Nelson, Alabama

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Nelson, Alabama

|settlement_type = Unincorporated community

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|image_skyline = File:Nelson, Alabama.jpg

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|image_caption = Norfolk Southern Railway crossing Alabama Highway 25 in Nelson

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|pushpin_map=Alabama#USA

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Alabama

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Shelby

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|timezone = Central (CST)

|utc_offset = -6

|timezone_DST = CDT

|utc_offset_DST = -5

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|elevation_ft = 463

|coordinates = {{coord|33|12|55|N|86|34|52|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}

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|area_code = 205, 659

|blank_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank_info = 156773{{cite gnis|156773|Nelson}}

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Nelson, also known as Nelson Switch, or Cates Crossing, is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. Nelson is located at the crossing of Alabama State Route 25 and the Norfolk Southern Railway, between Columbiana and Wilsonville.

History

Nelson was the birthplace of Frank Nelson, Jr. Nelson grew up working in his father's store in Columbiana. After attending the University of Alabama, he began manufacturing charcoal that was shipped to Brierfield Furnace and Shelby Iron Company.{{cite book|author1=Thomas McAdory Owen|author2=Marie Bankhead Owen|title=History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography|url=https://archive.org/details/historyalabamaa03owengoog|year=1921|publisher=S. J. Clarke publishing Company|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyalabamaa03owengoog/page/n862 1850]}} He then moved to Birmingham and founded the North Birmingham Land Company. Due to his efforts, over thirty manufacturing plants located to North Birmingham, including the American Cast Iron Pipe Company and American Radiator Company. Nelson then became president of the Empire Coal Company located in Empire.{{cite book |last=Armes |first=Ethel |date=1972 |title=The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama |location=Birmingham |publisher=The Book-Keepers Press |pages=505–6 }} The Frank Nelson Building, located at the corner of 20th Street North and 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham, is named in his honor.

The Columbiana Ore Company operated iron ore mines at Nelson in 1918.{{cite book|title=Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Alabama|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FSUcAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA118|year=1918|publisher=Geological Survey of Alabama|pages=2}}

A post office operated under the name Nelson from 1857 to 1904.{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=AL&county=Shelby | title=Shelby County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=11 January 2015}}

On April 18, 1953, Nelson was damaged by an F3 tornado.{{cite web |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/?n=event_04181953 |title=Siluria Tornado 4/18/1953 |publisher=National Weather Service |date=16 November 2010 |website=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office |access-date=11 January 2015}}

References

Category:Unincorporated communities in Shelby County, Alabama

Category:Unincorporated communities in Alabama