Anonymous said...
Hello, I found a brick in my yard that has KIMBERLY stamped in it. I presume it is a fire brick due to the yellowish tan color. My house is a Queen Anne Victorian built around 1916 in Nashville, TN. Any info you have would be much appreciated.
According to research conducted by Karl Gurcke, in his book Bricks and Brickmaking, the KIMBERLEY was a trade name used by the Dixie Fire Brick Co. Inc. of Alabama. The name was in use in the time period of 1935 - 1942.
ReplyDelete--Fred R.
The Dixie Fire Brick Co. in Kimberly, AL [Jefferson County, 20 miles north of Birmingham] was purchased by A.P. Green Refractories in about 1943, and continued in operation until the mid or late 70's. Dixie fire bricks were considered the best in the country because of the qaulity of the clay of which they were made. I grew up within a few hundred feet of the brickyard, many of our neighbors retired from the brick yard. It employed around 150 people at peak production, it was built on the site of a coal mine [shaft mines]that played out in the early 30's. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteI found one of these bricks in the creek behind our house when I lived in Marietta, Georgia probably back in the early '80s. Since my name is Kimberly I just had to take it home and I still have it years later. Does anyone know the possible value of it?
ReplyDeleteThanks
My name is also Kimberly and now I have two of these....
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Kimberly, I too have one these bricks... I had two at one time but one broke many years ago! I am glad to still have one remaining. It's ironic that after reading this, an old friend just so happens to be named Dixie!... I inherited this brick from my great grandpa back in the late 70's who built a house in Jones, Alabama... Not sure of the year... The fire place was built from "KIMBERLY" bricks... Awesome research! ...kimberlyanneclayton@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteTake care!
I just found one in my garden just now in englewoo Tennessee never seen one.
ReplyDeleteAlso found one, and a few St. Joe bricks in my yard. Used the Kimberly just yesterday to hold down roof shingle repair until the roofing cement sets. It's twice as heavy as any other brick around.
ReplyDeleteJust found one in Huntsville ala. Any word on valve. Mine is in mint condition
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim! The back story is this. I had bought a Queen Anne Victorian house, built around 1916, in a little historic district of Nashville, TN in 2001. Not until the Spring of 2002 could I afford to landscape the old house. While landscaping, I raked this brick out from under the side porch, set it there, and wondered where it came from. You see, I had met a young lady a month prior, at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a World famous Honky Tonk in downtown Nashville. Two years later she would become my wife, and the mother of my two beautiful boys! Her name is Kimberly! We’ve moved from that house but I now know the plan was written long before I came along.
ReplyDeletehi, we purchased a house 3 years ago. found over a dozen of the KIMBERLY bricks. it is an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteWhat location?
DeleteMy husband found one at an old house that we use as rental property. He found it yesterday (Valentines Day) and painted the lettering with red paint. Yep, I’m a Kimberly too!
ReplyDeleteI just found one in my yard here in Montgomery AL. My name is not Kimberly, but this is an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, a DFBC brick was unearthed in Oak Grove Cemetery in Itawamba County, Mississippi while a grave was being dug this past weekend. Marked with letters DFBC and underneath that, DIXIE. Curious about how old it might be.
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in Kimberly. Your brick would be between 44 to 88 years old. Dixie Fire Brick operated from 1932 to 1976.
DeleteFound a DFBC ROYAL brick today where a old house once stood but was blown away by hurricane Michael in the town of Port St. Joe, Florida. Any info on this brick would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI just found one at my Aunt's home in Hayden,Alabama. I now live in Kimberly so I had to get it and put in my flowers.
ReplyDeleteI found a Kimberly brick at my Aunt's home in Hayde . AL. I have put it in my flower garden. My father was from Kimberly, Al
ReplyDeleteI just found a Kimberly brick in a back yard of a home we are flipping in Norwood. (The 1st planned neighborhood of Birmingham) homes on this street were built in the mid 20s...I dusted it off and left it on the front porch of my daughter, Kimberly .....
ReplyDeleteThe Kimberly brick should be worth from 5 dollars to 117 dollars. According to the condition.
ReplyDeleteI would Love to purchase a brick from someone willing to sell,I live in Kimberly Alabama and I'm on the city council there and my wife's name is Kimberly, so it would be really cool to have a brick from the history of my little city,can also email me a jamesh@jimburke.com...Thank you in advance..
ReplyDeletemy best friend Eddie felt one of these beautiful historic bricks in his Creek down by the road and they're wonderfully lush East Tennessee mountain home and they would love to celebrate someone if it would be a good home and it seems like you would be the perfect match for such a wonderful lovely brick and if you'd like to have it you just be the low price of $125 plus shipping .
DeleteWe just found one in stewart Ms in Creek
ReplyDeleteI thought it was cool cause my wife's name is Kimberly
Just unearthed a DFBC KIMBERLY brick while trenching an electric line . Richland Mississippi. I enjoyed this information.
ReplyDeleteThe Dixie Fire Brick Company (kimberly) was one of several brick companies in the south that engaged in neo slavery. They would use black convicts, and work them to death. These companies bought, sold, traded, and leased these "convicts", even though most had actually not committed any crimes.
ReplyDeleteWe have a 1940s house originally built by Emmit and Dixie Jeter north of Memphis, TN. Today I found this light yellow KIMBERLY brick in the flower bed that I have weeded multiple times over the years and have never seen it before! (We have lived here 4 years) Interestingly, there is only 1!
ReplyDeleteSame when I found mine! Do you have old fireplaces on property?
ReplyDeleteAny fireplaces on the property?
ReplyDeleteMy fireplace is full of marked bricks that have DFBC Dixie on them.. Was curious and googled them. That's how I found this forum.. I wasn't sure what the letters stood for.. good to know..
ReplyDeleteI’d like to obtain one of these bricks. My grandfather worked there prior to the 1960s. I passed by it many times as a child. My email address is cprestonw@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteI found 8 bricks in a old house place on my property that has DFBC then DIXIE in good shape I was wondering what year they were made
ReplyDeleteI have 2 I found after an old house was bulldozed on my property Kimberly yellow bricks in great shape so they are fire brick?
ReplyDeleteJust uncovered a fire place right out side of heflin with champion DFBC stamped on them.
ReplyDeleteI literally just found a DFBC Kimberly brick in the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana about two hours ago. It's in great condition with a small amount of mortar still on the bottom side (opposite side of the text side), but I'm sure it will chip off with ease. My mother's name is also Kimberly, so I plan on cleaning it up, and gifting it to her this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteJust noticed my firepit outside has a few of these KIMBERLY DFBC bricks I'm in pinehurst north carolina these bricks must be everywhere in the south lol
ReplyDeleteHave a Kimberly D P brick trying to get info on it .It is light yellow in color.
ReplyDeleteI've got a truck load of Dixie Kimberly morex champion firebrick in good shape. What are they worth never been used
ReplyDeleteWe just dug a Kimberly brick up in our yard while planting a tree in Milton Florida.
ReplyDeleteI live in Marietta GA and have a lot of these Kimberly bricks. About 20 of them. Dug them up in my backyard. House build in '65. I love the history of these, and if anyone is interested in them let me know. vancewes0@gmail.com
ReplyDelete