = Location of Mountain Brook in Jefferson County, Alabama.
| area_total_km2     = 33.25
| area_land_km2      = 33.20
| area_water_km2     = 0.05
| population_density_km2 = 676.47
| name               = Mountain Brook, Alabama
| nickname           = Home of the Hereford
}}

'''Mountain Brook''' is a city in southeastern [[Jefferson County, Alabama]], United States, and a suburb of [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]]. Its population at the 2020 census was 22,461.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 6, 2016}}</ref>

==History==
The city was originally developed in 1929 by real-estate businessman Robert Jemison, Jr., as a suburb of Birmingham along the ridges known as Red Mountain and Shades Mountain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bplonline.org/resources/archives/Architecture/Jemison.aspx|title=Archives: Robert Jemison, Jr.|publisher=Birmingham Public Library}}</ref> It was incorporated on May 24, 1942.<ref name="Barefield">{{cite book |last=Barefield |first=Marilyn Davis |title=A History of Mountain Brook, Alabama & Incidentally of Shades Valley |year=1989 |publisher=Southern University Press |isbn=0-87651-990-7}}</ref> The plans, by Boston-based landscape architect [[Warren H. Manning]], called for estate-sized lots along winding scenic roads and denser commercial development centering on three picturesque "villages": English Village, Mountain Brook Village and Crestline Village. Most of Mountain Brook's development preserved the existing trees: 92.03% is under tree cover, one of the highest ratios in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aces.edu/ucf/documents/MtnBrookArborist.pdf |title=Success Story - "Hiring First City Arborist" - the City of Mountain Brook |publisher=Alabama's Urban & Community Forestry Program |access-date=February 16, 2016 }}</ref> Residential sections such as Cherokee Bend, Brookwood Forest, Overton, and Crestline have houses in a forest setting, with a recreational network of [[bridle path]]s. This has protected the area from urban encroachment.<ref name="Barefield"/>

Mountain Brook is the location of the first [[business park|office park]] in the U.S., built in 1955.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ana |last=Rodriguez |url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/09/post_789.html#incart_river_default |title=Historical marker in Mountain Brook planned to recognize nation's first office park |newspaper=The Birmingham News |type=blog |date=September 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708220823/http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/09/post_789.html |archive-date=July 8, 2015 }}</ref> It featured the then novel concepts of ample free parking and low-profile office buildings surrounded by waterspouts and landscaped grounds.

A new city hall, including a fire and police station, was completed in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ana |last=Rodriguez |url=http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/04/first_look_inside_mountain_bro.html |title=First look inside Mountain Brook's new $15.3 million municipal complex |newspaper=The Birmingham News |date=April 10, 2013 }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], it has a total area of {{convert|12.82|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1950= 8359
|1960= 12680
|1970= 19509
|1980= 19718
|1990= 19810
|2000= 20604
|2010= 20413
|2020= 22461
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 10, 2013}}</ref><br>2018 Estimate<ref name="2018 Pop Estimate">{{cite web|title=Population Estimates|url=https://census.gov/data/tables/2018/demo/popest/total-cities-and-towns.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 8, 2018}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Mountain Brook racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0151696&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 11, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|21,241
|94.57%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|91
|0.41%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|10
|0.04%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|239
|1.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|529
|2.36%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|351
|1.56%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 22,461 people and 8,365 households.

===2010 census===
As of the census of 2010, there were 20,413 people, 7,731 households, and 5,864 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,673.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 8,266 housing units at an average density of {{convert|675.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.2% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,731 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.12.

29.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.5% was from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household was $130,721, and the median income for a family was $164,750. Males had a median income of $124,224 versus $54,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $76,763. 1.8% of families and 3.7% of individuals were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of individuals under 18 and 2.5% of those 65 and over.

According to a list compiled in 2008 by Stephen Higley, it is the ninth wealthiest community in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |first=Joe B. |last=Crowe |url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/12/mountain_brook_one_of_us_wealt.html |title=Mountain Brook one of wealthiest communities in U.S. |date=December 30, 2008 |newspaper=The Birmingham News |type=blog }}</ref> It is often referred to as "The Tiny Kingdom" due to its high concentration of the region's business and professional leaders,<ref>{{cite book |last=Eskew |first=Glenn T. |title=But for Birmingham: The Local and National Movements in the Civil Rights Struggle |year=1997  |publisher=The University of North Carolina Press |isbn=0-8078-4667-8 |page=183 |chapter=Businessmen's Reform}}</ref> and the disparity of wealth between it and Birmingham where according to census data nearly a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line.

