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Alabama’s Black Belt, so called because of a strip of dark, rich soil that stretches across part of the state’s south-central section, covers 4,300 square miles. This fertile farmland became the setting for a host of plantations prior to the Civil War and you’ll see many antebellum structures throughout the area. From Selma, which retains a lingering flavor of the Old South’s cotton-rich aristocratic past, you can easily make a loop of several small Black Belt towns with their treasure troves of architecture. Situated on a bluff above the Alabama River, Selma served as a major munitions depot, making battleships as well as cannonballs, rifles, and ammunition for the Confederate cause.
US 80 west from Montgomery to Selma leads across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a landmark that figured prominently in the civil rights struggle. In 1965 marchers followed Martin Luther King Jr. across this bridge on their trek to Montgomery during voting-rights demonstrations.
Located near the bridge, the National Voting Rights Museum (334-418-0800; nvrmi.com) at 1012 Water Avenue presents a visual history of the Selma-to-Montgomery march and related events. Upon entering, viewers see themselves reflected in a mirrored “I Was There” wall with a display of cards recording firsthand observations by individuals. A series of rooms focus on reconstruction, suffrage, and other aspects of the voting-rights struggle. A large window, etched with the names Andrew Young, Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Dick Gregory, and other museum Hall of Fame inductees, provides a fitting vantage point for viewing the historic Pettus Bridge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday by appointment only. Admission: adults $6.50; senior citizens and students $4.50.
Take time to stroll along historic Water Avenue, a restored 19th-century riverfront warehouse district with brick streets, arcades, and parks overlooking the river. Nearby, at 1124 Water Avenue, you’ll find a mini-mall with an eatery and several interesting shops.
Settle into a room at the restored St. James Hotel (334-872-3234 or 866-965-2637; historicstjameshotel.com) and map out your Selma itinerary. One of the country’s few remaining antebellum riverfront hotels, the St. James occupies a corner at 1200 Water Avenue. Lacy iron grillwork traces the balconies of the camel-colored structure, which surrounds a courtyard with fountain. The original 1837 hotel served passengers from paddle wheelers and steamboats that plied the Alabama River and also those from the nearby railroad station. Jesse and Frank James (under assumed names) once stayed at the St. James.
BEST ATTRACTIONS IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
Battleship USS Alabama,
Mobile Bay
Bellingrath Gardens and Home,
Theodore
Dauphin Island
Fort Morgan,
Mobile Bay
Gulf Coast beaches
Mobile’s historic districts
Mobile Museum of Art,
Mobile
Old Cahawba Archaeological Park,
Cahaba
Town of Demopolis
Town of Fairhope
Town of Marion
Town of Selma
Many of the rooms’ balconies overlook the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge. Furnished with antebellum and Victorian pieces, the hotel boasts a ballroom; elegant guest rooms and suites; a Drinking Room with handsome, marble-topped mahogany bar; and a white-tablecloth dining room. Standard to moderate.
To dip into more of the city’s interesting history, stop by the handsome Old Depot Museum (334-874-2197; olddepotmuseum.com), located on the corner of Martin Luther King Street and Water Avenue. Built in 1891 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, this arched and turreted two-story redbrick structure stands on the site of the Confederate Naval Foundry, which Union troops destroyed during the Battle of Selma in 1865. The museum houses everything from a 1908 portrait camera used by psychic Edgar Cayce (who once lived in Selma and operated a photography studio here) to Victorian hair combs, plantation records, quilts, Confederate bills, cannonballs, early medical equipment, and antique tools.
In the Black Heritage Wing, you’ll see sculpture by Earl Hopkins, nationally recognized for his wood carvings and leather crafts. Hopkins, who uses exotic woods in his creations, worked at Colonial Williamsburg before retiring to his native Selma. A not-to-be-missed rare display of photographs, made between 1895 and 1905 by Selmian Mary Morgan Keipp, depicts daily life on a Black Belt plantation. The series is considered one of the finest and most complete collections of photos covering that period in history.
Behind the museum you’ll see a Firefighters Museum plus a boxcar, caboose, and old farm equipment. Monday through Saturday the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Admission: adults $5, senior citizens $4, children $2.
Nearby at 410 Martin Luther King Street, stands Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, another significant structure in Selma’s history. This 1908 Byzantine-style building served as headquarters for the civil rights activists who played a pivotal role in bringing about the passage of the National Voting Rights Act during the turbulent decade of the 1960s. Visitors may take a self-guided walking tour of the surrounding historic area.
TOP ANNUAL EVENTS IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
Mardi Gras
Mobile, February
(800) 566-2453
Arts & Crafts Festival
Fairhope, March
(251) 621-8222
Azalea Trail Run & Festival
Mobile, March
(800) 566-2453
Festival of Flowers
Mobile, March
(251) 639-2050 or (800) 566-2453
Historic Selma Pilgrimage
Selma, March
(800) 457-3562
The Original German Sausage Festival
Elberta, last Saturday in March and October
(251) 986-5805
Crawfish Festival
Faunsdale, last weekend in April (unless Easter)
(334) 628-3240
Blessing of the Flee
Bayou La Batre, May
(251) 824-2415
To Kill a Mockingbird
Monroeville, last weekend of April and first three weekends in May
(251) 575-7433
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
Dauphin Island, July
(251) 471-0025
Alabama Tale Tellin’ Festival
Selma, second weekend in October
(334) 878-2787
Selma Haunted History Tours
Selma/Dallas County locations, October
(800) 45-SELMA
Bayfest Music Festival
Mobile, first weekend in October
(251) 470-7730
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
Mobile, July
(251) 471-0025
National Shrimp Festival
Gulf Shores, October
(251) 968–6091
Riverfront Market
Selma, second Saturday of October
(800) 457-3562
Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival
Gulf Shores, November
(850) 492-7664
Pow Wow
Atmore, November
(251) 368-9136
Magic Christmas in Lights
Bellingrath Gardens & Home
late November through December
(251) 973-2217
Christmas on the River
Demopolis, December
(334) 289-0270
Sometime during your local tour, be sure to stop at 109 Union Street to tour the white-columned, three-story, brick Vaughan-Smitherman Museum (334-874-2174), named for the local hospital (once housed here) and in honor of Selma’s former mayor, who played an active role in historic preservation. Crowning Alabama Avenue, this impressive building opened its doors in 1848 as the Central Masonic Institute and later served as a hospital for wounded Confederates (escaping the fate of many Selma buildings when Union general John Harrison Wilson’s raiders, disobeying orders, embarked on a wholesale campaign of wanton destruction in April 1865). The building later served as a courthouse, military school, and private hospital. Inside you’ll see a large collection of Civil War relics, Confederate money, medical artifacts, and period furnishings from the mid-1800s. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or by appointment. Modest admission.
On a drive through the Old Town Historic District, you’ll see block after block of antebellum and Victorian architecture. On the third weekend in March, the Historic Selma Pilgrimage provides visitors with opportunities to tour many of the city’s outstanding homes (see selmapilgrimage.com for more information). A reenactment of the Battle of Selma is another popular springtime event. On the second Saturday in October, the grand event is the Tall Tellin’ Festival.
For a memento of your visit, consider purchasing a cookbook called Tastes of Olde Selma, available in several places throughout the city. Compiled by Selma’s Olde Towne Association, the book contains line drawings and brief histories of many of the town’s significant structures along with a selection of wonderful recipes. The front cover features a color illustration of Sturdivant Hall (334-872-5626), a neoclassical mansion located at 713 Mabry Street. Designed by Thomas Helm Lee (Robert E. Lee’s cousin), this magnificent home that took three years to build boasts elaborate ceilings and decorative moldings with a motif of intertwined grape leaves and vines. You’ll also see a spiral staircase, marble mantels, and servant pulls—each with a different tone. Other treasures include period furnishings, portraits, silver, crystal, china, and a rare French-made George Washington commemorative clock of ormolu and gold—one of only seven in existence.
Coral vines climb the home’s back walls, and mock lemons perfume the air. You may be presented with a sprig or cutting of lavender, mint, or sage from the mansion’s herb garden outside the backyard kitchen. The home’s formal gardens, which feature a variety of native flowers, shrubs, and trees, serve as a lovely backdrop for the pilgrimage’s annual grand ball. Except for major holidays, Sunday, and Monday, Sturdivant Hall is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: adults $5.
By the way, some Selmians say the ghost of John McGee Parkman, one of Sturdivant Hall’s former owners, roams the mansion. You may or may not see house ghosts here, but you can certainly find several in Sturdivant Hall’s gift shop—sandwiched between the covers of some of Kathryn Tucker Windham’s books, such as 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey or Jeffrey’s Latest 13. For a souvenir or gift, you might like to buy Alabama—One Big Front Porch, an engrossing collection of stories compiled by Alabama’s famous storyteller Mrs. Windham, who died in 2011. To hear other famous Southern storytellers, plan your visit to coincide with the Alabama Tale Tellin’ Festival, an annual fall event staged in Selma. Driving along Dallas Avenue (which becomes State Route 22), you’ll pass the Old Live Oak Cemetery, filled with ancient trees festooned by Spanish moss. During spring, dogwoods and azaleas make this site even more spectacular. A number of Confederate graves and unique monuments may be seen here, including the mausoleum of William Rufus King, who named Selma and planned its layout. King, on the Democratic ticket with Franklin Pierce, died shortly after being elected vice president of the US.
For dinner strike out for the Tally-Ho Restaurant (334-872-1390), located at 509 Mangum Avenue, just off Summerfield Road in the northern section of town. Owner Bob Kelley’s entrees run the gamut from seafood and chicken to prime rib au jus. A board features daily specials, which might include grilled pork chops with Thai sauce. Homemade zucchini muffins accompany entrees. For dessert try the chocolate cheesecake or amaretto soufflé. The restaurant’s hours are Monday through Thursday 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m. Prices are moderate. The website is tallyhoselma.com.
alabama trivia
Currency issued in Louisiana before the Civil War ($10 notes bearing the word dix, French for the number 10) led to the South being called “Dixie Land” and gave Alabama her nickname, “Heart of Dixie.”
During your Selma visit, swing southwest about 9 miles on State Route 22 toward Cahaba (“Cahawba” is the historical spelling). Watch for a sign that says TO CAHABA, then turn left and travel 3.5 miles to 9518 Cahawba Road. When you reach a dead end, turn left again and continue 3 miles to Old Cahawba Archaeological Park (334-872-8058; cahawba.com), the site of Alabama’s first permanent state capital. Here, near the place where the Cahaba and Alabama Rivers merge, once stood a thriving town. Today’s visitors will have to use some imagination to visualize the remaining ruins as grand mansions that surrounded a copper-domed capitol, completed in 1820. A large stone monument and interpretive signs in conjunction with old street markers, brick columns, cemeteries, and domestic plants growing wild offer the few clues that this off-the-beaten-path spot once flourished as a political, commercial, and cultural center. You’ll also see an artesian well (where watercress grows), the source of water for the elaborate gardens surrounding the Perine family mansion, which once stood nearby.
