Staff photo.
A relic from the fire that destroyed the Inverness Country Club in 2007.
For years, Hoover had been searching for property along the lucrative U.S. 280 corridor. Then, more than 30 years ago, city officials decided to take a bite of the prized highway at Inverness.
In Marilyn Davis Barefield’s book “A History of Hoover, Alabama and its People,” she explains that commerce in Hoover flourished along major roads like U.S. 31 but dissipated in the residential areas.
“City officials quickly realized that when commercial growth is successful, residential development will follow,” Barefield writes.
Hoover extended its reach to U.S. 280 in 1990 after acquiring annexed land from Shelby County. One piece of land, Inverness, was home to the profitable commercial properties of Inverness Plaza and Inverness Corners.
Additionally, in 1972, Inverness Country Club was built with golf, swimming and tennis facilities.
“A modern clubhouse is an attraction for its members, approximately half of whom reside in the residential developments in Inverness,” Barefield writes.
The combination of recreational facilities and the proximity to the extended commercial land in Hoover drew people to the area. According to placesnamed.com, the population of Inverness in 1990 was 2,528. By 2023, the website Best Neighborhood recorded that the population had grown to 7,279.
