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Shelby County, Alabama

170 topographic sheets and 15 fire insurance atlases across 4 places.

Research this county

From the record

13 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Alabama within the United States
Shelby County within Alabama

What the record shows

  • 4 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Calera, Shelby, Columbiana, Montevallo, between 1889 and 1938.
  • 15 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 3,694 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 13 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 9 buildings and 4 districts.
  • 3 of the 13 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 170 populated places in this county; 169 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

21 photographs,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Shelby Iron Works, Shelby Hotel, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Shelby Iron Works, Shelby Hotel, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Louisville & Nashville Railway, Cahaba River Bridge, Spanning Cahaba River, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Louisville & Nashville Railway, Cahaba River Bridge, Spanning Cahaba River, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Shelby Iron Works, Structural Framing, Chemical Plant No. 1, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Shelby Iron Works, Structural Framing, Chemical Plant No. 1, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Wilton Depot, Ninth Street, Calera, Shelby County, AL
Wilton Depot, Ninth Street, Calera, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
The Rock House, U.S. Route 280 (State Route 38), Harpersville, Shelby County, AL
The Rock House, U.S. Route 280 (State Route 38), Harpersville, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Mule Cotton Press, Dunham Plantation, County Road 17, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Mule Cotton Press, Dunham Plantation, County Road 17, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Shelby Iron Works, Chain Gang (Blue) Hole Lake, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Shelby Iron Works, Chain Gang (Blue) Hole Lake, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Farrington Hall, Shelby County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Farrington Hall, Shelby County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Superintendent's House, County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Superintendent's House, County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Main Street (Commercial Streetscapes), Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Main Street (Commercial Streetscapes), Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Aldrich Commissary, 137 Shelby County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Aldrich Commissary, 137 Shelby County Road 203, Aldrich, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Shelby Iron Works, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Shelby Iron Works, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Vulcan Material Company, Calera Quarry, 1614 Highway 84, Calera, Shelby County, AL
Vulcan Material Company, Calera Quarry, 1614 Highway 84, Calera, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Montevallo Male Institute, Highland Street, Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Montevallo Male Institute, Highland Street, Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Billy Gould Coal Mine and Coke Ovens, Confluence of Cahaba River & Buck Creek, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Billy Gould Coal Mine and Coke Ovens, Confluence of Cahaba River & Buck Creek, Helena, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
William Chancellor House, Chancellor Crossroads, Harpersville, Shelby County, AL
William Chancellor House, Chancellor Crossroads, Harpersville, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Shelby County Courthouse, North Main Street, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Shelby County Courthouse, North Main Street, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Old Shelby County Courthouse, North Main Street, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Old Shelby County Courthouse, North Main Street, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Shelby Iron Works, Iron Master's House, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Shelby Iron Works, Iron Master's House, County Road 42, Shelby, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Main Hall, Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Main Hall, Montevallo, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Ware Cemetery Plot, Shelby County Road 25, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Ware Cemetery Plot, Shelby County Road 25, Columbiana, Shelby County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

13

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Calera Downtown Historic Districtdistrict200606000188
Chancellor Housebuilding200101001168
Columbiana City Hallbuilding197474000437
Downtown Montevallo Historic Districtdistrict201313000180
Farrington Hallbuilding201515000434
Helena Historic Districtdistrict200606000278
King Housebuilding197272000179
McKibbon Housebuilding200101001408
Peterson Hallbuilding197878000509
Peterson-Hall Homebuilding199090001529
Rock House, Oldbuilding200606000182
Shoal Creek Clubdistrict2022100008439
Wallace Housebuilding2025100011941

Photographs from libraries nationwide

1 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 1 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

Revised map of part of the Cahaba coal fields, Boston Public Library - undated
Revised map of part of the Cahaba coal fields. Geological Survey of Alabama, Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

