• Newspaper
  • Community

  • History

    Following in the footsteps of the successful launch of the Alabaster Reporter, Pelham, Shelby County’s second-largest city, is enjoying its very own, hyper-local community newspaper, the Pelham Reporter. After a launch party attended by more than 200 of the community’s movers and shakers, the first edition of the Pelham Reporter boasted an almost unheard of 75 percent penetration of the Pelham market. It continues to grow in influence, both with its print edition, Web site and daily news emails.

    Goals

    The Alabaster Reporter and its employees strive to:

    • Produce exciting, top-quality news stories focusing on people and events that affect Pelham;
    • Go the extra mile to meet the needs of its advertisers;
    • Report news accurately and without bias;
    • Edit and publish with integrity and with the best interest of its community in mind;
    • Operate at a profit level that allows employees to be fairly compensated, allows the company to reinvest in its community and to stand independent of outside influences;
    • Take an active leadership role in its community;
    • Do what they say they will do;
    • Treat their readers, advertisers and employees as they would like to be treated themselves.

    Circulation

    The Pelham Reporter is published weekly on Saturdays, and has a wide readership across Pelham. It is available for free at more than 200 locations throughout the city.

    Internet presence

    www.pelhamreporter.com. The Reporter’s online home — pelhamreporter.com — is a 24/7 news engine for Pelham.

    Community involvement

    The Pelham Reporter leads by example in its community. It is actively involved with the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. The Reporter is a major sponsor of Leadership Shelby County, and many of its employees have gone through the program and graduated. The Reporter works with local high school students to produce their student newspapers, and many of its employees are active in local civic organizations, charitable groups and local churches.

  • Geographic location

    Pelham is located in the northwestern portion of Shelby County, adjacent to Helena, Alabaster, Hoover, Indian Springs and Chelsea. Major highways that go through Pelham include Interstate 65, U.S. Highway 31, Alabama Highway 119, County Road 52 and Alabama Highway 261.

    Market

    The commercial retail market leads a growing market in Pelham, but the city is also home to many industrial businesses in a variety of categories. In recent years, major retailers, hotels and restaurants have opened locations in Pelham, drawing customers from nearly every part of Shelby County. Pelham is also home to the Verizon Wireless Music Center, a venue that attracts many of the biggest musical acts in the country.

    Population

    2008 Census estimates put Pelham’s population at 21,266, an increase of 118% since 1990.

    Climate

    Pelham experiences a typical Southern climate with warm, humid summers and mild winters.

    Major employers

    Some of the larger employers in Pelham include the Shelby County School System, Walmart and Oak Mountain State Park, in addition to a host of businesses in Pelham’s many industrial parks.

    Education

    Pelham is served by the Shelby County School System. There is one elementary school, one intermediate school, one middle school and one high school. Hope Christian School, a home-based school offering K12, is located in Pelham. Pelham is within 30 minutes of several post-secondary schools, including the University of Montevallo, UAB, Samford University, Jefferson State Community College and Southeastern Bible College.

    History

    While the city of Pelham was incorporated on July 10, 1964, little was recorded about the city prior to that. The county’s first seat and Court House were located at Shelbyville, which was located in present-day Pelham.

    Culture

    Located in the Birmingham MSA, Pelham residents enjoy a wealth of cultural opportunities in and around Birmingham. Many cultural groups in Birmingham actively reach out to Pelham to offer its residents even more opportunities. Many arts groups call Pelham home as well, including the Stevan Grebel School of Dance. The Verizon Wireless Music Center is located in Pelham and attracts some of the largest musical artists and bands year-round.

    Recreation

    Pelham offers its residents a robust sports league, and residents enjoy many local parks. The city owns and operates the Pelham Racquet Club, home to many regional and national tennis events; Ballantrae Golf Club, considered by many to be the finest public course in Alabama; and the Pelham Civic Complex, which offers ice skating. The Birmingham YMCA operates a large branch in Pelham, offering a wide range of activities for area families. Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest state park, is wholly located within the city limits of Pelham.

    Area information

    Pelham is served by the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce:
    shelbychamber.org
    205.663.4542

    The Pelham Industrial Development Board is a good resource for any business looking to locate in Pelham:
    pelhamonline.com
    205.620.6400