The visitor and education centers provide information on Cahaba’s glory days. In 1825 legislators voted to move Alabama’s capital to Tuscaloosa. While local lore holds that frequent flooding caused Cahaba to lose its position as the state’s seat of government, evidence suggests that sectional politics probably played a larger role. Gradually Cahaba became a ghost town, and by 1900 most of its buildings had disappeared. The park offers a handicapped accessible nature trail. Except for major holidays, the park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the visitor center is open from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Afterward follow US 80 west from Selma until you reach Dallas County Road 45; then turn north to Marion, one of Alabama’s oldest towns and a leading cultural center for planter society. The city is home to both Judson College and Marion Military Institute. The latter’s chapel, Old South Hall, and Lovelace House on campus served as hospitals during the Civil War. The graves of more than 100 Southern and Union soldiers were later relocated from campus to Confederate Rest, a cemetery behind St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church. The Old Marion City Hall (moved to MMI’s campus from the downtown square) houses the Alabama Military Hall of Honor. For an appointment to see the exhibits, call (334) 683-2346.
Downtown you’ll see several historical churches and the handsome Perry County Courthouse dating from the early 1850s. Be sure to drive down Green Street, the setting for a number of antebellum residences, including the Lea-Griffith Home (circa 1830), where Texas hero Sam Houston married Margaret Lea (their marriage license is recorded in the courthouse). With some 200 sites (in a wide variety of architectural styles) listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Marion promises plenty to see.
During your Marion excursion take a stroll across the Judson College campus and stop by the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame, which occupies the first floor of Bean Hall at 302 Bibb Street. Formerly the school’s library, this Carnegie-built structure stands on the corner of Bibb and East Lafayette Streets. Bronze plaques pay tribute to Helen Keller, Julia Tutwiler, Lurleen Burns Wallace, Tallulah Bankhead, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, her daughter Frances Scott Fitzgerald Smith, and many other women of achievement with Alabama connections. Former first ladies Barbara Bush and Rosalynn Carter have spoken at past induction ceremonies. Except for major holidays, hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For a tour call (334) 683-5100 or visit awhf.org. Admission is free.
Marion’s early-20th-century train depot serves as a visitor center complete with walking trail along the former railroad tracks. For more information on Marion, call the chamber of commerce at (334) 683-9622 or stop by 1200 Washington Street.
After exploring Marion follow State Route 14 west to Alabama’s Catfish Capital, Greensboro. Because this Black Belt town managed to escape the Civil War’s ravages, a large number of its antebellum homes and churches have been preserved. In fact the entire downtown district, featuring some 150 19th-century structures, is on the National Register of Historic Places. More than 60 of the town’s homes predate the Civil War. Be sure to drive along Main, Tuscaloosa, and South Streets, all of which offer interesting architecture. At Market and South Streets, you’ll see the Noel-Ramsey House. Built between 1819 and 1821, this is the only remaining residence of French settlers from nearby Demopolis’s Vine and Olive Colony.
Don’t miss Magnolia Grove (334-624-8618), a two-story Greek revival house built around 1840 by a wealthy cotton planter, Col. Isaac Croom. Located at 1002 Hobson Street, the home stands among lovely magnolia trees and landscaped gardens on a 12-acre setting. Magnolia Grove was also the home of Croom’s nephew, Rear Adm. Richmond Pearson Hobson, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. A naval hero in the Spanish-American War, Hobson later served in Congress and introduced legislation (the Hobson Amendment) that became the basis for the Constitution’s prohibition amendment. The Museum Room contains memorabilia from Hobson’s military and political careers.
The house also features family portraits, heirlooms, and furnishings from the 1830s to the early 1900s. You’ll see an 1866 piano, a Persian rug from the late 1800s, a chaperon’s bench, and antique quilts. Outbuildings include a kitchen, slave cottage, and a structure that probably served as Isaac Croom’s office. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Saturday of each month, plus other times by appointment. The grounds may be visited from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: adults $5, college students and senior citizens $3, children (ages 6 to 18), children (age 6 and under) free.
From Greensboro head south on State Route 25 toward Faunsdale, population 98. Housed in an 1890s mercantile building on the town’s main street, Ca-John’s Faunsdale Bar & Grill (334-628-3240; ca-johns.net) serves great steaks and seafood, and owner John (Ca-John) Broussard, originally from Louisiana, offers a variety of crawfish specialties in season. The food speaks for itself, attracting diners from distant towns. Windows sport red-and-white checkered cafe curtains. A pot-bellied stove and fireplace add to the ambience. Saturday night patrons often can enjoy live music until the wee hours. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. From Faunsdale return to US 80 and head west toward Demopolis.
Sometime during your visit to the area, make an outing to Prairieville, the site of St. Andrews Episcopal Church. Located a short distance off US 80, this red Carpenter Gothic structure dates from 1853 and is a National Historic Landmark. Nearby you’ll see a picturesque old cemetery, where many of this area’s early settlers are buried.
alabama trivia
An immense 1833 meteor shower inspired the song, “Stars Fell on Alabama.”
Peter Lee and Joe Glasgow, master carpenters and slaves of Capt. Henry A. Tayloe, supervised a crew of slaves belonging to church members in the construction of this edifice, built to serve settlers from the Atlantic seaboard.
Craftspeople created the mellowed appearance of interior wood walls by applying a brew made from the stems of tobacco plants. Pokeberry weeds provided color for some portions of the lovely stained-glass windows. Ragweed, chewed and molded, forms the decorative relief letters of a biblical quotation near the altar. Be sure to notice the pipe organ (which is still playable) and the choir gallery. Closed as a regular parish in 1927, the church hosts a special service the first Sunday in October followed by a picnic dinner on the grounds. Group tours can be arranged by appointment; call (334) 606-9612.
Traveling 9 miles west on US 80 takes you to Gaineswood (334-289-4846), a gorgeous cream-colored mansion with white-columned porticos. Once the centerpiece of a huge plantation, the home now stands in the suburbs of the town of Demopolis at 805 South Cedar Avenue. Gen. Nathan Bryan Whitfield, a gifted inventor, musician, artist, and architect, started construction on the house in 1843. He spent almost two decades planning and building this elegant Greek revival home and continued to refine it until the Civil War’s outbreak.
Stepping into the columned ballroom, you’ll see yourself reflected 13 times in the vis-à-vis mirrors. Be sure to notice the glass-ceiling domes and the elaborate friezes and medallions. The home contains its original furnishings, family portraits, and accessories. Don’t miss the flutina (invented by Whitfield), a one-of-a-kind musical instrument that sounds something like a riverboat calliope.
In many ways Gaineswood reminded me of Thomas Jefferson’s splendid Monticello, and my guide said visitors often make that observation. Every year in September, Gaineswood celebrates Harvest Fest with crafts, food, and music. Except for major holidays, Gaineswood is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Saturday of each month. Special tours can be arranged by appointment. Admission: adults $5, senior citizens and college students $4, children (ages 6 to 18) $3.
Continue to downtown Demopolis, “the City of the People,” a town with an interesting origin that goes back to 1817 when 400 aristocrats, fleeing France after Napoleon’s exile, landed here at the white limestone bluffs overlooking the Tombigbee River. They acquired a large tract of land along the river and set about establishing the Vine and Olive Colony. The agricultural experiment, however, yielded little more than frustration for the colonists, who lacked essential farming skills and found the local climate and soil unsuitable for cultivating their imported grape vines and olive trees.
You’ll see a display on this early colony in the French Room at Bluff Hall (334-289-9644). Located at 407 North Commissioners Avenue next to the Civic Center, this 1832 brick home takes its name from its position overlooking the Tombigbee River. Originally built in the federal style, the home took on a Greek revival appearance after later additions. Furnishings are Empire and mid-Victorian.
As you start upstairs notice the newel post’s amity button, symbolizing a state of harmony between the owner and builder. In addition to documents, crystal, silver spoons, cannonballs, portraits, and other memorabilia of the Vine and Olive Colony, you’ll see a room filled with period costumes, such as an 1831 wedding dress. Bluff Hall is noted for its extensive collection of vintage clothing.
The kitchen’s interesting gadgets range from an egg tin, sausage stuffer, and fluting iron to the “humane” rat trap on the hearth. Adjacent to the home, the Canebrake Craft Corner offers a choice selection of items including posters depicting a European artist’s imaginative conception of the early Vine and Olive Colony, handmade split-oak baskets, and eye-catching pottery by Susan Brown Freeman. Bluff Hall is owned and operated by the Marengo County Historical Society. (The county’s name was inspired by Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Marengo in northern Italy.) Except for major holidays, Bluff Hall is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. Admission: adults $5, students $3.
While sightseeing stop by New Orleans Bar & Grill (336-315-5351; neworleansbarandgrill.com) at 4312 Big Tree Way. The restaurant serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, and dinner entrees. Try the Jack Daniel’s steak and chicken salad. Hours are 11 a.m. till 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Sunday noon to 10 p.m. Prices are moderate.
Demopolis offers more than mansions and water recreation. You’ll find plenty of interesting places to shop, too. Downtown, at 110 West Washington Street, The Mustard Seed (334-289-2878) offers fine gifts, china, crystal, housewares, collectibles, dolls, and toys. The Mustard Seed also has a coffee shop with gourmet casseroles to go as well as chicken salad, pimiento cheese spread, turtleback cookies, and much more. Local festivals include a July the Fourth celebration, Freedom on the River at City Landing, and December’s Christmas on the River, which features a weeklong festival of parades, tours, and events culminating in an extravaganza of decorated, lighted boats gliding down the Tombigbee River. For more information on these or other special events, including productions by the Canebrake Players (a local theater group) or on other area attractions, call (334) 289-0270.
Traveling north takes you to Eutaw, a charming hamlet situated around a courthouse square that dates from 1838. The town boasts 53 antebellum structures, with many on the National Register of Historic Places. Head first to the chamber of commerce office on the courthouse square, where you’ll find information on both Eutaw and Greene County.
Beside the historic Vaughn Morrow House on Main Street stands the First Presbyterian Church. Organized in 1824 as Mesopotamia Presbyterian Church, the congregation’s current home dates from 1851. This white-steepled structure looks as if it belongs on a Christmas card (without the snow, of course—a rare commodity in most of Alabama). Original whale-oil lamps, stored for a time in the slave gallery, have been wired for electricity and again grace the church’s interior. For a tour, inquire at the church office in the adjacent Educational Building.
Nearby, on the corner of Main Street and Eutaw Avenue, stands St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. The handsome brick structure features a hand-carved lectern, an elegant white marble baptismal font, and beautiful stained-glass windows. To see the lovely interior, check with the church office.
After exploring Eutaw head west to Gainesville, a delightful piece of the past populated by 307 people. Most places like this charming town have vanished from today’s landscape. Here you’ll see historic cemeteries and churches like the First Presbyterian Church, which dates from 1837 and has been rescued from flames on three occasions—once with a hand-to-hand bucket brigade. Interior features include whale-oil lamps, box pews, the altar’s original chairs, and a bell with a tone enhanced by 500 melted silver dollars. Because several denominations share this church (one per Sunday), attendees label themselves “Metho-bap-terians.” Other sites of interest include the 1872 Methodist Church; St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, founded in 1879; and the Confederate Cemetery. For more local information stop by one of the downtown stores.