37 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 2,250 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 37 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:23600
1947-03-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:23600
1947-03-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:23600
1947-03-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-03-22, scale 1:23600
1947-03-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-02-15, scale 1:23600
1948-02-15, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-02-15, scale 1:23600
1948-02-15, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-02-15, scale 1:23600
1948-02-15, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-02-15, scale 1:23600
1948-02-15, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-08, scale 1:69000
1952-02-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-08, scale 1:69000
1952-02-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-08, scale 1:69000
1952-02-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-02-08, scale 1:69000
1952-02-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-06-15, scale 1:119119
1968-06-15, scale 1:119119. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-02-21, scale 1:28000
1970-02-21, scale 1:28000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-02-21, scale 1:28000
1970-02-21, scale 1:28000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-02-21, scale 1:28000
1970-02-21, scale 1:28000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-02-21, scale 1:28000
1970-02-21, scale 1:28000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-07, scale 1:32000
1972-01-07, scale 1:32000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-07, scale 1:32000
1972-01-07, scale 1:32000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-07, scale 1:32000
1972-01-07, scale 1:32000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-07, scale 1:32000
1972-01-07, scale 1:32000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-02-01, scale 1:24000
1974-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-02-01, scale 1:24000
1974-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-02-01, scale 1:24000
1974-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-02-01, scale 1:24000
1974-02-01, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-02-01, scale 1:30000
1990-02-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-02-01, scale 1:30000
1990-02-01, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-02-01, scale 1:31000
1990-02-01, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1990-02-01, scale 1:31000
1990-02-01, scale 1:31000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-28, scale 1:15000
2002-03-28, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-28, scale 1:15000
2002-03-28, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-28, scale 1:15000
2002-03-28, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-28, scale 1:15000
2002-03-28, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

51 stations, 11 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

41 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 59-1Election Precinct 1, Columbiana: Columbiana town: Columbiana town - That part east of Shelby Road, Court, and Main
  • 59-2Columbiana town - That part west of Main, Court and Shelby Road
  • 59-3Election Precinct 1, Columbiana - That part southeast of State Highway 25, outside Columbiana town
  • 59-4Election Precinct 1, Columbiana - That part northwest of State Highway 25, outside Columbiana town
  • 59-5Election Precinct 2, Spring Creek
  • 59-6Election Precinct 3, Calera: Calera town: Calera town - That part east of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-7Calera town - That part west of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-8Election Precinct 3, Calera - That part outside Calera town
  • 59-9Election Precinct 4, Montevallo: Montevallo town: Montevallo town - That part north of Shoal Creek, and excluding Alabama College
  • 59-10Alabama College (In Montevallo town, Election Precinct 4)
  • 59-11Election Precinct 4, Montevallo town - That part south of Shoal Creek
  • 59-12Election Precinct 4, Wilton town
  • 59-13Election Precinct 4, Montevallo - That part southeast of Shoal and Spring Creeks, outside Montevallo and Wilton towns
  • 59-14Election Precinct 4, Montevallo - That part northwest of Spring and Shoal Creeks, outside Montevallo town
  • 59-15Election Precinct 5, Bamford
  • 59-16Election Precinct 6, Helena: Helena town
  • 59-17Election Precinct 6, Helena - That part outside Helena town
  • 59-18Election Precinct 7, Saginaw and Siluria: Election Precinct 7, Saginaw and Siluria - That part north of Mt. Era Church Road and east of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-19Election Precinct 7, Saginaw and Siluria - That part southwest of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-20Election Precinct 7, Saginaw and Siluria - That part south of Mt. Era Church Road and east of U.S. Hwy. 31
  • 59-21Election Precinct 8, Chelsea
  • 59-22Election Precinct 9, Wilsonville: Wilsonville town
  • 59-23Election Precinct 9, Wilsonville - That part outside Wilsonville town
  • 59-24Vincent town, comprising parts of Election Precincts 10, Harpersville and 16, Vincent: Vincent town - That part in Election Precinct 10, Harpersville
  • 59-25Vincent town - That part in Election Precinct 16, Vincent
  • 59-26Election Precinct 10, Harpersville, outside Vincent town: Harpersville town
  • 59-27Election Precinct 10, Harpersville - That part east of state Highway 25, outside Harpersville and Vincent towns
  • 59-28Election Precinct 10, Harpersville - That part west of State Highway 25, outside Harpersville and Vincent towns (Remainder of Election Precinct 10, Harpersville is in Vincent town)
  • 59-29Election Precinct 11, Westover
  • 59-30Election Precinct 12, Highland
  • 59-31Election Precinct 13, Bold Springs
  • 59-32Election Precinct 14, Vandiver
  • 59-33Election Precinct 15, Sterrett
  • 59-34Election Precinct 16, Vincent - That part outside Vincent town (Remainder of Election Precinct 16, Vincent is in Vincent town
  • 59-35Election Precinct 17, Pelham: Election Precinct 17, Pelham - That part east of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-36Election Precinct 17, Pelham - That part west of U.S. Highway 31
  • 59-37Election Precinct 18, Dunnavant
  • 59-38Election Precinct 19, Maylene
  • 59-39Election Precinct 20, Boothton: Boothton, unincorporated (See boundaries shown on aerial photo CEB-2-60)
  • 59-40Election Precinct 20, Boothton - That part outside the unincorporated place of Boothton. (See aerial photo CEB-2-60 for boundaries of Boothton
  • 59-41Election Precinct 21, Ebenezer

