McCalla, Alabama
| Mc Calla, Alabama | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
|
The U.S. Post Office in McCalla, Alabama | |
  Mc Calla, Alabama  Mc Calla, Alabama | |
| Coordinates: 33°20′55″N 87°00′51″W / 33.34861°N 87.01417°WCoordinates: 33°20′55″N 87°00′51″W / 33.34861°N 87.01417°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Jefferson |
| Elevation | 509 ft (155 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 15,915 |
| • Density | 248/sq mi (96/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 205 |
| GNIS feature ID | 122460[1] |
Mc Calla (often shortened to McCalla) is an unincorporated community in Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, Alabama, United States,[2] southwest of Bessemer and the geographic terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.[3]
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.
Recreation
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
The McCalla area is served by McAdory Elementary,[4] McAdory Middle [5] and McAdory High [6] schools.
Notable people
- Morris Higginbotham, head football coach for the University of West Alabama from 1952 to 1981
- Bo Jackson was raised in McCalla 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
- Chad Smith, Pitcher for the Miami Marlins organization
References
Municipalities and communities of Jefferson County, Alabama, United States | ||
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| Towns | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |