The town of Vestavia Hills officially became a city. By late 1957, the population had grown from just over 600 residents in 1950, to a total of 2,995 residents. The City was incorporated on November 8, 1950. It was originally designed to accommodate approximately 1,000 persons. In 1946, Charles Byrd planned and initiated the development of Vestavia Hills as a subdivision. After the Vestavia Temple was unfortunately destroyed, the Vestavia Hills Garden Club assumed the responsibility of relocating the Temple of Sibyl to its present site at the northern gateway to the City, where the majestic panorama it once overlooked is still available.
In the years following George Ward’s death, the Temple served as a restaurant and later as a part of a church. Ward called his Temple “Vestavia.” “Vesta” was the Roman goddess of hearth and “via” means “by the roadway.” The area around the Temple later developed into a thriving suburban city known today as Vestavia Hills. It is a replica of the Temple of Sibyl at Tivoli, near Rome. The garden Gazebo was built later and stood across from the Temple overlooking the valley below, serving as the entrance to a bird sanctuary. The Temple, as it was known, was built of dark pink sandstone with 20 massive columns which were frieze carved and painted with garlands of flowers and fruit. Ward, who had purchased 20 acres of beautifully wooded property on the summit of Shades Mountain, commissioned an architect to design a home for him after the Temple of Vesta. He made frequent trips to Italy and Greece and was particularly impressed by the Temple of Vesta in Rome. George Ward, a former mayor of Birmingham (1905-1909, 1913-1914), was an idealist, a sentimentalist, a naturalist, a floriculturalist, and a lover of the classics. This exquisite panorama with its verdant, ever-changing foliage and magnificent sunsets is what attracted the eye and interest of George Ward in the 1920’s. From this unique vantage point, Vestavia Hills overlooks beautiful Shades Valley to the north and has a breathtaking vista of the remaining Appalachian foothills to the south. In the foothills of the Appalachian Chain, the City of Vestavia Hills is charmingly situated atop Shades Mountain. We also welcome your questions at or 205.978.0100. The new official logo includes a flag that bears the inscription “Unity, Prosperity, Family.”Īdditional information about Vestavia Hills is included in the Economy section of our website. In 2014, City leadership espoused the new “A Life Above” motto to describe the quality of life and values of the community. In years past, “Home of the Dogwood Trail” was the City slogan, and the dogwood is still the City flower. Median household incomes are high, and residents demonstrate strong financial support of community programs. The municipality is strong financially with consistently favorable Fitch ratings. The City has its own public school system with one high school, two middle schools, and five elementary schools. Vestavia Hills is a suburban community with four sections: Vestavia, Cahaba Heights, Liberty Park and Patchwork Farms. Vestavia Hills is in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area and is served by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. The City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer for the municipal corporation, and he is responsible for the day-to-day operations. The Mayor and Council serve as the legislative branch of the City government.
Incorporated in 1950, Vestavia Hills is a Class 7 municipality of Alabama with a Council-Manager form of government with the Mayor presiding over the Council.
The City of Vestavia Hills has a population nearly 40,000 and is located geographically in Jefferson County, Alabama along U.S.
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