Wildfire, 1994 to 2020

1,506 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,506 of them, burning about 22,271 acres. 29 started naturally and 544 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism544
Debris and open burning512
Missing data/not specified/undetermined207
Recreation and ceremony99
Railroad operations and maintenance43
Equipment and vehicle use30
Natural29
Smoking17
Misuse of fire by a minor11
Power generation/transmission/distribution7
Other causes5
Fireworks2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Three of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
15 July 2000Natural1,800 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionSHELBY
17 April 1996Recreation and ceremony1,540 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
11 July 2000Natural1,100 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
26 March 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined400 acresAlabama Forestry Commission1989 CR 53, AL
21 February 2010Arson/incendiarism270 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
14 February 1998Arson/incendiarism260 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
8 September 1999Natural220 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
7 July 2000Arson/incendiarism200 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 740 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 740 reports for this county, causing 14 deaths, 187 injuries and about $42,090,200 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind399
Hail196
Flash Flood70
Tornado52
Lightning13
Flood5
Heavy Rain3
Funnel Cloud2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
January 1964Tornado (F4)not stated10 killed, 6 hurt, $250,000no account filed
October 2021Flash FloodElvira2 killedDuring the evening of the 6th, a north to south low-level boundary set up along the Interstate 65 corridor that became the focus for back-building thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Over the course of just a few hours, a wide swath of 6-10 inches of rain occurred. Numerous roads became submerged and impassable. Countless water rescues were performed as travelers either became trapped by or drove into flood waters. Flood water several feet deep impacted parts of neighborhoods and townhomes. Several businesses were damaged by flooding. Extreme runoff also caused creeks and other waterways to rapidly swell. There was at least one report of a partial landslide in Pelham, sending dirt, rocks, and pine trees onto the road. A Flash Flood Watch had already been in place for a few days, highlighting the potential for flooding rainfall. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for north Shelby County early in the evening. At least four rounds of thunderstorms occurred, with ongoing and forecast impacts pushing the event to the highest level of flash flooding, a Flash Flood Emergency. Scanner traffic became nonstop with public calls for help and first responder needs for mutual aid and resources. Even after the rain subsided later in the evening hours,|flooding persisted for several more hours. Two deaths occurred when a vehicle was swept off the roadway and into a creek.
May 1973Tornado (F4)not stated1 killed, 63 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
January 1998Flash FloodCountywide1 killed, $35,000no account filed
March 1994Tornado (F2)not stated53 hurt, $5,000,000A tornado began on the north side of Helena on the Bearden Farm moving northeastward crossing Alabama 261 near Pelham High School. The school suffered some damage. Continuing northeast, the tornado caused damage in a residential section before doing extensive damage to two mobile home parks on the west side of U.S. Highway 31 on the north side of Pelham. The tornado did extensive to businesses in the stretch from the U.S. 31/Alabama 119 intersection to the Alabama 119/Interstate 65 intersection. The tornado continued on its track going through primarily residential areas of Pelham and Indian Springs. The tornado dissipated just before reaching the Meadow Brook area about two miles west of U.S. Highway 280. Areas in the path of the tornado included sections of Chandalar, Green Park South mobile home park, South Gate Mobile Home Park, Indian Springs Village, Broken Bow, Broken Bow South, and Riverchase.
February 1990Thunderstorm Windnot stated22 hurtno account filed
January 1975Tornado (F1)not stated14 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 1992Thunderstorm Windnot stated7 hurtno account filed
