McCalla, AL

McCalla is a census-designated place southwest of Bessemer, spread across Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties near the geographic end of the Appalachian Mountains. It is named for Richard Calvin McCalla, a civil engineer connected to several Southern railroads. The area is largely residential, but Tannehill State Park gives it a strong nearby landmark, with a 19th-century blast furnace, the Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama, cabins, camping, and festivals including the Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Festival.