Helena is a city in Alabama’s Jefferson and Shelby counties. Helena is a Birmingham suburb and part of the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area. The population was 19,657 as of the 2020 census. Helena was named one of the safest cities in America, with the seventh-lowest crime rate in the country. It is generally recognized as a desirable place to live and raise a family, having been named the 13th greatest place in the country to raise a family. Helena is the hometown of Broadway actress Rebecca Luker and Olympic gold medallist in bobsledding Vonetta Flowers. Welcome Center in Helena In the mid-1830s, the Helena area was first populated. When Helena was first incorporated as a town in 1826, it had a population of less than 300. The town’s name came from the daughter of Paul Hayne, who was one of the first two landowners in the area. In 1833, the first cabin was built at what is now Helena. In 1840 there were four cabins and a population of 50. During this time, the town was known as “Cove”. The post office that had been established at Cove in 1849 was moved to Helena and reopened on January 9, 1850. In the mid-1830s, the area began to be called “Helena”, and a new post office under that name opened. Helena is now developing at a breakneck pace, outpacing 91% of similarly sized communities since 2000.

Things to do in Helena:

There are quite a few fun things to do in or near Helena. For example:

• Pepper Place Market: This is an open-air market that runs on Saturdays at the corner of 29th Street South and Highland Avenue. It was started in 1993 by Birmingham’s City Action Partnership (B-CAP). Here, you will find lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, plants, flowers, crafts & collectibles. There are also a lot of local restaurants and food trucks on site.

• Hoover YMCA: This is the largest fitness center in Alabama with over 170,000 square feet. It includes an Olympic-sized pool, cardiovascular equipment, strength training equipment, and free weights. The center has more than 60 group exercise classes such as Body Pump (a barbell workout) and Yoga Booty Ballet. There are also a lot of family-friendly amenities such as a childcare area for parents who want to work out or swim with their kids.

• Oak Mountain State Park: This is a park in Shelby County, Alabama, south from Birmingham’s Red Mountain Expressway. The park covers an area of and has numerous outdoor recreational activities such as mountain biking, disc golf (Frisbee), and hiking. It was once a part of the former Piney Woods Estate owned by Birmingham businessman Hugo Black.

• Vulcan Park: This park is situated atop Red Mountain in Birmingham with an observation deck that provides panoramic views of the city below. The park’s most distinctive landmark is the world’s largest cast-iron statue, the 52 feet (15.8 m) tall statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge. It was designed by Italian artist Giuseppe Moretti as a memorial to those who died in Birmingham’s Coal and Iron Police War in 1907.

• Birmingham Zoo: This zoo is located on Birmingham’s Red Mountain that has over 1,400 animals representing some 200 species. It was named the top free attraction in 2009 by Forbes magazine and one of the nation’s top zoos. The zoo also runs a conservation program that has been successful in breeding endangered species such as the golden lion tamarin and red-crowned crane. The zoo has also been successfully breeding endangered Asian elephant.

Other amazing sights near Helena include the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alabama Constitution Village Living History Museum, Negro Southern League Museum, Birmingham Railroad Park.