March 1973Tornado (F2)not stated5 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 2021Tornado (EF3)Boothton5 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Shelby County and determined that it was consistent with an EF3 tornado, with maximum winds near 140 mph.||This tornado originated in Bibb County and crossed into Shelby County along Shades Creek west of River Road. The tornado traveled northeast in a wooded area along the Cahaba River, paralleling County Highway 13. As the tornado moved into Helena, it caused shingle damage to several homes in the neighborhoods near Old Cahaba Parkway and Hillsboro Parkway. A house that was under construction also collapsed. The tornado intensified again as it crossed Buck Creek near Old Town Helena, snapping numerous trees and causing roof damage. A few homes near Cunningham Drive suffered partial roof loss. The tornado weakened as it crossed New Hope Mountain near Pelham High School, but intensified to EF2 intensity along Crosscreek Trail and Wilderness Road in Pelham. Roofs were removed from four homes with collapse of an exterior wall on two of them, with many other homes suffering varying degrees of roof damage. The tornado also caused several trees to fall on homes in the Chandalar neighborhood. The tornado weakened somewhat by the time it crossed Highway 31 but still damaged the roofs of several businesses and mobile homes while uprooting trees. It began to strengthen again after crossing Interstate 65, paralleling Highway 119 through the south side of Indian Springs Village and far northern portions of Oak Mountain State Park. It continued to uproot or snap numerous trees and continued to cause roof damage to residences. Pockets of EF2 damage were found in neighborhoods south of Heardmont Park and near Oak Mountain Elementary and Intermediate Schools, with significant damage to residences from falling trees and partial roof loss. Significant timber damage with some damage to structures was also noted near the lakes at the north gate to Oak Mountain State Park. The most significant structural damage along the path occurred in the Eagle Point neighborhood just before Highway 280. Several homes suffered complete roof loss, a couple homes suffered collapse of exterior walls, and all walls collapsed for one home on Eagle Valley Drive. The majority of the other homes in the path in this neighborhood suffered varying degrees of roof damage, with numerous trees snapped. After crossing Highway 280, the tornado continued to uproot numerous trees as it moved over Oak Mountain. It caused roof damage along Highland View Drive and in the Highland Lakes neighborhood, including complete roof loss to a residence on Grove Park Way. Varying degrees of roof damage also occurred in the Greystone Farms neighborhood, with significant roof loss on several homes. The tornado crossed Dunnavant Valley Road and caused significant timber damage at Shoal Creek Country Club, and complete roof loss for another residence. The tornado then moved into a wooded area as it crossed Double Oak Mountain, continuing to uproot numerous trees. It crossed Highway 25 near Vandiver and then began to parallel Shelby County Highway 43, causing roof damage to residences and completely destroying a manufactured home on Crabapple Lane. The tornado crossed into St. Clair County near Wolf Creek Road.
December 1968Tornado (F2)not stated2 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 2021Tornado (EF1)Roberta2 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Shelby County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 110 mph. A strong, long-track tornado traveled across Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, and Shelby Counties during the afternoon of March 25, 2021. It is estimated that the tornado had a 98 minute life span, with a path length of 80 miles.||The tornado crossed into Shelby County from Bibb County near the intersection of County Road 201 and 128. The tornado moved into the city of Calera, uprooting trees and blowing over an unanchored mobile home along County Road 67. The tornado then crossed Interstate 65 and moved into a large neighborhood along and northeast of Timberline Drive. The majority of structural damage was confined to loss of shingle and siding. However, at least 3 homes had portions of their roofs removed, 2 of them with significant loss. Next, mostly rural areas were hit between the cities of Columbiana and Calera, south of Highway 70. The last area of notable damage was in Columbiana. Numerous trees were uprooted from Mooney Road to Mardis Ferry Road and numerous homes were heavily damaged by fallen trees. Several mobile homes were impacted near the intersection of Alston Farm Road and Mardis Ferry Road. Most sustained roofing damage or were crushed by fallen trees. One unanchored mobile home was destroyed with 2 injuries that required hospitalization. Other structures were damaged along the path as well. The tornado then quickly weakened, and dissipated as it approached Highway 25 after crossing County Road 7.
August 2007LightningQuito2 hurtTwo children sustained minor injuries when they were apparently struck by lightning, at the 4800 block of Caldwell Mill Road in north Shelby County. Both children were knocked to the ground. One got up and was ok, and the other was taken to a local hopital and was later reported to be ok.
August 1990Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
