The history of this Methodist Church start from the early 1900s. From the 1800s to the late 1920s, Birmingham and other central Alabama cities experienced a boom in industry, commerce, and population, leading to a surge in construction. By the early 1900s, Birmingham had become the industrial hub of the South. The region was filled with mills, mining operations, and blast furnaces, supporting around 90 towns. These included small mining communities and larger industrial centers like Bessemer, Thomas, Ensley, and Pratt City.
Pratt City, originally known as Coketon, grew rapidly after the Pratt Mines opened in 1879. The mines prospered until the Great Depression, marking Birmingham and the New South’s entry into America’s industrial revolution. Located on the western edge of what is now the Historic District, the Pratt Mines started with Slope #1, tapping into Alabama’s richest coal seams. The plentiful Pratt coal fueled furnaces, powered locomotives, and heated homes, helping Birmingham become the South’s largest industrial center by the late 1800s.
William Gould kicked off the mining activities in the area by sinking the first shaft, and in 1878, Henry DeBardeleben’s Pratt Coal & Coke Company expanded the site to supply Linn Iron Works and Alice Furnace in downtown Birmingham. DeBardeleben named the company after his father-in-law and benefactor, Daniel Pratt. While DeBardeleben handled sales, his partner Truman Aldrich and engineer Llewellyn Johns took care of the mining and coking operations. The Pratt Mines gained international recognition at the 1884 World Exposition, attracting immigrants from rural southern areas, Northern industrial states, and other countries. By 1886, the Pratt Mines had become Alabama’s largest mining complex.
In 1887, a streetcar line from Birmingham reached Pratt City, creating a lively commercial area. As Pratt City grew, so did the number of churches. In December 1901, construction began on a new Southern Methodist Church at the corner of Third Street and Third Avenue, right on the main street above the streetcar line. Led by Reverend J. R. Turner, the congregation had nearly a hundred new members join in the previous five months and eagerly anticipated the new building, largely thanks to Turner’s efforts in managing the project.
William Gould started the mining activities in the area by sinking the first shaft. In 1878, Henry DeBardeleben’s Pratt Coal & Coke Company expanded the site to supply Linn Iron Works and Alice Furnace in downtown Birmingham. DeBardeleben named the company after his father-in-law and benefactor, Daniel Pratt. While DeBardeleben focused on sales, his partner Truman Aldrich and engineer Llewellyn Johns managed the mining and coking operations. The Pratt Mines gained international attention at the 1884 World Exposition, attracting immigrants from rural southern areas, northern industrial states, and other countries. By 1886, the Pratt Mines had become Alabama’s largest mining complex.
In 1887, a streetcar line from Birmingham reached Pratt City, creating a lively commercial area. As Pratt City grew, so did the number of churches. In December 1901, construction began on a new Southern Methodist Church at the corner of Third Street and Third Avenue, right on the main street above the streetcar line. Led by Reverend J. R. Turner, the congregation had nearly a hundred new members join in the previous five months and eagerly anticipated the new building, largely thanks to Turner’s efforts in managing the project.
Photography By: Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast