Vulcan: Birmingham’s Man of Iron

By George Clinton Thompson

Built for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, Vulcan symbolized the importance of iron in early twentieth-century Alabama. But the World’s Fair was only the beginning; over the years, Vulcan has been prized and neglected, argued over and praised. This article tells the story of Vulcan’s construction, of its fame, and of its slow decline.

Giuseppe Moretti

By Jennifer Willard

Giuseppe Moretti is best remembered in Alabama for creating Vulcan, but Birmingham’s man of iron was only one of the many creations of this artist. He also made sculptures and statues for Vanderbilt University and Highland Park, Pittsburgh. Nevertheless, Moretti remains intimately tied to Alabama; his famous Head of Christ was sculpted out of Alabama marble, as was Siegfried. Though Moretti remains a footnote for many students of art history, his contributions to Alabama make him well worth studying.

The editors wish to thank Jean Pinkerton for her assistance in researching this article

A Brief History of the Marble Industry in Sylacauga

By Ed Dodd

Alabama marble, celebrated for its translucence and purity, can be seen on the Lincoln Memorial and has been used by sculptors such as Gutzon Borglum, the man who oversaw Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Giuseppe Moretti. This article provides an overview of the history of Alabama marble, highlighting its uses–sometimes in the most unlikely of places.