March 2022Tornado (EF1)Wilton1 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southwest Shelby County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 88 mph. This tornado originated in Perry County, crossed through eastern Bibb County, and crossed into Shelby County near Moreland Road. The tornado mostly uprooted softwood trees as it approached the town of Wilton. A few homes were damaged in Wilton, in the area of Church Street due to fallen trees. The tornado continued northeast and dissipated over the University of Montevallo campus where a few trees were blown over, several building windows were blown out and some roofing damage was observed on a few buildings.
June 1998LightningHelena1 hurtA man was struck by lightning while standing in a church parking lot, across from the Helena post office. He was taken to the Shelby County Medical Center and was in good condition.
August 1990Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1985Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Quito$3,700,000A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System. It touched down in far northern Shelby County, less than one mile west of the intersection of Valleydale Road and Caldwell Mill Road, and tracked northeastward into southern Jefferson County. The tornado produced damage consistent with an EF1 rating and winds of 100 mph. Numerous trees were knocked down, causing damage to homes, apartment buildings, vehicles and power lines. The tornado crossed into Jefferson County just east of the intersection of Caldwell Mill Rd and Pahokee Trace.
March 2010FloodElvira$500,000What began as flash flooding transitioned into widespread long term flooding across a large portion of Shelby County during the late morning of the 10th. Dozens of roads were closed across the county due to high water, and as many as ten roads were still closed two days later. The hardest hit area was the western portion of the county, especially around the Helena, Pelham, and Alabaster areas, where more than 8 inches of rain fell during the 3 day period. In Alabaster, several vehicles were overcome by high water, and the occupants briefly became trapped. Other communities that experienced flooding included Montevallo, Columbiana, Shelby, and Wilsonville.
April 2005Tornado (F1)Helena$400,000National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage that affected the Helena, Alabaster, Pelham, and Chelsea areas early Saturday morning. The tornado has been rated an F1 with winds estimated around 75 miles an hour. The tornado first touched down just west of County Road 93 near the Cahaba Wildlife Management Area in Helena. The tornado moved generally eastward and crossed County Road 17, County Road 58, US 31, Interstate 65 and County Road 11 before ending near County Road 39. The tornado damage path was approximately 11.6 miles long and 100 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado was on the ground from approximately 504 AM CDT to 518 AM CDT. The initial damage was minor with only a few trees uprooted or snapped off west of County Road 17 in Helena. As the tornado crossed County Road 17, it intensified and caused its most significant damage. The most concentrated and significant damage occurred near Scurlock Road and County Road 17 then eastward along County Road 58 to just past County Road 95. Several subdivisions were affected including Braelinn Village, Amberley Woods, Navajo Hills, and Port South. Numerous homes suffered shingle and minor roof damage along with a few broken windows. Many trees and power lines were either blown down or snapped off. Power was unavailable for several hours due to downed power poles. A few homes suffered major damage due to fallen trees. Several automobiles and outbuildings were destroyed. A municipal park in Helena sustained minor damage. As the tornado crossed US 31 near Walmart, several large trees and signs were blown down or snapped off. A few homes just east of US 31 were damaged from fallen trees. For the remainder of the tornadoes path, the damage was relatively minor and mainly affected trees. The tornado crossed the Weatherly subdivision and the Ballantrae Golf Course and subdivision before ending just east of County Road 39 near Hidden Ridge. Begin: 33 16.08/86 53.41 End: 33 16.45/86 41.34
June 2003Flash FloodPelham$400,000Radar estimated rain was falling at a rate up to 3 inches an hour in Riverchase and Pelham. Rain amounts over a two hour period were from 5 to 6 inches. Several roads were flooded and temporarily impassable. Several small streams rose out of their banks. A few homes were flooded in Riverchase. The Pelham Fire Department performed a few swift water rescues. Seventy-five homes and six businesses received varying degrees of flood damage in Pelham along Highway 261. No injuries were reported.
March 2002HailHelena$400,000no account filed
March 1998Thunderstorm WindChelsea$380,000no account filed
June 2018LightningSaginaw$300,000Lightning struck a home in the Ballantrae Community and started a fire. The home suffered severe damage from the fire. Homeowner was present when the lightning hit the home. The homeowner safely exited the home when the smoke detectors went off.