Afterward continue south to nearby Livingston. The town was named for Edward Livingston, who served as Andrew Jackson’s secretary of state.
On your way into town, stop by Sumter County’s Alamuchee Covered Bridge, across from the Baptist Student Union on the campus of Livingston State University. Capt. W. A. C. Jones of Livingston designed and built this 1861 structure, one of the South’s oldest covered bridges. Made of hand-hewn heart pine held together by large wooden pegs, the bridge originally spanned the Sucarnochee River, south of town. In 1924 the bridge was taken down and reconstructed across a creek on the old Bellamy-Livingston Road, where it remained in use until 1958. The bridge was moved to its present location and restored in 1971. You might enjoy seeing more of the campus, which also boasts two lakes.
Downtown you’ll see a lovely square surrounding the impressive domed Sumter County Courthouse (circa 1900). This area remained Choctaw country until 1830, when the US acquired it in the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.
Head to York, about 11 miles southwest of Livingston. In this small town near the Mississippi border, you’ll find a wonderful art museum inside The Coleman Center (205-392-2005 or 205-392-2004; colemanarts.org), at 630 Avenue A. The museum, a library, genealogical room, and a cultural center occupy an early-20th-century general store. On an exterior wall of the building, a repainted vintage ad shows silent film star Clara Bow promoting an early brand of gasoline. You’ll enter The Coleman Center through a courtyard on the opposite side.
A staff member described the four-building complex as a community effort and the only facility of its kind in Sumter County. Local citizens contributed the land, building, services, and funds for the center. In addition to its permanent collection, which includes an original etching by Renoir, prints, paintings, pottery, and other items, the museum features traveling exhibits. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday or by appointment. Admission is free. Visit York on the first Saturday of each month and take in some special events at local galleries.
Timber is big business in this part of the state, and hunting and fishing are popular pastimes. If you’re in the mood for a feast, head for Ezell’s Fish Camp (205-654-2205; ezellscamp.com) near Lavaca at 776 Ezell Road. This out-of-the-way restaurant is definitely worth adding some extra miles to your trip. In fact, some customers fly in, and an Ezell’s staffer meets them at the airport. The restaurant also gets a lot of river traffic and often provides transportation into town for boating customers who need motel lodging.
To reach the restaurant from Lavaca, take State Route 10 east toward Nanafalia and turn left just before reaching the big bridge. Located on the west bank of the Tombigbee River, this family operation is the granddaddy of “catfish cabins” you might see while driving through the state. Following family precedent, each of the Ezells’ three children went into the restaurant business.
As you arrive, you’ll see a large rustic structure with a roof of wooden shingles. The restaurant started out as a Civil War–era dogtrot cabin, and the Ezells added more rooms for their brisk business. The rambling structure now seats 400 people. Mounted deer and moose heads line the walls. (Mr. Ezell, an avid angler, hunter, and trapper, used to ship his furs to New York’s garment district.)
The back porch, a favorite spot for eating, overlooks the river. Start with an appetizer of onion rings, crab claws, or fried dill pickles. In addition to catfish, the restaurant serves seafood specialties such as shrimp and oysters. Entrees come with slaw, potatoes, and hush puppies. Moderate prices. Open every day except Monday, Ezell’s has flexible hours, but the typical schedule is 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Need Some Mama Nems Pepper Jelly?
Then hurry to the Alabama Rural Heritage Center (334-627-3388; ruralheritagecenter.com) in Thomaston, a Black Belt hamlet northeast of Lavaca at 133 Sixth Avenue. Along with batches of the popular pepper jelly, you’ll find a wide selection of Alabama art and handmade crafts in the gift shop. A jar of watermelon rind pickles just might make the perfect souvenir. There is also a restaurant on-site. That special Mama Nems Pepper Jelly is homemade at the center using a time-tested local recipe. The center even grows its own peppers for top-notch quality. So how to eat the tasty jelly? It’s a great glaze on ham and pork chops, a sweet barbecue sauce for ribs and chicken, and a delicious spread on warm corn bread.
The once-humble facility was renovated in 2006, thanks to the innovative efforts of two teams of fifth-year architecture students from Auburn University, who designed and worked on the project over a three-year period. Annual events include Evening under the Stars, utilizing the Heritage outdoor stage, on Friday and Saturday evenings during Mother’s Day weekend, a Pepper Jelly Festival in April, and an annual Rural Fun Day with storytelling, spinning, weaving, quilting, and other crafts demonstrations the fourth Saturday in August. Hours are Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Traveling south from Lavaca takes you through large expanses of timberland. Forestry and related industries play major roles in the area’s economy. Clarke County holds the title of Forestry Capital of Alabama, and Fulton, a small town south of Thomasville, pays tribute to this important industry by hosting a Sawmill Days celebration each fall.
If you head south from Jackson, you’ll pass unusual geographical features known as salt domes. (A salt dome is the tip of a huge mountain of salt forced to the surface from deep within the earth.) According to a local historian, the salt domes in this area are as close as any to the earth’s surface, but you probably won’t recognize them as such because they’re covered with foliage. After Union forces cut off supplies during the Civil War, the local salt mines became extremely important. Many people made their way here for this commodity, essential for curing and preserving meats.
Discover St. Stephens—Alabama’s Territorial Capital
No Black Belt ramble is complete without a visit to St. Stephens Historical Park. It was here, in 1799, the first US flag flew over what would become Alabama. Executive director Jim Long, sixth-generation grandson of John McGrew, who settled in St. Stephens during the 1770s, can share many anecdotes about the original site of Alabama’s territorial capital, the now vanished but once-thriving Old St. Stephens.
Make your first stop the 1854 territorial courthouse, now called the Old Washington County Courthouse, on US 34 West to collect information. A trio of flags fronts this two-story white building, which houses a museum and serves as headquarters for the St. Stephens Historical Commission. Take the tiny grill-fronted elevator or the stairs to the second floor for a look at the exhibits, which include Indian artifacts, a dugout canoe made somewhere between 600 to 1,000 years ago, portraits of early settlers, and the Old Washington County courtroom with its original furnishings. Once a major fossil site, this area shipped fossils to museums in other parts of the country, and you’ll see some interesting specimens.
Afterward, head to the 200-acre park, which offers camping, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. Exploring the park, you’ll see an architectural site, old cemetery, and the unusual Indian Baths. “They’ve been called the Indian Baths as far back as anyone knows, but their origin remains unknown,” said a staff member, who came across a mention about mineral springs here in 1818 and also heard speculation that this feature might have been part of an early Spanish irrigation system.
For a modest park admission, which you pay at the camp store by the lake, you can spend a full day hiking, swimming, picnicking, and relaxing. Campers will find that the “view of the night sky is fabulous, and you can hear coyotes howling,” said Long. The facility opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, and the main gate is locked at 10 p.m. For more information on this intriguing site, located on the west side of the Tombigbee River in Washington County near Jackson, call (251) 246-6790.
Take your time while discovering the treasures and pleasures of the Black Belt, a region where history still resonates in its stories—the kind best savored on front porches. Kathryn Tucker Windham, Alabama’s famous First Lady of Folk Tales and Ghost Stories grew up in Thomasville, located about an hour south of Demopolis on US 43. She died in 2011. “We’re not New York City, and we don’t want to be,” says tourism coordinator Linda Vice, who can direct you to plenty of interesting, off-the-beaten-path spots in this history-rich area. “We have developed a Black History/Heritage Trail, a Native American Trail, an overall History Heritage Trail, and a Foods Trail through this area.” Call Linda at (334) 636-5506.
On the outskirts of Thomasville stands Alabama Southern Community College (334-637-3146), located at 30755 Highway 43. The college library houses the Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum, which fans enjoy visiting. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or by appointment. Free admission.
Continue to Camden, where you’ll find the Black Belt Treasures Gallery (334-682-9878) downtown at 209 Claiborne Street in a handsomely restored old car dealership. The gallery showcases arts, crafts, books, and food from more than 200 artists and craftsmen from this region. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Visit blackbelttreasures.com.
Before leaving town, stop by Camden Jewelry and Gifts (334-682-4057; camdenjewelryandgifts.com) on the 47 Camden Bypass. Besides jewelry, you’ll find a selection of taste-tempting gourmet food items, a children’s section, kitchen section, bath and body products, travel items, and more. The friendly staff will help you choose the perfect souvenir or gift for everyone on your list. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. If you visit Camden during the Wilcox Historical Society’s biennial (slated for odd-numbered years) Fall Tour of Homes, you can survey some of the area’s antebellum structures. The stately Wilcox Female Institute, which dates from 1850, serves as tour headquarters. Located at 301 Broad Street, the former school (open by appointment) houses a small museum of local history.
For a Southern taste treat, make reservations at the Gaines Ridge Dinner Club (334-682-9707), located about 2 miles east of Camden on State Route 10. Housed in Betty Gaines Kennedy’s two-story circa-1830 family home, the restaurant seats about 100 guests in five dining rooms. From shrimp bisque to spinach salad and steak or seafood, everything on the menu is well prepared and tasty. (Ask Betty about the home’s ghosts.) Prices fall in the moderate range, and hours are 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
The Quilters of Gee’s Bend Create a Bridge to the World
To visit the home of the famed quilters whose works captured the imagination of people across the country, head to Camden and board the Gee’s Bend Ferry. (Senator John McCain did this during his presidential campaign.) Created by four generations of African-American women whose quilts have been called bold, colorful, and unique, the New York Times described their designs and needlecraft as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”
The quilters work at Boykin Nutrition Center, and a nearby building houses their current inventory of colorful quilts, which sell for prices ranging from $1,500 to $4,000. The Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibit has intrigued gallery goers to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Atlanta’s High Museum, and others across the country. The women have also been featured in such publications as House and Garden, Oprah’s O magazine, Newsweek, and Country Home and on National Public Radio and CBS’s Sunday Morning.
The quilters struck a chord with people everywhere. Why? Anniston travel writer Mary Eloise H. Leake explains it this way: “Amid a landscape of limitations, the women were and still are strongly individualistic and gifted with artistic vision. Forging bonds across generations, each quilt reflects the personality and talent of the particular woman who stitched it together. With no access to definitive quilting patterns, these women made—and continue to make—quilts with lyrical improvisational designs, amazing asymmetrical constructions, and simple minimalist motifs. While a Gee’s Bend’s quilt can be a vibrant Joseph’s coat of many colors, its hue can also be dull and worn like the clothes from which it has been made.
“As they have traveled the country, the quilts—and many of the quilters—have shared the message that art can be created from basic necessities. Their quilts have formed a bridge from their isolated world to the wider world, and the creators have been delighted to see the joy they have brought to others. Since the quilts have been heralded as artistic triumphs by art critics and warmly received by exhibit viewers, this unaccustomed outpouring of respect and admiration have been wonderful return gifts to these ladies.”
To reach Gee’s Bend, located in a curve of the Alabama River about 30 miles southwest of Selma, forget the long way via Wilcox County Route 29 and take the ferry from Camden. For schedules, rates, and more information on the Gee’s Bend Ferry, see geesbendferry.com.
