Homewood's official 100th birthday is Thursday, Oct. 29, with a time capsule burial at 4 p.m. at the library. A free audio tour of 16 historic stops is out now.

Homewood turns 100 on Thursday, Oct. 29. The city will mark the day with a time capsule burial at 4 p.m. at the Homewood Public Library.

Oct. 29 is the city’s official birthday and the date it was incorporated in 1926, the city’s centennial page says.

What happens on the day

The city has announced one event for the birthday itself:

What When Where
Time capsule burial 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 Homewood Public Library

The city has not said what goes in the capsule or when it is due to be opened. We will add those details if the city publishes them.

The big celebrations came first. The city held a Centennial Weekend from Oct. 15 to 17:

  • a sold-out gala at City Hall Plaza and Rosewood Hall on Oct. 15
  • a brunch for former mayors and City Council members on Oct. 16
  • a First Responder 5K and a citywide picnic in Central Park on Oct. 17

The 5K raised money for the Homewood Police Foundation and the Homewood Fire Department, the city said.

A free tour of the city’s history

There is also a new way to see the city’s first century. The Homewood Historic Preservation Commission has made a free, self-guided driving tour, the city announced Oct. 13.

The tour has 16 audio and text stops across Homewood’s five historic wards. You can do one area, or the whole route in about an hour. Stops include:

  • the Rosedale Historic District
  • Edgewood Lake
  • the old Zelosophian Academy site
  • the Pink House
  • the McDaniel House
  • Samford University
  • the historic homes of Hollywood

The stories cover Rosedale, West Homewood, Edgewood, Lakeshore, Mayfair and Windsor, and Hollywood. Historic photographs come from the Homewood Public Library, the Birmingham Public Library Archives and the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

The narrator is Shelia Snoddy, known to many radio listeners as Jill Friday. The city paid for the tour with help from a Historic Preservation Fund grant from the National Park Service, the announcement said.

The tour is free in the TravelStorys app for iPhone and Android. You can also explore Homewood’s historic neighborhoods tour online.

Watch the centennial films

The city’s centennial page also carries four short films from its Centennial Film Festival. They are “Salabama,” “Sims Garden,” “The Pink House” and “100 Years of Homewood.” The last was produced by former City Council member Barry Smith and Brian Wallace.

What it means for you

  • Want to be there? Go to the Homewood Public Library for 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. The city has not said whether the burial is ticketed; no ticket is mentioned on its page.
  • Got an hour? Download the TravelStorys app and drive the 16-stop tour. It costs nothing.
  • New to town? Our history and landmarks guide explains how Rosedale, Edgewood and Grove Park merged in 1926, and our neighborhoods guide covers each part of the city today.
  • Planning the rest of the month? See things to do this month and our Halloween events page.