May 2003HailCountywide$250,000Several severe thunderstorms moved through Shelby County and generally affected the western part of the county. All of the storms produced dime to golf ball size hail. The largest hail size reported was softball and occurred near Maylene. Some locations that reported hail were Alabaster, Hoover, Helena, Maylene, Indian Springs, Calera and Montevallo. Several locations observed hail covering the ground. A few trees were also blown down.
January 1988Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1984Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 1973Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2010LightningKeystone$200,000A lightning strike caused a house to catch fire. Although no one was injured, the fire destroyed the inside of the house and caused a portion of it to collapse.
April 2005Tornado (F1)Columbiana$200,000National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage just northeast of Columbiana. It has been determined that the damage was the result of a tornado. The tornado has been rated an F1 onthe Fujita Damage Scale with winds estimated around 75 miles an hour. The tornado touched down approximately 3 miles northeast of downtown Columbiana, just west of County Road 25 across thetrain tracks. The tornado snapped off and uprooted numerous trees and knocked over several powerpoles along its fairly short path. Some of the trees were several feet in diameter. Fallen treessignificantly damaged one home, produced minor damage to a few other homes, destroyed at least 4 vehicles, and destroyed several outbuildings. The tornado crossed County Road 25 and headed eastwardacross mainly rural farmland. The tornado ended near the intersection of Davis Road and County Road5 where a garage sustained roof damage and one large tree was uprooted. The tornado damage path wasapproximately 2.2 miles long and 150 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado started at 522 AM CDT and ended at 523 AM CDT. Begin: 33 12.98/86 35.39 End: 33 13.13/86 33.20
March 1996Flash FloodCountywide$200,000no account filed
August 2005Thunderstorm WindAlabaster Shelby Arp$175,000One airplane was destroyed and one plane was damaged at the Shelby County Airport. A wind gust of 51 MPH (44Knots) was measured at the Shelby County Airport and may have been higher just outside the airport. A few trees were also blown down in the vicinity. A few other trees were blown down in Montevallo and in Liberty Park.
March 2010Tornado (EF1)Turner$170,000The tornado first touched down on Fox Valley Road in the Maylene community, where it tossed trampolines and snapped at few small trees. It then traveled northeast, crossing CR-17 just south of the intersection of 1st Ave W. It then struck Fox Valley Apartments and moved into the Stoney Meadow Subdivision, where several homes received minor to substantial roof damage. The most significant damage occurred on Rock View Trail, where siding was stripped off of one home and another home received significant roof damage and had the garage door blown out. Two mature cedar trees were also snapped at this location. The tornado weakened rapidly and continued to produce minor damage as it crossed through the Navajo Trail Subdivision. The last bits of minor roof and fence damage were in the Greenfield Subdivision off of Industrial Park Drive in Alabaster. In total, at least 20 structures were damaged, and dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted.
August 2010LightningQuito$150,000House sustained significant damage after being struck by lightning and catching fire.
May 2003Tornado (F1)Wilsonville$150,000no account filed
May 2009Tornado (EF0)Quito$120,000The tornado touched down near Ashington Drive, in the Brook Highland area, just southwest of Lake Purdy. It then moved east-northeast, across AL-119, and into the Greystone area. Numerous trees were uprooted along the path. At least 20 homes suffered minor roof damage, mainly the loss of shingles. Other damage was limited to uprooted and snapped trees, especially on the Greystone golf course. The course was closed for a day due to clean up.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindPelham$120,000no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindQuito$100,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the Inverness and Meadow Brook areas of northern Shelby County, including at the Inverness Landing, Inverness Cliffs, and Lake Heather Estates apartment complexes. A concrete light pole was blown down onto vehicles in the Inverness Plaza parking lot. Inverness Parkway, Caldwell Mill Road and Lakeland Trail were all blocked by downed trees.
April 2009HailQuito$100,000Hail up to the size of golf balls damaged 95 percent of the cars on a car lot on US-280, just south of AL-119. Damage to most of the cars was slight enough so that they could still be sold at discount, though some received more significant dents.
June 2006LightningHelena$100,000no account filed
April 2005Thunderstorm WindCountywide$100,000no account filed
May 2004Thunderstorm WindPelham$100,000no account filed