Wilcox County, which promises good fishing, attracts out-of-state deer and turkey hunters, and many make their headquarters at nearby Roland Cooper State Park at 285 Deer Run Drive (334-682-4838; alapark.com/rolandcooper). If you’re in the area during harvest season, consider purchasing some fresh-shelled pecans from Joe C. Williams. To order the local product, write PO Box 640, Camden 36726; or call (334) 682-4559. For more information on Camden and the surrounding area, call the Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce at (334) 682-4929, visit wilcoxareachamber.com, or stop by at 1001 Earl Hilliard Road.
Traveling south from Camden on State Route 265 takes you by Rikard’s Mill, just north of Beatrice. Stop by to browse through the Covered Bridge Gift Shop and watch the old-fashioned water-powered gristmill in operation. You’ll also find a restored blacksmith shop and hiking trails. Modest admission. Open April through mid-December on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (251) 789-2781 or (251) 575-7433.
Continue south to Monroeville (where Alabama authors Truman Capote and Harper Lee played as children) for a stop at the Old Monroe County Courthouse. This 1903 three-story brick structure served as a model for the courthouse in the film To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel (and starring Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch). During the last weekend in April and the first three weekends in May, visitors can watch the stage version of To Kill a Mockingbird in a bona fide courtroom setting. Produced by the Mockingbird Players, the local stage adaptation boasts the authenticity of the story’s actual location plus cultural awareness and genuine Southern accents.
Don’t miss this performance, whose first act takes place on the courthouse lawn when a historic automobile and a mule-drawn wagon arrive for the trial. The Mockingbird Players also draw the audience into the play by choosing members from the audience to fill seats of the all-white, all-male jury, which, of course, convicts defendant Tom Robinson. For more information, visit the website at monroecountymuseum.org.
Dip into the town’s rich literary heritage at the Old Courthouse Museum (251-575-7433; monroecountymuseum.org), which also features changing exhibits related to Monroe County’s past and a gift shop with works by area artists. Adjacent to the courtroom, you’ll see an informative Harper Lee exhibit with archival photos, quotes, and a continuous video of local citizens sharing anecdotes from the 1930s. Museum folks can share plenty of firsthand information on the town, its celebrated authors, and the Monroe County Heritage Museums. The museum is located at 31 North Alabama Avenue; admission is free. Hours run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Afterward, take a walking tour around town, where several buildings feature murals illustrating scenes from To Kill a Mockingbird. While downtown, stop by Finishing Touches (251-575-2066) at 18 East Claiborne Street. You’ll enjoy browsing through this shop with lovely handmade items, antiques, kitchen accessories, gifts, clothing for children and ladies, customized baskets, and books. Before leaving the area, you might want to visit the River Heritage Museum, housed in the old Corps of Engineers building at the Claiborne Lock & Dam. The surrounding region is a great place for camping and fishing, too. Located about 18 miles from the square in downtown Monroeville, the museum can be reached by taking State Route 41 to County Road 17 and then following the signs to the Claiborne Lock & Dam. The museum’s exhibits feature fossils, Native American artifacts, and steamboat relics. The museum is open for special events or by appointment only. A great time to visit is the annual Alabama River Festival in March when reenactors and demonstrators create a frontier encampment from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Admission is free. For more information call (251) 575–7433.
Monroeville—Literary Capital of Alabama
In recognition of the exceptional literary heritage of Monroeville and Monroe County, the Alabama legislature designated this region the Literary Capital of Alabama in a 1997 joint resolution. Author of “A Christmas Memory,” In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and other classics, Truman Capote spent idyllic hours roaming the town as a youngster along with friend Harper Lee, who penned the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Other writers who have called Monroeville home include nationally syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker and novelist Mark Childress. The small town of Monroeville, which packs a rich literary history, hosts an Alabama Writers Symposium the first weekend in May. For more information on this event, contact the Alabama Southern Community College at PO Box 2000, Monroeville 36461; or call (251) 575-8223.
After your timberland excursion head south to Escambia County, where traveling pilgrims can spend an authentic Thanksgiving Day with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians at their annual Pow Wow. Tribal members welcome friends, relatives, and visitors to help them celebrate Thanksgiving day on the Poarch Creek Reservation, 8 miles northwest of Atmore at 5811 Jack Springs Road. Festivities include exhibition dancing by tribes from throughout the country, a greased pig chase, turkey shoot, and much more. You can feast on roasted corn, Indian fry bread, ham, fried chicken, or traditional turkey and dressing. Booths feature beadwork, basketry, silver work, and other Native American crafts. Take a lawn chair, camera, and your appetite. Modest admission. For more information on this event, call (251) 368-9136.
Continue southwest toward the Eastern Shore and stop by Malbis, 12 miles east of Mobile on US 90. On Baldwin County Road 27, you’ll find the Malbis Plantation Greek Orthodox Church. This magnificent neo-Byzantine–style structure, built at a cost of more than $1 million, was dedicated to the memory of Jason Malbis. A former monk who emigrated from Greece in 1906, Malbis traveled through 36 states before selecting this Baldwin County site to establish Malbis Plantation (virtually a self-supporting colony that grew to cover 2,000 acres).
The marble in this edifice came from the same Greek quarries used to build Athens’ ancient Parthenon. The majestic interior features a dark-blue 75-foot domed ceiling, stained-glass windows, mosaics, and murals. Greek artists spent eight months completing the paintings that extend from the cathedral’s entrance to its altar. Except for Christmas Day, the church is open daily, and admission is free. Hours run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For tour information call (251) 626-3050.
Next swing westward to Daphne, perched on Mobile Bay’s Eastern Shore, where you might hear someone shout “Jubilee!” When you do, people will grab buckets and rush to the water’s edge for flounder, shrimp, and crabs—theirs for the scooping. Although not unique to the area, this “shoreward migration of bottom-living organisms”—to put it in technical terms—surprises most visitors. This natural phenomenon might occur several times a summer, usually during the wee morning hours. Some natives claim they can predict an approaching jubilee by watching weather conditions and studying certain indicators in the moon, tide, and winds.
Strange as It Sounds
Whether or not you hear the cry of “Jubilee!” during your visit to the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, you can see this strange spectacle depicted in a photo display at Manci’s Antique Club (251-626-9917; manci.net) in downtown Daphne. Located at 1715 Main Street, this combination bar/museum (originally opened as a gas station in 1924 by Frank Manci, converted to its current status in 1947 by Arthur Manci, and now operated by a third-generation family member, Alex Manci) houses a rickshaw, oxen yokes, and Victrolas. You’ll also see collections of antique tools, cowbells, political campaign buttons, and Native American artifacts. The club boasts the biggest assemblage of Jim Beam decanters outside the distillery’s own collection. Claiming the title “Bloody Mary Capital of the Eastern Shore,” the house serves its specialty garnished with a pickled string bean. A sign over the bar promises free beer tomorrow.
Those who visit the ladies’ room at Manci’s will see the wooden figure of a man—dressed only in a fig leaf. The observant will notice the fig leaf is hinged, and the curious might go even further. Unrestrained curiosity can soon turn to horror, however, because a blaring alarm alerts all within hearing distance that one possesses an inquisitive nature. One then must make the uncomfortable choice of exiting—red-faced—to the merriment of Manci’s patrons or occupying the ladies’ room till closing time. Manci’s hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
After exploring Daphne continue south to Fairhope, a charming flower-filled town founded about 1894 on the “single tax” concept of economist Henry George, who considered land the source of all wealth. The Fairhope Single Tax Colony still functions today, one of the country’s few model communities operating on George’s taxation theories. A percentage of the town’s property is held by the Fairhope Single Tax Colony office, and a resident can lease his or her land for 99 years (or perpetuity). The resident pays a single annual tax on the land only—not on improvements—and this yearly payment covers school district, city, county, and state taxes as well as community services.
Save plenty of time for strolling through the pages of this storybook town with baskets of colorful blossoms cascading from every street corner and rose gardens galore in its bayfront park. Downtown art galleries, boutiques, and eateries beckon browsers. Indulge your whims as you pass restaurants featuring coastal cuisine fresh from the Gulf and shops offering everything from antiques, toys, and custom-designed clothing to nautical gear.
Wander to the Eastern Shore Art Center (251-928-2228; esartcenter.com) at 401 Oak Street and view its current exhibits. Top that off with individual galleries that call your name. At Fairhope’s monthly First Friday Artwalk, you can hop a free trolley or stroll a 5-block area to visit galleries like Lyons Share and Summit. For a great local souvenir, stop by the Christine Linson Gallery (251-929-2015) at 386 Fairhope Avenue and pick up a pack of note cards depicting local scenes.
On a trip to Alabama in 1998, Christine painted the town (in watercolor) and fell in love with its charms. She promptly returned to her lifelong home in Cleveland, Ohio, packed her belongings, moved to Fairhope, and opened her gallery. In addition to her popular Fairhope and Eastern Shore prints and limited edition Christmas cards, you’ll see original floral and figurative art work. Also, you might meet felines Matisse and Kahlo (not aloof—only shy). Hours run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Check out christinelinson.com for a peek at the artist’s portfolio.
Hosts Becky and Bill Jones also welcome visitors to Bay Breeze Guest House on historic Mobile Bay, where they can watch the glorious sunsets, go beachcombing or fishing, and feed the resident ducks. Ask Becky, a former biology teacher, about the local jubilee phenomenon. From May through September, guests can enjoy breakfast served on Bay Breeze’s pier. Moderate rates. For reservations at either property, call (866) 928-8976.
South of Fairhope at Point Clear (designated “Punta Clara” on 16th-century maps of Spanish explorers), you’ll find the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa (251-928-9201 or 800-544-9933) on scenic US 98. This legendary resort on Mobile Bay offers facilities spreading over 550 lovely acres studded with moss-festooned oaks more than 300 years old. The locale has long attracted generations of wealthy Southern families—the site’s first resort dates from the mid-1800s. Today’s guests continue to enjoy “the Grand’s” traditions, such as afternoon tea.
If hotels possess survival instincts, the Grand’s got an instinct second to none. The Queen of Southern Resorts refused to accept Hurricane Katrina’s ravages and soon regrouped, rebuilt, and refurbished. No stranger to adversity, the grande dame emerged from her own tsunami in the same manner she rebounded after Civil War shelling and fire during the past century and a half.
So settle in and set off on a stroll or Segway tour to see the glorious grounds. Look for the life-size bronze statue of local legend, Bucky Miller. Known for his incredible photographic memory, Bucky (as he was fondly known) called hotel guests by name even when years had lapsed between their visits. He greeted everyone warmly and personified the Grand’s legendary hospitality during his 64-year tenure. Presiding over the Bird Cage Lounge, he delighted guests with his famous mint juleps. Though Bucky died in 2002, his spirit lives on at the Grand, and his statue was dedicated on Kentucky Derby Day in 2005.
The Hut of the Poet of Tolstoy Park
Founded in 1894 by a group of utopian dreamers, Fairhope has a way of inviting folks to be themselves, to quietly look inside and see what makes them special. One of those unusual characters has left a strange sort of tourist attraction that still draws visitors today.