==Government==
[[Image:MtnBrookCityHall.jpg|thumb|Old City Hall, photographed in 2006]]

Mountain Brook has a city council/mayor/city manager system of government.

The [[city council]], consisting of five members elected at large, considers most issues and appoints the [[Chief of police|police chief]] and [[fire chief]].

The [[Mayoralty in the United States|mayor]] is Stewart Welch, III, first elected in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtnbrook.org/Default.asp?ID=59&pg=Mayor|title=Mayor – City of Mountain Brook|website=www.mtnbrook.org|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>

The [[city manager]] is Sam Gaston, appointed by the council and mayor in January 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtnbrook.org/Default.asp?ID=99&pg=Sam+Gaston,+City+Manager|title=Sam Gaston – City of Mountain Brook|website=www.mtnbrook.org|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>

==Education==
Schools are part of the [[Mountain Brook School System]] and include:
*Brookwood Forest Elementary
*Cherokee Bend Elementary
*Crestline Elementary
*Mountain Brook Elementary
*Mountain Brook Junior High
*[[Mountain Brook High School]]

==Notable people==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Lou Anders]], writer<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 26, 2017 |title=Mountain Brook students enjoy Writers' Festival |work=villagelivingonline.com |url=http://www.villagelivingonline.com/schools/mountain-brook-students-enjoy-writers%E2%80%99-festival428/ |access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Jay Barker]], former [[NFL]] player<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=Inside Sara Evans and Jay Barker's Mountain Brook home, life in Birmingham |work=AL.com |url=https://www.al.com/bhammag/index.ssf/2015/11/sara_evans_and_jay_barker_find.html |access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Nate Bland]], former [[MLB]] player ([[Houston Astros]])<ref>{{cite news |title=Nathan Bland |publisher=Birmingham-Southern College |url=http://www.bscsports.net/sports/bsb/coaches/nathan_bland |access-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-date=August 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809020607/http://www.bscsports.net/sports/bsb/coaches/nathan_bland |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Scott Bondy]], an American folk/alternative musician. Formerly lead singer of the band [[Verbena (band)|Verbena]].
* [[Gregg Carr]], [[orthopedist]] and former Pittsburgh Steelers football player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emory |url=http://www.emoryathletics.com/sports/wvball/2016-17/bios/Carr?view=bio |access-date=August 18, 2018 |website=Emory}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Former Auburn linebacker Gregg Carr took the path less traveled to the Hall of Fame |work=AL.com |url=https://www.al.com/sports/mobile/index.ssf/2008/05/former_auburn_linebacker_gregg.html |access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Courteney Cox]], actress<ref>{{cite news |first=Mia |last=Watkins |url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/06/happy_belated_birthday_courtne.html |title=Happy belated birthday, Courteney Cox: hometown girl, actress turns 50 |newspaper=The Birmingham News |date=June 16, 2014 }}</ref>
* [[Tommy Dewey]], actor (17 Again, The BabyMakers, The Mindy Project)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harvey |first1=Alec |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Birmingham's Tommy Dewey lands lead in new Seth McFarlane Fox sitcom |work=The Birmingham News |url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/02/birminghams_tommy_dewey_lands.html |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Pat DuPré]], semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 1979 and a quarter finalist in the U.S. Open. 1979–1981; he was ranked in the top 20 in the world, reaching as high as 12th.
* [[Sara Evans]], country music singer<ref name=":0" />
* [[Basil Hirschowitz]], gastroenterologist
* [[Disappearance of Natalee Holloway|Natalee Holloway]], alleged murder victim<ref>{{Cite web |title=USATODAY.com - Search continues in Aruba for missing teen |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-06-02-teen-aruba_x.htm |access-date=February 4, 2018 |website=usatoday30.usatoday.com}}</ref>
* [[Alan Hunter (VJ)|Alan Hunter]], MTV Veejay<ref>{{Cite news |title=Birmingham's Alan Hunter looks back at his MTV years for 'VJ' book (photos, video) |work=AL.com |url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/06/alan_hunter_looks_back_at_his.html |access-date=February 4, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Kate Jackson]], Hollywood actress; star of ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' as well as ''[[Scarecrow and Mrs. King]]''
* [[David Jaffe]], video game designer (''[[God of War (2005 video game)|God of War]]'', ''[[Twisted Metal]]'')<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grubb |first1=Jeff |date=July 18, 2014 |title=Why triple-A devs are going indie (and why indies aren't going triple-A) |publisher=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/why-triple-devs-going-indie-210053670.html |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Doug Jones (politician)|Doug Jones]], former [[U.S. senator]] from Alabama<ref>{{Cite news |title=Things to know about Alabama's new U.S. senator, Doug Jones |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2017/12/13/things-to-know-about-alabamas-new-us-senator-doug-jones/ |access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Don Logan]] former CEO of Time Warner Inc
* [[Graeme McFarland]], football player ([[Indiana University]])<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Ric |date=November 15, 2001 |title=Short shots: KU lands QB |work=Topeka Capital-Journal |url=http://cjonline.com/stories/111501/spo_shortshots.shtml |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Tribble Reese]], actor<ref>{{cite news |first=Alec |last=Harvey |url=http://blog.al.com/aharvey/2011/10/birminghams_tribble_reese_has.html |title=Birmingham's Tribble Reese has his pick as the star of 'Sweet Home Alabama 2'|newspaper=The Birmingham News |type=blog |date=October 16, 2011 }}</ref>
* [[Emeel Salem]], All-American baseball player at the [[University of Alabama]], former minor league player in the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] organization. (6th round draft pick 2007)<ref>{{cite news |date=April 6, 2007 |title=Emeel Salem Wins H. Boyd McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship |publisher=University of Alabama |url=http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/040607aac.html |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Sarah Simmons (singer)|Sarah Simmons]], Top 8 finalist on [[The Voice (U.S. season 4)|season 4]] of ''[[The Voice (U.S. TV series)|The Voice]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Colurso |first1=Mary |date=April 22, 2013 |title=Birmingham's Sarah Simmons channels team spirit for her battle round on 'The Voice' (video) |work=The Birmingham News |url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/04/birminghams_sarah_simmons_chan.html |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
* [[Luther Strange]], former [[U.S. senator]] from Alabama<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 9, 2017 |title=Prelude to the primaries — U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in Aug. 15 election - Lagniappe Mobile |work=Lagniappe Mobile |url=https://lagniappemobile.com/prelude-primaries-u-s-senate-seat-grabs-aug-15-election/ |access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Barret Swatek]], Hollywood actress, Republican activist and recurring talk-show guest<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/aharvey/2009/03/birminghams_barret_swatek_star.html|title=Queen of the World Wide Web: Birmingham's Barret Swatek stars in new Internet sitcom|work=AL.com|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>
* [[William Vlachos]], center for the [[University of Alabama]] National Championship Team in 2009 and 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gribble |first1=Andrew |date=April 5, 2013 |title=Former center William Vlachos back at Alabama as a graduate assistant |work=The Birmingham News |url=http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2013/04/former_center_william_vlachos.html |access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>
{{div col end}}
* [[Trendon Watford]], [[NBA]] basketball player for the [[Brooklyn Nets]]
*[[Gordon Sargent]], [[NCAA]] Individual National Champion Golfer for the [[Vanderbilt Commodores]]