September 2002Flash FloodCountywide$100,000no account filed
August 2005LightningAlabaster$90,000no account filed
July 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$70,000Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down in Shelby County. Several gas stations reported roof damage and gas pumps disabled. Several homes and vehicles were damaged by the downed trees. A few reports were received of dime size hail during these storms.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindLay Lake$60,000Hundreds of trees were snapped off at CR-71 and South River Road, near Lacoosa Marina. At least 3 homes were damaged by the fallen trees. Several campers also suffered minor damage. A roof was blown off a dry storage boat house, and several other outbuildings were damaged.
March 2010Flash FloodPelham$50,000After briefly letting up for a short time, another burst of heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in the city of Pelham. Several people had to be rescued from flooded townhomes.
February 2008Tornado (EF1)Simmsville$50,000A narrow tornado path began just to the lee of Double Oak Mountain, and continued east-northeastward for about a half mile across the Highland Lakes subdivision. Twenty to 30 trees were either uprooted or snapped. Several homes received damage from direct or indirect hits from falling trees. On one street directly in the path of the tornado, the mailboxes on both sides of the street were sucked open. At Pinecliff Circle and Highland Park Drive, at least 3 homes had roofing or siding stripped off.
November 2004Flash FloodCountywide$50,000Numerous roads were reported covered with water and were temporarily impassable. Several area streams and creeks rose above bankfull. Doppler radar estimated widespread rain amounts of three to five inches with a few spots approaching 6 inches. Runoff from these storms lasted for several hours after the heaviest rains ended.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindWilsonville$50,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across eastern Shelby County. One mobile home was overturned and a few trees fell onto homes.
June 2006LightningHelena$50,000no account filed
December 2011Tornado (EF0)Columbiana$45,000National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Shelby County and assessed damage that was consistent with a tornado. An EF-0 tornado with winds of 70 to 80 mph briefly touched down in Columbiana along County Road 47 and moved northeast for 1.9 miles and lifted along County Road 25. Along its path, 2 homes were damaged due to falling trees, and another home suffered minor shingle damage. Approximately 50 trees were either snapped or uprooted.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindHarpersville$45,000Numerous trees were knocked down in and around the city of Harpersville. One mobile home was blown off its foundation. One mobile home was rolled over several times and many outbuildings were destroyed. Some of the trees fell onto homes. There were no reported injuries.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Vincent$44,000A tornado initially touched down in far eastern Shelby County and tracked north northeast into western Talladega County. The tornado lifted northeast of Logan Martin Dam. The tornado touched down south of the town of Vincent on County Road 62 where it uprooted dozens of trees. The tornado traveled to the northeast and knocked down additional trees along its path. The damage was consistent with an EF1 rating and winds of 105 mph. ||The tornado crossed the Coosa River and moved into Talladega County, east of Bates Rd.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindBrantleyville$30,000Tree uprooted and fell on a manufactured home, slicing it in half.
March 2007Tornado (EF1)Montevallo Flyng X R$30,000The tornado touched down along County Road 17, about 6 miles southwest of Alabaster, and tracked a short distance to the east-northeast. At least 15 large pine trees were snapped off. One home suffered major roof damage and a barn sustained roof damage.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Wilsonville$28,500A tornado touched down 2.5 miles northwest of Wilsonville on Largin Road. The tornado moved northeastward where it snapped or uprooted several trees. As the tornado crossed County Road 441, it strengthened to an EF-1 rating, with maximum winds of 90 mph. One home sustained roof damage, and a horse trailer was thrown at least 100 yards. The tornado lifted just north of Highway 25 near the Lay Lake inlet.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindQuito$25,000Trees were blown down on Stevens Hill Circle, Riverchase Trace, and Old Rocky Ridge Road, in Hoover. Large tents and portable restrooms were blown down at Spain Park.
September 2009Flash FloodHelena$25,000Water was flowing over the road at the intersection of CR-52 and CR-17 in Helena. At least a dozen vehicles became trapped and roads had to be closed at Joe Tucker Park, due to flood waters flowing over the spillway there.