Henry Stuart moved to Fairhope from Idaho because he was told he was dying, that he only had a year to live. The doctor was wrong.
Diagnosed with consumption in the 1920s, Stuart lived another two decades after moving to Fairhope. Known as the Hermit of Montrose (a neighborhood in Fairhope), Stuart built himself a small round hurricane-proof hut out of concrete. He made all the bricks himself and put the date on each one.
An admirer of famed author Tolstoy, Stuart named his patch of ground Tolstoy Park. It took him over a year to build his hut, which was shaped somewhat like a beehive. He decided he wasn’t going to wear shoes but then he found out he needed one shoe to use a shovel so he went to a store and tried to buy one shoe for his right foot. When they said they couldn’t sell just one shoe, he bought the pair and told them to keep the left shoe for someone who needed it.
Stuart was said to have earned a living by weaving rugs. Stuart died in 1946 at 88 years old. His hut still stands, now surrounded by office buildings. It rests just off the parking lot of a real estate office. If you can’t find it, ask townsfolks and they can probably point you in the right direction. For a fascinating read, look for Sonny Brewer’s 2006 novel, The Poet of Tolstoy Park. The hut is open to the public any time. Guests can visit and take a book or leave a book. Guests often leave a few coins as well.
The resort has consistently earned Four Diamond status each year since 1977 when AAA tourism editors started their awards for excellence. With so much to enjoy, from fine dining and a world-class spa to water recreation, tennis, and challenging golf courses, you’ll want to check out marriott.com and check in soon after. Call for current vacation packages and reservations at this family-friendly historical hotel. Deluxe.
Be sure to visit a candy shop called Punta Clara Kitchen (251-928-8477; puntaclara.com), located in an 1897 gingerbread house 1 mile south of the Grand Hotel at 17111 Scenic Highway 98. Here you can sample confections from pecan butter crunch and divinity to chocolate-covered bourbon balls and buckeyes (balls of creamy peanut-butter confections hand-dipped in chocolate). The shop also sells jellies, recipe books, pickles, and preserves. Before leaving, take a few minutes to look around this historic home, furnished as it was during the late 1800s. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Behind the Victorian home stands a weathered cedar and cypress structure that originally served as a laundry and wine cellar. It now houses The Wash House Restaurant (251-928-4838; washhouserestaurant.com) at 17111 Scenic Highway 98, a great place to savor Southern coastal cuisine. The restaurant features the original working fireplace and wash pot, nowadays in the softly lit bar. Behind the building, a large deck under ancient live oaks makes a romantic setting for dinner.
Owners Wade Selsor and Robert Yarbrough learned their way around the kitchen as kids growing up in Camden, a small town south of Selma. “Wade develops the recipes, but we both play around with them,” said Robert, noting they also draw from a broad spectrum of family favorites. The recipe for Sissy’s crab cakes, a popular appetizer here, came from his wife’s grandmother.
Entree options include savory rack of lamb, seared tuna steak, and chateaubriand, a succulent cut from the heart of the tenderloin, served with potato casserole and blackened asparagus. Green Goddess dressing makes Wade’s salads memorable, and his delicious key lime bread pudding offers a different twist. Dinner hours start at 5 p.m. daily; closing time depends on the crowd. Reservations are encouraged. Moderate.
Ready for an anti-stress kind of place? Then head for nearby Magnolia Springs, where you can unwind in a serene setting of dappled sunlight and live oaks. In its heyday as a resort area during the early part of the 1900s, Magnolia Springs lured visitors with twice-a-day train service from Chicago, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. “Many a consumptive, rheumatic, nervous, worn-out and over-worked person whose case was thought hopeless by the physicians has found health and a new lease on life by spending a few months at Magnolia Springs,” states an early promotional pamphlet.
Once known as the Sunnyside Hotel, the Magnolia Springs Bed & Breakfast (251-965-7321 or 800-965-7321) at 14469 Oak Street exudes a friendly aura with its welcoming wraparound porch accented by a swing, wicker furniture, rocking chairs, and ferns. One of the county’s three remaining hotels from the resort era, the historic structure is painted a buttery yellow with white trim. Committed to providing warm hospitality, innkeepers David Worthington and Eric Bigelow welcome guests to their 1867 home, nourish them with a delicious breakfast, and recommend local excursions. If you go cruising down the river, you’ll see mailboxes at the water’s edge. Magnolia Springs’s first postmaster launched a mail service by water in 1915, and many residents still get their mail delivered by boat. “It’s one of only a few places in the country with a water mail route,” says David.
You may have seen Magnolia Springs Bed and Breakfast featured on Bob Vila’s Restore America, a home-and-garden TV program, in Southern Living magazine, or maybe on a past Alabama Public Television special. See magnoliasprings.com. Moderate to deluxe rates.
A short stroll down tree-lined Oak Street takes you to Moore Brothers Village Market (251-965-3826), a great place to catch up on local news. The market houses a bakery, deli, butcher shop, gourmet foods, and plenty of nostalgia. You can enjoy lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. at Jesse’s Restaurant (251-965-3827), also on the premises.
The original Moore Bros. Gen’l Merchandise opened in 1922 and remained a family business until it closed in 1993. Then, in 1997, Charlie Houser (who spent childhood days here) returned and purchased the neighborhood store and adjacent post office. With the help of an architect and contractor, he connected and rejuvenated the two buildings to implement his image of the perfect neighborhood gathering place.
Paintings depicting local scenes, old photos, and news articles line the walls of the restaurant and also the entryway, where an antique pie safe displays freshly made pastries. Nearby, you can check your weight on the penny scales. If you find yourself penniless, there’s usually a spare coin on top of the machine. By the way, it’s best to weigh before dining at Jesse’s, where the evening special might mean prime rib, shrimp scampi, or whiskey steak. Other popular entrees include crab cakes, Cajun fettuccine, stuffed flounder, and chicken Pontalba. Moderate prices.
Across the road from Jesse’s stands Magnolia Springs Park, which showcases one of the town’s springs and makes an inviting shady retreat.
After basking in Magnolia Springs’s serenity, head for Foley, situated around the intersection of US 98 and State Route 59. The town offers not only factory-outlet shopping but a host of attractions such as antiques malls, arts centers, and charming eateries.
Start your tour at 111 West Laurel Avenue with the Baldwin Museum of Art and the Holmes Medical Museum (251-970-1818), housed in a building that dates to the early 1900s. After viewing the current downstairs art exhibits, climb to the second floor for a close-up look at instruments and memorabilia from medicine’s earlier years. Once a hospital for Baldwin County residents, the rooms contain an operating suite complete with table, bone-breaking apparatus, Kelly pad, ether container, and attendant tubes. Also on display are X-ray equipment and medical cabinets filled with delivery forceps, tonsil guillotine and snare, and other instruments. In addition to patient quarters, you can inspect a room devoted to quackery paraphernalia—a color spectrum device for treating everything from headaches to kidney infections, barber bowl for bleeding patients, and diagrammed phrenology skull. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free.
Take a break next door at Stacey Olde Tyme Soda Fountain (251-943-7191), with its sweet drinks from the past. In this delightful pharmacy at 121 West Laurel Avenue, you can savor a banana split, slurp on an ice-cream soda, cherry Coke, or chocolate milk shake, and listen to old favorites from the jukebox or player piano while watching a toy train make its rounds above the soda fountain. A penny scale reveals your weight and fate. Hours run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Economical rates.
Continuing to the next block, you’ll find The Gift Horse (251-943-3663; gifthorserestaurant.com), located at 209 West Laurel Avenue. Beyond the restaurant’s leaded-glass doors, you’ll see a grand banquet table with a buffet of salads, vegetables, meats, breads, and desserts. House specialties include fried biscuits, spinach soufflé, mystery crab-shrimp salad, and the restaurant’s famous apple cheese—all prepared from owner Jackie O. McLeod’s recipes. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Dinner hours run from 4:30 to 9 p.m. or when the crowd thins out. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday hours run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rates are moderate. Jackie’s cookbook, available in the gift shop, makes a great souvenir and divulges some of her culinary secrets. While in Foley you may want to visit the Gift Horse Antique Centre, too.
Follow US 98 east to Elberta. During the first half of the century, this fertile area attracted families from central, northern, and southern Europe, as well as Quebec. At Elberta’s German Sausage Festivals, staged in March and October, descendants of early settlers dress in native attire to perform Old World dances. Call (251) 986-5805 for more information.
To learn more about the ethnic diversity and lifestyles of the county’s early settlers, stop by the Baldwin County Heritage Museum (251-986-8375), ½ mile east of Elberta at 25521 US 98. In front of the five-acre wooded setting called “Frieden Im Wald,” you’ll see a working windmill and several outdoor agricultural exhibits.
Displays inside the museum feature the Kee tool collection and vintage farm equipment, a printing press, and an interior section of a post office from Josephine, Alabama. Household items include an Edison phonograph, antique sewing machines, stoves, cooking utensils, and washing machines. Also on display are old-fashioned school desks, folk sculpture, and a moonshine still. You’ll also find a blacksmith shop and a church that dates to 1908. The museum is staffed entirely by volunteers, many of them snowbirds from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and other northern states, as well as Canada, who contribute their time and skills to restoring artifacts and putting old machinery in running order again. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Weekday tours can be arranged by appointment.
At 12695 County Road 95 in Elberta, you can study carnivorous plants like Venus’s-flytrap, pitcher plants, and other unusual botanical specimens native to the area at Biophilia Nature Center. “Different kinds of wildlife can be seen in season,” said Carol Lovell-Saas, who promotes environmental education and takes you on a walk through her “open book of nature” that spreads across 20 acres. Tours offer a minicourse in butterfly gardening for the South or the Midwest and include free pamphlets on each plus literature on ecogardening.
From spring through early winter, several kinds of showy native butterflies are raised indoors and outdoors, allowing visitors to observe all stages from egg to adult. You’ll see forest wildflower meadows and swamp, now being restored with 300 native species, and can stop by a plant nursery and bookstore on the premises. Contact Carol at (251) 987-1200 for specific directions. Tours are offered by appointment only. Check out biophilia.net.
Afterward make your way back to Foley, then follow State Route 59 south to the glistening white sands of Gulf Shores. Although a Diners’ Club publication once conferred highest honors on the stretch of shoreline along the Florida panhandle between Destin and Panama City, calling it “the world’s most perfect beach,” fewer people know about the other end of the Southern Riviera—Alabama’s toehold on the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, the relatively new town of Gulf Shores did not appear on Alabama’s official highway map until the 1960s. But a retreat offering sugar-sand beaches and a balmy climate cannot remain a secret forever, and this 32-mile crescent known as Pleasure Island (once a peninsula) now attracts vacationers from across the country.
Each year, Southern Living magazine gives some 16 million readers the chance to vote for their favorite places in the Best of the South Readers’ Choice Awards. And Gulf Shores always ranks among the favorites in the Beach Town/Resort category. Renourishment programs have made the white-sand playground even wider and just as enticing as before the hurricane visitations. You can check out the new Alabama Gulf Coast for yourself at gulfshores.com.
