Comeback Town: The George Barber I knew - a visionary who brought the world to Birmingham

Comeback Town is an opinion column exploring all things Birmingham. It is coordinated by David Sher. This week’s guest columnist is Don Erwin.

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By Don Erwin

While many have chronicled the significant life and achievements of George Barber, I would like to offer a closer look at the visionary I knew personally. My professional relationship with George began in 1997, when I first walked into the original Barber Museum in downtown Birmingham—a facility that, while unassuming from the outside, held 40,000 square feet of motorsports brilliance. It was a place that could command the full attention of international business leaders, often causing them to cancel entire slates of meetings just to spend a few minutes inside.

A Vision Built on Persistence

As an economic developer, I eventually moved from assisting with the development of the Barber Museum & Park to working directly for George. Building the nonprofit institution was a massive undertaking, and while George personally financed the project to the tune of many tens of millions of dollars, the path was rarely smooth. We faced intense zoning hurdles with the City of Birmingham and fierce opposition from environmental groups concerned about the Cahaba River. George, who often remarked on how hard he had to work just to give his money away, remained committed to his vision.

Contrary to the concerns of his critics, George was a deeply devoted environmentalist. He was a driving force behind the formation of the Nature Conservancy in Alabama and utilized millions of Barber’s Dairy milk cartons to rally support for the creation of Forever Wild.

Redefining Birmingham

George didn't just build a track; he cultivated a park where nature and cutting-edge technology existed in harmony. He shunned the idea of a traditional grandstand-heavy stadium, instead seeking a project that would distinguish Birmingham on a global scale. His gamble paid off: by January 2003, we had secured Porsche’s largest driving school in the world. By 2009, after hosting a free spring practice, the Indycar organization was so impressed that the park became a recurring stop on the racing calendar.

His ambition extended to the museum itself. After deciding that becoming the world's premier auto museum was an unlikely goal given the existing competition, he pivoted to motorcycles. In 2014, the Guinness World Records organization officially recognized the Barber Museum as the world’s largest motorcycle museum.

Leadership and Legacy

George’s connection to Birmingham ran deep. From his home on Red Mountain, he watched the city grow, frequently pointing to the construction cranes at UAB as a sign of progress—a sentiment he backed with millions of dollars in contributions for endowed chairs. He led with a unique personal philosophy, whether it was turning off the lights in an empty room or personally picking up litter on the museum grounds to set an example for staff and visitors alike.

He possessed a dry wit, famously joking with an Auburn official about a "bug problem" at the park, only for the official to realize the "bugs" were actually giant sculptures of spiders and ants. He remained modest despite his success, choosing to drive a Honda minivan because he refused to let others dictate what was considered "cool."-

Although George never married and had no children, he built a team of exceptionally competent people who shared his vision. Even after my retirement in 2020, our bond remained strong. Last year, he sent me a photo of himself reading my novel, Buffalo Hunting in Alabama. That is the George Barber I knew—a man of vision, humor, and heart. I will miss him dearly.

Don Erwin was an economic developer for twelve years and worked for Barber Companies for almost eighteen years. He lives in the Birmingham metro.