Mines and quarries

68 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 68 workings inside this county. 21 still produce and 47 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Iron25
Barium-Barite18
Stone, Crushed/Broken13
Clay5
Calcium3
Fire Clay (Refractory)2
Manganese1
Stone1
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Calera PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Martin Marietta Cement PlantStonePlant
Shelby MineIron, ManganesePast Producer1849
Montevallo MineFire Clay (Refractory)Producer
No 1 PitFire Clay (Refractory)Producer
Alabaster Lime PlantCalciumPast Producer
Landmark Quarry & Lime MillCalciumProducer
Longview Mine & Lime PlantCalciumProducer
Alabama Refractory Clay Co. PitClayProducer
Alabama Refractory Clay Co. PitClayProducer
Roberta PitClayProducer
She 2 Clay ProspectClayProspect
She 5 Clay ProspectClayProspect
Calera QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Central ShopStone, Crushed/BrokenPlant
Helena QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Maylene Quarry No. 4Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Montevallo MineStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Montevallo QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Montevallo QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Roberta QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Roberta QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Scotrock QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Southern Ready Mix Rock PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Verlie QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Verlie QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
A M Leonard ProspectBarium-BariteProspect
A and B MineBarium-BariteProducer
C B Naish MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
C Johnson ProspectBarium-BariteOccurrence
C V Moore ProspectBarium-BariteUnknown
J E Naish ProspectBarium-BariteProspect
Longview Lime Works MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
Longview Saginaw DistrictBarium-BaritePast ProducerResidual
Luther Davis MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
Luther Davis PropertyBarium-BaritePast ProducerResidual
P. HowlandBarium-BaritePast ProducerResidual
Petrie Howland MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
R P Tucker ProspectBarium-BariteProspect
T C Elliott ProspectBarium-BariteOccurrence
T S Florey ProspectBarium-BariteProspect
T. J. FloreyBarium-BaritePast ProducerResidual
W W Wyatt MineBarium-BaritePast Producer
W.W.WyattBarium-BaritePast ProducerResidual
Chain Gang PitIronUnknown
Columbiana Red Ore ProspectIronOccurrenceHematite
F P Cater Iron Ore ProspectIronUnknown
Helena, Ne OfIronPast ProducerResidual
LongviewIronPast ProducerResidual
No Name GivenIronPast ProducerResidual
Shelby Pit/Kingdom AreaIronPast ProducerResidual
Siluria, W OfIronPast ProducerResidual
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown
UnnamedIronUnknown

Every populated place in the county

170

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 4 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Recorded here

Calera, Alabama

19 topographic sheets and 6 fire insurance atlases, 1889 to 1938

Shelby, Alabama

17 topographic sheets and 4 fire insurance atlases, 1905 to 1923

Columbiana, Alabama

16 topographic sheets and 3 fire insurance atlases, 1909 to 1935

Montevallo, Alabama

19 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases, 1933

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

23 structures

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.