Brookside, AL

Brookside is a quiet town tucked along Five Mile Creek in northern Jefferson County, roughly twenty minutes northwest of Birmingham. It started as a boomtown in the late 1800s, drawing miners from Eastern Europe to work the local coal shafts. Although the mining era ended decades ago, the cultural roots established by those early families continue to shape the community.

ATTRhttps://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/al1104.photos.032759p / Public domain

Today, Brookside appeals to residents looking for peaceful scenery and easy outdoor recreation. The Five Mile Creek Greenway provides great trails for walking and biking, while the creek itself is a popular spot for canoeing and kayaking. Every November, visitors gather for the annual Slavic Food Festival at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, celebrating the town's history with homemade baked goods and traditional recipes. It is a calm, slow-paced place to live with convenient access to the rest of the Birmingham metro area.