1/1s: Highrise #172 - Alabama Power Building

Address: 600 18th St. N. Opened: 1925 Height: 217' Stories: 13 Style: Art Deco Architect: William Warren

Birmingham, AL

Ever since the 25-foot gold statue of the goddess Electra made her rooftop debut, people have traded tales of a mystical love affair uniting her and the giant iron statue of Vulcan on the ridge overlooking the city. At least the god of the forge has a leather apron to partially shield his modesty.

Alabama Power was founded in 1906 by William Lay, a riverboat captain who mapped out rapids and shoals where hydroelectric dams could go. He started to build one on the Coosa River southeast of Birmingham, but had to hand over control of his company to finance the project, which began service in 1914 and was later named Lay Dam.

Another promising company site, at Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee River, was handed over to the federal government during World War I for a dam meant to power an explosives manufacturing plant. The nitrates factory was eventually built elsewhere,