Situated on the shores of the Intracoastal Waterway at Orange Beach, The Wharf is a 200-acre resort and entertainment center less than 2 miles from the area’s beckoning beaches. Here, in a holiday atmosphere, you can stroll along the boardwalk and browse through boutiques, local shops, and major retail stores. You can take in an exciting concert at the amphitheater or take a spin on the Southeast’s largest Ferris wheel. The complex offers restaurants, upscale accommodations, a much-acclaimed destination spa, an outfitter’s center, and a marina with public and private boat slips. Condominiums at Levin’s Bend stretch for half a mile. The Wharf lures locals and visitors alike with something for everyone. Visit thewharfal.com for a look at what’s happening this season on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Some 100 charter boats dock at nearby Orange Beach marinas, offering outings from sunset cruises to fishing excursions. Surrounding waters feature world-class fishing throughout the year. (For information about state fishing licenses, call 334-242-3829 or 888-848-6887, or check out outdooralabama.com.)
While in Orange Beach, consider signing up for a cruise aboard the Blue Dolphin at Alabama Point to view this stretch of the Gulf Coast’s spectacular inland waterways. You’ll view other native wildlife and pass beautiful Ono Island, where several celebrities own luxury homes. Call (251) 981-2774 for reservations on this 51-foot, 45-passenger air-conditioned pontoon boat with inside and outside seating. Passengers board at 29603 Perdido Beach Boulevard just across the road from the Flora-Bama. Passengers see dolphins almost every time they go out. And because the boat sits so low in the water, passengers feel like they can almost reach out and touch the dolphins. Check out bluedolphincruises.com for more information.
To see some secluded portions of the area, sign up for a barefoot cruise aboard the Daedalus. Based at 5749 Bay La Launch, you’ll find the 50-foot sailboat at Bear Point Marina in Orange Beach. Because the big vessel performs in shallow water, passengers can visit hidden bayous and bays and even venture onto an uninhabited beach. Also, you’ll enjoy watching cavorting dolphins, ospreys, blue herons, and other wildlife. To book your passage call (251) 987-1228 or click on sailthedaedalus.com for more information.
While exploring Orange Beach, once home to myriad orange trees, search out Shipp’s Harbour Grill (251-981-9891; shippsrestaurant.com) at Sportsman Marina. Located at 27842 Canal Road, the eatery promises lunch, dinner, and sunsets on the deck. Owners Matt and Regina Shipp feature Gulf seafood and steak and a long list of made-to-order sushi in a casual setting. Ask about the fresh catch of the day with several choices, grilled to perfection. Moderate prices. Open daily at 11 a.m.
Flora-Bama—Home of the Annual Mullet Toss
Jimmy Buffett used to come here and jam. John Grisham wrote about it in a novel. It’s the area’s hottest hangout—the Flora-Bama, boasting an identity all its own. Located 10 minutes from Gulf Shores on the Alabama/Florida line, the place bills itself as “one of the nation’s last great roadhouse watering holes.”
“You never know what’ll be going on here,” says a local. The crowd is mixed, and so is the music—everything from country to rock and roll—and mostly original music. Flora-Bama offers entertainment every day of the year and attracts throngs including now-and-future-famous musicians and songwriters.
The party heats up after five, and the parking lot gets full fast. Though success often invites duplication, Flora-Bama’s idiosyncratic style and haphazard floor plan make cloning a remote possibility. A No Tears in the Beer demolition and rebuilding party took place after Hurricane Ivan dealt the place a big blow. Then, in 2005, along came Katrina dumping sand. In spite of it all, they have continued to function, and have had music every day.
You can also take in the annual Interstate Mullet Toss, held the last full weekend in April. (What’s a mullet toss? An event on the beach where people vie for the dubious distinction of pitching a dead fish the greatest distance—from Florida to Alabama.)
If your April calendar is too full to fit in the Mullet Toss, there’s always next January 1 and the Polar Bear Dip. After testing the Gulf of Mexico’s cold waters, you can warm up with a serving of black-eyed peas—the traditional Southern dish declared to bring good luck throughout the year. (The luck intensifies if you consume collards or other greens, and adding hog jowl almost guarantees more luck than you can stand.)
Otherwise you can meander around, buy souvenirs, consume beverages, visit the Beach Oyster Bar, eat crab claws or Royal Reds (the very best of steamed shrimp), purchase lottery tickets, or converse with other patrons. The person standing next to you might have a total of five dollars in his jeans pocket or five million on his net worth statement.
Located at 17401 Perdido Key Drive, with a Pensacola zip, Flora-Bama (850-492-0611 in Florida or 251-980-5118 in Alabama) opens daily at 9 a.m. and shuts down in the wee hours.
You’ll find more good eating at King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant (251-968-5464; kingneptuneseafoodrestaurant.com) at 1137 Gulf Shores Parkway. Al Sawyer, known as the King of Crustaceans and the Prince of Prawns, owns the popular dining spot. Because Sawyer knows his seafood, visitors and locals alike flock to his places for oysters, Royal Red shrimp, and crab claws. The restaurateur, who has appeared on the Travel Channel’s Lonely Planet and Bobby Flay’s Food Nation on the Food Channel, serves only oysters from Bon Secour Fisheries and Alabama wild shrimp.
During the second weekend of October, more than 300,000 seafood lovers flock to Gulf Shores’s National Shrimp Festival to eat shrimp, enjoy music, and look at arts and crafts, as well as fine art, created and presented by more than 200 artists. The Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce produces this festival. Visit myshrimpfest.com for information. Speaking of shrimp, this is the place to walk into a seafood outlet, just after the fleet has docked, and buy your dinner fresh from coastal waters. Many area fish markets will ice-pack local seafood for travel.
The tiny fishing village of Bon Secour, located west of State Route 59 between Foley and Gulf Shores, is home to several shrimp-packing operations. At some of these, you can crunch your way through oyster shells to watch the unloading process and buy the day’s freshest catch directly off the boat. Look for signs along Baldwin County Road 10 that lead to several of these markets with their colorful shrimp boats on the Bon Secour River.
During the late 1700s French settlers staked a claim here, naming the area Bon Secour for “Safe Harbour.” While driving around, notice the lovely little church, Our Lady of Bon Secour, framed with Spanish moss in its tree-shaded setting.
After dipping into the Gulf of Mexico’s foaming waves and basking in the sunshine, you may want to sally forth to other points of interest, such as historic Fort Morgan (251-540-7127; fortmorgan.org). Located at the end of a scenic drive 22 miles west of Gulf Shores on State Route 180, the fort—built to guard Mobile Bay—played a major role during the Civil War. At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, “torpedoes” (underwater mines) were strung across the channel to stop the Union fleet from entering. This strategy failed when Adm. David Farragut issued his famous command: “Damn the torpedoes—full speed ahead!”
Today’s visitors can explore vaulted corridors and peer into dark rooms of this historic fort, named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Gen. Daniel Morgan. Designed by Simon Bernard, a French engineer and former aide-de-camp to Napoléon, the five-pointed-star structure pays tribute to the craftsmanship of men who labored from 1819 to 1834. As technology changed, the original fort continued to be modified and upgraded, said the curator. In the museum, exhibits cover military history from the fort’s early days through World War II. Take one of the guided tours with a costumed guide to make history come alive. Be sure to put your fingers in your ears for the cannon-firing demonstration. Loud! Except for major holidays, the museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the museum and fort are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: adults $7, college students and senior citizens $5, military plus guest free, children $3 (ages 6 to 12).
Freakish Accident at Fort Morgan
If the walls of Fort Morgan could talk, imagine the tales they would tell. The old fort guarding Mobile Bay was the site of a freakish accident that visitors can learn about in the fort museum. It involves Charles S. Stewart, who died April 30, 1863. Born in New York in 1828, Stewart moved to Alabama and became a successful merchant in Mobile and married Julia Brown. When Alabama seceded from the Union in 1861, Stewart cast his lot with his adopted state and joined the Mobile Cadets No. 2 of the Confederate army, proving to be a daring leader in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth.
Promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1862, Stewart was placed in command of Fort Morgan. He regularly wrote long letters home to his wife, some of which are displayed at the fort museum. Amid rumors of a powerful Union ironclad fleet preparing to attack Fort Morgan, Stewart decided to ready the fort, testing the its 33-pounder cannons.
On April 30, 1863, Stewart was standing by with other officers and his gun crew when one of the cannons was fired. Somehow by accident, the gun had been loaded with two powder charges instead of one. When the order to fire was given, the cannon exploded, spewing large pieces of metal.
Five soldiers were killed, including Stewart, who died instantly when a 200-pound fragment struck him in the head. Years later, Stewart’s granddaughter placed a marker on the steps of Fort Morgan, at the exact spot where Stewart was killed. Tradition says that stains from Stewart’s blood are still visible on the steps.
After seeing Fort Morgan you may want to board the Mobile Bay Ferry for a visit to Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island. The ferry transports passengers and vehicles between the two forts at 90-minute intervals. Call (251) 861-3000 for specific times and current rates.
History buffs will get a charge out of exploring the Fort Gaines Historic Site (251-861-6992) at the eastern end of Bienville Boulevard. To learn more about this Renaissance-style fort that dates to 1821 or Dauphin Island’s public parks, beaches, and campgrounds, check out dauphinisland.org. By the way, this barrier island is a birder’s paradise.
alabama trivia
Isabella de Soto planted America’s first fig trees, which came over from Spain, at Fort Morgan.
Nearby, both big and little kids will enjoy seeing the marine life and interactive exhibits at the Estuarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (251-861-2141). Located at 101 Bienville Boulevard, this facility highlights coastal Alabama’s key habitats from the Delta’s swamps to the reefs of the Gulf of Mexico. (The seahorses are mesmerizing; I could watch them for hours.) The sea lab is open March 1 through August 31 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. From September 1 through February 28, it is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. Admission: adults $10, senior citizens $8, children (ages 5 to 18) $6. To learn more about the fascinating programs offered here, visit estuarium.disl.org.
You can also reach Dauphin Island via State Route 193 South, which peels off I-10 south of Mobile. So set your GPS and go.
Don’t miss nearby Bellingrath Gardens and Home (251-973-2217 or 800-247-8420), located at Theodore about 20 miles southwest of Mobile. Once a simple fishing camp, the 65-acre wonderland lures visitors year-round. Because of south Alabama’s climate, you can expect gorgeous displays of blossoms here, whatever the season. Upon arrival you’ll receive a map illustrating the layout of the six gardens linked by bridges, walkways, streams, lakes, and lily-filled ponds. (Be sure to wear your walking shoes.)
After exploring the gardens you may want to tour the former home of Bessie and Walter Bellingrath (he was an early Coca-Cola executive). The house contains outstanding collections of Dresden china, Meissen figurines, and antique furnishings. The world’s largest public exhibit of porcelain sculptures by Edward Marshall Boehm is on display in the visitors lounge. Separate admission fees for gardens and home: adults $20.50 for both or $12.50 for gardens only; children (ages 5 to 12) $12.50 for both or $7 for gardens only. The gardens are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Home tours are from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visit Bellingrath.org to see what’s in bloom.
