True Crime in Birmingham

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Birmingham has had its share of criminal activity since it was settled in the early 19th century, and its police force has a long history of protecting its citizens and maintaining the peace.  But, people will be people, and various examples of criminal activity in Birmingham's history might have you shaking your head in disbelief. We have a few stories to share with you about our local law enforcement at its best! A particularly dramatic example took place in the early 1920s, when the department uncovered a far reaching federal crime hiding behind Birmingham’s sleepy streets. Read more 

But that's not all. Birmingham's first murder shocked the log cabin settlement in 1825, and the details are just as shocking today. A presentation by Museum Director Leslie Pielack and Birmingham Police Department's Commander Scott Grewe looks at this tragic occurrence and the events leading up to it as well as its impact on the close knit community. Watch the video of the October 14, 2021 presentation at the Baldwin Public Library. 

Shocking True Tales!
The truth is, sometimes people do rather silly things, at least from hindsight gained more than a century later. Yet they may have been sensational in the small community of Birmingham and caused quite a stir. We look at some of these newsworthy events, found in area newspapers in our Shocking True Tales video series from 2020.