The Vance Town Hall, where local leadership helps shape a growing town. (Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

If you’ve ever made the drive from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa, chances are you’ve passed the Mercedes-Benz logo towering above the trees. But if you take a short drive off the interstate beyond the factory gates, you’ll find a place that’s more than just a manufacturing hub.

A town with deep roots, tight-knit community and hometown heart that is booming just like the cars it helps build: Vance, Alabama.

Historic Beginnings

Vance was originally settled in the early 1830s as a stagecoach trading post called Trion. It was renamed Smallwood in 1872, and again in 1879 to honor Dr. William Vance, who established a long-time medical practice and helped found the Lee Institute school.

Vance once hosted a stagecoach stop and saw Civil War skirmishes before welcoming modern manufacturing.

Mercedes-Benz

Vance is best known as home to the Mercedes-Benz U.S International Plant established in 1997; the only one in North America. Roughly 6,000 employees work on the 1,000-acre campus.

Despite competing against 49 other states, Alabama local and state leaders pursued Mercedes in 1993. Mercedes evaluated 150 sites in 30 states over five months in 1993, and in the end chose Alabama over the other finalists, North and South Carolina.

Mercedes’ decision to build in Vance opened doors for other global auto manufacturers such as Honda, Hyundai and Toyota to establish operations in Alabama. Today, Alabama remains a powerhouse in the automobile industry because of the Mercedes deal.

With nearly a quarter of locals employed in manufacturing, the plant serves as Vance’s main employer and fuels local and state-wide economic growth.

Town Life

The Vance Ballpark is a hometown favorite. (Madison MacMullen / Bama Buzz)

Though small, the town offers several pleasant family-friendly amenities:

Vance Ballpark
Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center
Miners Community Park
Piper Interpretive Trail
Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge

Annual celebrations and a close-knit community give Vance a welcoming energy. Some of the standouts include The City of Vance Spring Fling and the Glow Pumpkin Party, both seasonal festivals with food trucks, vendors, and free activities for the whole town. Public events such as movie nights also occur frequently at Vance Ballpark, with the next one being a showing of Moana 2 on June 27.

Additionally, The Vance Trading Post occurs every second Saturday of the month at the Vance Library. Vendors from all across town participate to sell homemade goods and support the community.

Have you ever been to Vance, Alabama? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.