Enjoy a sightseeing tour down the Fowl River or opt for a weekend dinner cruise. For more information call Alabama Cruises (251) 973-1244 or check out alabamacruises.com.
Save plenty of time for Mobile, a city famous for its magnificent live oaks, some reputed to be more than 400 years old. Trimmed in silvery Spanish moss, the enormous trees spread their branching canopies over city streets. Always magical, Mobile is especially so during spring, when masses of azaleas explode into vibrant pinks, reds, and magentas, making the Church Street area, DeTonti Square, Oakleigh Garden, Spring Hill, and other historic districts more beautiful than ever. March is the month to view the azaleas at their vibrant peak. During the annual Azalea Trail Festival, you can follow the signs along a 37-mile route that winds past lovely homes ranging in style from Greek revival and Italianate to Southern Creole. (Mobile’s own “Creole cottage,” adapted for the local climate, evolved from the French colonial form.)
alabama trivia
Mobile is Alabama’s oldest city.
Be sure to stop by the official welcome center, Fort Condé (251-208-7304) at 150 Royal Street, for some background on Alabama’s oldest city. Mobile has been governed by France, England, Spain, the Republic of Alabama, the Confederate States of America, and the US. Built in 1711, Fort Condé was once home base for the sprawling French Louisiana territory, and a re-created version now serves as a living-history museum. Soldiers in period French uniforms greet visitors, guiding them through the complex with its thick walls and low-slung doors.
Costumed guides set the early scene for visitors and may even fire a cannon in the courtyard. Displays and dioramas tell the city’s story. You’ll see military furnishings typical of the times, photography exhibits, and artifacts such as china and pottery shards, brass buckles, buttons, porcelain and bisque doll parts, dice, and gun barrels. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, and admission is free.
For a breakfast you won’t forget, stop by Spot of Tea (251-433-9009; spotoftea.com) at 310 Dauphin Street, across from Cathedral Square. Now celebrating more than a decade of business, the restaurant offers much more than breakfast and tea. The property features an inviting sidewalk cafe, lovely gift shop, Victorian dining room, private Victorian Tea Room, New Orleans–style carriageway, and Léstradé Dinner Theatre in the rear.
Quench your thirst with the award-winning strawberry iced tea. Breakfast/lunch, served seven days a week, offers items such as bananas Foster French toast and banana waffles, as well as the signature breakfast choice, eggs cathedral (an English muffin topped with a crab cake, eggs, and seafood sauce). Omelets, pancakes, eggs Benedict, soups, sandwiches, and salads are all included on the extensive menu. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Economical to moderate.
Take a tour of the Lower Dauphin Street Area (LoDa) and follow your nose to the A&M Peanut Shop at 209 Dauphin Street (251-438-9374; ampeanuts.com) with its freshly roasted nuts, served warm from a 90-year-old roaster. The shop is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then saunter into Three Georges Southern Chocolates (251-433-6725; 3georges.com) at 226 Dauphin Street, a spot that has lured locals and visitors since 1917. Marble-based cases and original glass candy jars hold hand-dipped chocolates, pralines, divinity, and many varieties of fudge plus a rainbow assortment of jelly beans and rock candy. Scott Gonzales, who purchased the historic property in 1992 and later the H. M. Thames Nuthouse, now operates four sites. His dream “is to grow into a company that makes Mobilians proud while introducing some of our most treasured Southern delicacies all over the world.”
Those who subscribe to the theory of eating dessert first because of life’s uncertainty can savor a praline made with oven-roasted pecans while waiting for one of the weekday lunch specialties, like red beans and rice, jambalaya, or muffalettas, now available at this vintage sweet shop. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
When hunger pangs hit again, head for Wintzell’s Oyster House (251-432-4605), which dates to 1938 at its historic downtown address, 605 Dauphin Street. Wintzell’s also offers its fried, stewed, and nude delicacies at other nearby locations as well as in Guntersville in the state’s northeastern section.
“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,” wrote Jonathan Swift, the 18th-century satirist. If you’re bold and enjoy oysters enough to attempt breaking the current consumption record—280 for women and 421 for men—declare your intentions at any of Wintzell’s locations. The staff will then alert the restaurant’s suppliers if you look like a serious contender. You have one hour, while seated at the bar, to consume oysters on the half shell. If you set a new record, your feast is free, and you receive a check for $25. Otherwise, well, you would have had to pay anyway.
If you prefer your oysters not nude, then order them steamed, fried, or in stew. Other delectable versions include oysters Rockefeller, Bienville, Buffalo, Monterey, Alfredo, and Parmesan. Try the yummy gumbo while reading Wintzell’s signs (on life in general) as you dine. Hours at all locations are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Slither to wintzellsoysterhouse.com for more pearls of wisdom on these bivalves.
At the William and Emily Hearin Mobile Carnival Museum (251-432-3324; mobilecarnivalmuseum.com), you can dip into the magical world of Mardi Gras. You can’t miss it. Look for an 1870 Italianate townhouse at 355 Government Street with two colorful 10-foot-tall jesters on the front porch.
Mobilians celebrated America’s first Mardi Gras in 1703, and you’ll get a great overview here, surrounded by a glittering array of memorabilia. You’ll encounter a fire-breathing dragon float in the den (former carriage house) and can climb aboard the rocking float to enjoy a rollicking good time.
Volunteer guides, some affiliated with Mobile’s mystic societies, share fascinating anecdotes with visitors. Exhibits showcase elaborate gowns with their flowing trains. These creations reflect intricate workmanship, and countless hours go into their construction. According to National Geographic, Mobile’s coronations rival those of real coronations in Europe. Today’s Mardi Gras festivities, which extend over a two-month period (with preparations going on around the calendar), feature many spectacular parades and magnificent balls. At last count 32 parading organizations and 55 nonparading organizations staged balls during the Mardi Gras season. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Admission: adults $5, children (ages 3 to 12) $2.
America’s First Mardi Gras
After surviving a deadly scourge of yellow fever, a colony of French soldiers in Mobile decided to celebrate life. Painting their faces red, they feasted and drank. There is no historical record that they paraded. But this festive gathering has gone down in history as the first Mardi Gras celebration in America, a century before Alabama became a state. Today, it remains an important part of Alabama Gulf Coast culture.
It was not until years later, in 1830, that the parade part became popular in Mobile. On New Year’s Day, a cotton broker named Michael Krafft and some of his friends gathered up some cowbells, rakes, and hoes in a local hardware store. They then proceeded to march through the streets of Mobile and called themselves the Cowbellion de Rakin Society.
They liked it so much that the Cowbellions decided to have an annual event tied into Mardi Gras. Some of this partying group carried their customs to New Orleans. In 1857 the Cowbellion de Rakins assisted the Big Easy in setting up a mystic society of its own, the Mystic Krewe of Comus, to this day New Orleans’s most prestigious Mardi Gras society.
Mobile festivities grew until the Civil War, when celebrations were put aside. Even after the war, Mobile was under Union occupation and no one felt like partying. That’s when Joseph Stillwell Cain decided that people needed to be happy and he was going to do something about it. On Shrove Tuesday in 1866, town clerk Cain dressed up in Indian regalia, called himself “Chief Slacabormorinico,” and climbed aboard a coal wagon he had decorated. The defiant Cain rode his mule-powered one-float parade through the streets of Mobile, and single-handedly brought about the rebirth of Mardi Gras festivities to the depressed city.
By the time Cain died at age 72, he had founded a number of mystic societies, including the well-known Order of Myths. In Mobile’s historic Church Street Cemetery, Cain’s tombstone notes: “Here lies Joe Cain, the heart and soul of Mardi Gras in Mobile.”
Every year on the Sunday before Mardi Gras, the Joe Cain Parade pays honor to the rebel. A “people’s parade,” the Joe Cain Parade is not filled with big floats. Instead, it is a time to decorate a jalopy, wagon, wheelbarrow, or bicycle and join the parade. Of course, there are always plenty of “Cain’s widows” in the processional, weeping and wailing for their man.
Look for the Malaga Inn (251-438-4701 or 800-235-1586; malagainn.com) at 359 Church Street. A charming place to make your base, this quaint hotel started out as twin townhouses in 1862—the families of sisters shared a patio between their mirror-image houses. In 1967 the historic structures were joined by a connector and converted into a hotel.
Individually decorated rooms and suites are furnished with antiques or nostalgic reproductions. You’ll enjoy relaxing in the inn’s garden courtyard with its flowing fountain, umbrella-topped tables, and surrounding galleries of ornamental ironwork. The inn serves a deluxe continental breakfast. Guests also are served spiced tea and cookies. Rates range from standard to moderate.
Several mansions, including the Richards-DAR House (251-208-7320; richardsdarhouse.com), open their doors to the public not only during spring tours but throughout the year. Located at 256 North Joachim Street in DeTonti Square, this 1860 Italianate antebellum home is noted for its “frozen lace” ironwork that decorates the facade in an elaborate pattern. Be sure to notice the etched ruby Bohemian glass framing the entrance. Other fine features include a suspended staircase, Carrara marble mantels, and striking brass and crystal chandeliers signed by Cornelius. In the rear wing you’ll find a gift shop. Except for major holidays, the home, operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution, is open from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission: adults $5, children $2.
You may also want to tour the Oakleigh Historic Complex (251-432-1281; historicmobile.org) in its serene oak-shaded setting at 300 Oak-leigh Place. The guides dress in authentic costumes of the 1830s to conduct tours through an 1833 antebellum house/museum filled with early Victorian, Empire, and Regency furnishings. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: adults $10, children (age 12 and under) $5.
To dip into more of the city’s past, make reservations at the The Kate Shepard House Bed & Breakfast (251-479-7048) in the heart of historic Dauphin Way. Located at 1552 Monterey Place, this handsome Queen Anne Victorian home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built by C. M. Shepard in 1897, it was designed by well-known architect George Franklin Barber.
“Guests can pull into the driveway and park under the porte cochere,” says Wendy James, who with her husband, Bill, owns the home. “We have a dog that will bark loudly when you arrive, but will be your best friend in minutes.” The couple, who lived in Hawaii for almost 15 years, searched the southeast for the perfect historic house and setting to establish their long-planned bed-and-breakfast. Captivating Mobile and this lovely home, surrounded by century-old magnolia trees, won their hearts. Along with 11 fireplaces, four original stained glass windows, and beautiful woodwork, the home came with a surprise—an attic full of treasures. Wendy shares stories regarding this lagniappe (something extra) with her guests.
Mobile’s Changing Skyline
Mobile’s downtown renaissance continues with a skyline that looks very different—just as it did when construction on Alabama’s first skyscraper started here a century ago. Looming above its neighbors, the impressive RSA Battle House Tower can be seen for 30 miles—all the way up Mobile Bay. So again this city on the move boasts the state’s tallest structure—a 40-story tower that stretches skyward. Companion to the historic, rejuvenated Battle House Hotel, the pair represents a fusion of past and present. Call me astonished when I swept into the Battle House lobby on a recent visit to Mobile. I wasn’t the only one marveling as I checked in. “This is gorgeous,” the woman behind me said to her husband. The two kept looking in awe at the magnificent ceiling. And so did I.