==Cultural references==
In ''[[South and West: From a Notebook]]'', [[Joan Didion]] writes, "It is said that the dead center of Birmingham society is the southeast corner of the locker room at the Mountain Brook country club." She adds, "it is hard to make the connection between this Birmingham and that of [[Bull Connor]]."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Didion|first1=Joan|title=South and West: From a Notebook|date=2017|publisher=4th Estate|location=London, U.K.|isbn=978-0-00-825717-0|page=70}}</ref>

During his [[1970 Alabama gubernatorial election|1970 gubernatorial campaign]], [[George Wallace]] derisively referred to Mountain Brook as "where the rich folks live in the suburbs up across the mountain from Birmingham."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robertson|first1=Campbell|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|title=Alabama, Despite History of Unruly Politics, Has 'Never Seen Anything Like This'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/us/politics/even-in-unruly-alabama-politics-never-seen-anything-like-this.html|access-date=December 12, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 9, 2017}}</ref>

==Transportation==
Transit service in Mountain Brook is provided by [[Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority]], which operates Max Transit bus service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maxtransit.org/|title=Max Transit|access-date=November 11, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.mtnbrook.org City of Mountain Brook website]
*{{HALS |survey=AL-2 |id=al1334 |title=Mountain Brook, Mountain Brook Parkway at Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, Jefferson County, AL |photos=56 |cap=4}}

{{Jefferson County, Alabama}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountain Brook, Alabama| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Alabama]]
[[Category:Cities in Jefferson County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama]]
[[Category:Historic American Landscapes Survey in Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1929]]
[[Category:1929 establishments in Alabama]]