Once again, the Battle House dispenses classic Southern hospitality, which translates to plenty of pampering. Don’t pass up a chance to unwind in the spa. Then dine on divine regional and continental specialties in the Trellis Room. (I’m still salivating over the chef’s take on crême brûlée. Oh yes, and that Chilean sea bass.) The historic hotel is connected to the new RSA Battle House Tower by the 9,628-square-foot Moonlight Ballroom.
A hotel with a history—that’s what I like. With its grand staircase (plus the whispering arches that heard goodness knows how many secrets), the Battle House served as the setting for countless debutante balls. Besides presiding over the social scene in downtown Mobile for a century, this iconic hotel played host to such American statesmen as Woodrow Wilson and Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The hotel’s historic roots date back to 1852. For more information on the Battle House, a Renaissance Hotel & Spa, at 26 North Royal Street in downtown Mobile, call (251) 338-2000 or (866) 316-5957.
Five Rivers Run Through It
To launch a kayak or canoe outing through the country’s second largest river delta, head to Spanish Fort, about 5 miles from downtown Mobile. Five Rivers Delta Resource Center (251-625-0814) marks the spot where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee, and Blakeley Rivers converge in Mobile Bay. Here, you can immerse yourself in the area’s natural beauty, learn about its history, and set off on an adventure through scenic waterways, woods, and wetlands.
Swing by the Nature Center Complex, a trio of pile-supported buildings with wraparound porches and decks, overlooking the Delta. A favorite with visitors, the exhibit hall showcases some of the state’s wildlife. You’ll also find information on other nature-based attractions in this coastal area: Blakeley State Park, Dauphin Island Estuarium, Gulf State Park, and Weeks Bay Reserve.
Special Saturday programs offer canoe and kayak lessons, wilderness survival training, cooking demonstrations, and more. Located across from Meaher State Park on the Mobile Bay Causeway (US 90/98), the center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Shepard’s daughters, Kate and Isabel, operated a private boarding and day school here during the early 1900s. Wendy, who continues to research the home’s history, filled several glass-front cases with school memorabilia and framed several photos from that era. Moderate to deluxe rates. For more information, click on kateshepherdhouse.com.
No visit to the Port City would be complete without scaling the decks of the Battleship USS Alabama (251-433-2703), moored in Mobile Bay. This renowned vessel played the role of the USS Missouri in the movie Under Siege, starring Steven Seagal.
Now the focal point of the 155-acre park on Battleship Parkway just off the I-10 causeway, the USS Alabama served in every major engagement in the Pacific during World War II, apparently leading a charmed life throughout her 37 months of active duty. She earned not only nine battle stars but also the nickname “Lucky A” (from her crew of 2,500) because she emerged unscathed from the heat of each battle.
She also rode out hurricanes Camille, Frederick, and Ivan, but Katrina slammed in with a 12-foot storm surge and triple-digit winds, tilting the ship by eight degrees. Setting a structure of this magnitude—half the length of the Empire State Building’s height—upright presented quite a challenge. Waves swept over the ship’s bow, 30 feet above sea level. As for the park’s Aircraft Exhibit Pavilion, hurricane winds lifted and dropped military tanks and artillery exhibits, scattering parts across the grounds and severely damaging 14 planes. After $6 million in restoration costs, the iconic USS Alabama, the submarine USS Drum (which received no storm damage), and a new pavilion reopened to the public. Again, you can explore below and upper decks and roam through the captain’s cabin, officers’ staterooms, messing and berthing spaces, and crew’s galley. Authentic touches include calendar girl pinups and background music, with such singers as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra crooning songs popular during the 1940s.
Anchored beside the battleship, the USS Drum gives visitors a chance to thread their way through a submarine and marvel at how a crew of 72 men could live, run their ship, and fire torpedoes while confined to such tight quarters.
Open every day except Christmas, the park can be visited from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. April through September and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through March. Admission: adults $15, senior citizens $13, active or retired military free, children (ages 6 to 11) $6. For more information check out ussalabama.com.
Places to Stay in Southwest Alabama
CAMDEN
Roland Cooper State Park
285 Deer Run Dr.
(334) 682-4838
EUTAW
Oakmont Bed & Breakfast
107 Pickens St.
(205) 372-2326
FAIRHOPE
Bay Breeze Guest House
742 South Mobile St.
(866) 928-8976
GULF SHORES/ORANGE BEACH
The Beach Club
925 Beach Club Trail
(251) 540-2500 or (888) 260-7263
Island House Hotel
26650 Perdido Beach Blvd.
(251) 981-6100 or (800) 264-2642
Meyer Real Estate
(for resort rentals)
1585 Gulf Shores Pkwy.
(251) 968-7516 or (800) 487-5959
Perdido Beach Resort
27200 Perdido Beach Blvd.
(251) 981-9811 or (800) 634-8001
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS
Magnolia Springs Bed & Breakfast
14469 Oak St.
(251) 965-7321 or (800) 965-7321
MARION
The Gateway Inn
1615 State Rte. 5 South
(334) 683-9166
MOBILE
The Battle House, a Renaissance Hotel & Spa
26 North Royal St.
(251) 338-2000
Holiday Inn
301 Government St.
(251) 694-0100 or (800) 692-6662
The Kate Shepard House Bed & Breakfast
1552 Monterey Place
(251) 479-7048
Malaga Inn
359 Church St.
(251) 438-4701 or (800) 235-1586
Mauvila Mansion
1306 Dauphin St.
(251) 408-9478
Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel
64 South Water St.
(251) 438-4000 or (866) 749-6069
MONROEVILLE
Best Western Inn
4419 South Alabama Ave.
(251) 575-9999 or (800) WESTERN
Country Inn & Suites
120 Hwy. 21 South
(251) 743-3333 or (800) HOLIDAY
POINT CLEAR
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa
One Grand Blvd.
(251) 928-9201 or (800) 544-9933
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau
23685 Perdido Beach Blvd.
Orange Beach 36561 or PO Drawer 457
Gulf Shores 36547
(251) 974-1510 or (800) 982-8562
info@gulfshores.com
Alabama’s Front Porches
Official website of Rural Southwest Alabama
Demopolis Area Chamber of Commerce
102 East Washington St.
PO Box 667
Demopolis 36732
(334) 289-0270
Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
327 Fairhope Ave.
Fairhope 36532
(251) 928-6387
Foley Welcome Center
104 East Laurel Ave.
Foley 36535
(251) 943-1300
Gulf Shores Welcome Center
3150 Gulf Shores Pkwy.
(Alabama Highway 59 South)
Gulf Shores 36542
(251) 968-7511 or (800) 745-SAND
Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau
150 South Royal St.
PO Box 204
Mobile 36602
(251) 208-2000 or (800) 566-2453
mbcvb@mobile.org
Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce
86 North Alabama Ave.
Monroeville 36461
(251) 743-2879
info@monroecountyal.com
Selma/Dallas County Chamber of Commerce
912 Selma Ave.
PO Box 467
Selma 36702
(334) 875-7241 or (800) 457-3562
info@SelmaAlabama.com
SELMA
Hampton Inn
2200 West Highland Ave.
(334) 876-9995 or (800) HAMPTON
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
2000 Lincoln Way
(800) 876-9995
Quality Inn
2420 North Broad St.
(334) 874-8600
St. James Hotel
1200 Water Ave.
(334) 872-3234
MAINSTREAM ATTRACTIONS WORTH SEEING IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
The Gulf Coast Exploreum, Science Center, and IMAX Theater, 65 Government Street at exit 26B off I-10, Mobile, features fascinating exhibits from the world of science, and that’s not all. Throngs of visitors find the three permanent galleries exciting with more than 150 hands-on science adventures—Hands On Hall, the Wharf of Wonder, and MyBodyWorks. The center also hosts traveling exhibits. To check the current schedule, call (251) 208-6873 or (877) 625-4FUN or visit www.exploreum.net.
Adjacent to the Gulf Coast Exploreum, at 111 South Royal Street, the History Museum of Mobile offers a treasure trove in a National Historic Landmark building that dates to 1857 and occupies a portion of the Southern Market/Old City Hall. From the entry’s 1936 WPA murals depicting the history of Mobile to the hands-on Discovery Room and Special Collections Gallery, this museum offers something for all ages and interests. You’ll see a dugout canoe from the 14th century, relive the atrocious passage on an African slave ship, hear stories of Civil War soldiers, and learn about disasters like hurricanes, yellow fever, and fires that have impacted the area. The Themes Gallery puts the spotlight on Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, and other sports figures from this city, known as a “baseball mecca.” Check out museumofmobile.com or call (251) 208-7569.
Don’t miss the stunning Mobile Museum of Art. Established in 1964, the museum moved in 2002 from its former quarters on Civic Center Drive to its present setting at 4850 Museum Drive in Langan Park. The grand lobby’s commanding glass entrance hall overlooks a lake and makes the outdoors seem part of a sweeping landscape. The handsome building is home to a permanent collection of more than 6,000 works of art, which span 2,000 years of cultural history, and is particularly strong in American paintings of the 1930s and 1940s plus works by Southern artists, art of the French Barbizon School, and contemporary American crafts. For more information click on mobilemuseumofart.com or call the museum at (251) 208-5200.
Places to Eat in Southwest Alabama
CAMDEN
Gaines Ridge Dinner Club
933 State Rte. 10 East
(334) 682-9707
DAPHNE
Cousin Vinnie’s/Guido’s Italian Restaurant
1709 Main St.
(251) 626-6082
DEMOPOLIS
The Red Barn
901 US 80 East
(334) 2890595
FAIRHOPE
Mary Ann’s Deli
7 South Church St.
(251) 928-3663
FAUNSDALE
Ca-John’s Faunsdale Bar & Grill
35558 State Rte. 25
(334) 628-3240
FOLEY
The Gift Horse
209 West Laurel Ave.
(251) 943-3663 or (800) FOLEYAL
GULF SHORES/ORANGE BEACH
King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant
1137 Gulf Shores Parkway
(251) 968-5464
kingneptuneseafoodrestaurant.com
Lulu’s at Homeport Marina
200 East 25th Ave.
(251) 967-5858
Shipp’s Harbour Grill
27842 Canal Rd.
(251) 981-9891
Villaggio Grille
4790 Main St., F108
(251) 224-6510
LAVACA
Ezell’s Fish Camp
166 Lotts Berry Rd.
(205) 654-2205
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS
Jesse’s Restaurant
14770 Oak St.
(251) 965-3827
MOBILE
Spot of Tea
310 Dauphin St.
(251) 433-9009
The Trellis Room
Battle House Hotel
26 North Royal St.
(251) 338-2000
True Midtown Kitchen
1104 Dauphin St.
(251) 434-2002
Wintzell’s Oyster House
605 Dauphin St.
(251) 432-4605
Zea Rotisserie & Grill
4671 Airport Blvd.
(251) 344-7414
POINT CLEAR
The Wash House Restaurant
17111 Scenic Hwy. 98
(251) 928-4838
SELMA
Tally-Ho Restaurant
509 Mangum Ave.
(334) 872-1390