Founded in 1702, the city of Mobile’s resilience is evident in the restoration and preservation of historic structures. It is only natural that the city that places so much emphasis on history is hosting the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit at the Gulf Coast Exploreum through April 24.
One of the first signs of beauty when you arrive in the Mobile area is the signature massive live oak trees providing a canopy over the historic district. Antebellum and other architecturally significant homes and buildings are dotted throughout the city.
On Dauphin Street, the structures take on a different ambiance with their wrought-iron balconies, courtyards and fountains. The optimal time to visit Mobile is in spring when bountiful blossoms announce that you have arrived in the “Deep South.”
Start your visit with a tour of Fort Condé Welcome Center on South Royal Street. The fort is a replica of the original 18th century French fort where costumed guides assist you in planning an itinerary. Children especially enjoy the fort where there is ample room for exploration.
House museums
Be sure to visit Mobile’s house museums. The Richards-DAR House (1860) is an Italianate home that is famous for the iron lace that lavishly decorates the front façade. The home features antiques and encourages groups who have a pianist gather around the piano for a sing-along.
The Bragg Mitchell Mansion (1855) is surrounded by a grove of live oak trees and is the most photographed building in Mobile. Also, visit the historic Condé-Charlotte House and Oakleigh Mansion. For more information, contact the Mobile Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1-800-5-Mobile or visit www.mobile.org.
The blooms of Mobile
The Festival of Flowers
March 10–13
Experience the Festival of Flowers’ “An English Garden” at Mobile’s signature landscape and floral design event. Located on the historic campus of Spring Hill College, there are more than 100,000 square feet of exhibits for flower lovers to enjoy.
The Festival’s central feature is the giant Grand Marquee that houses life-size landscaped gardens flowing with fountains and ideas for your own backyard.
Also featured is a floral design showcase and a display of English garden blooms. Exhibits by floral and horticultural societies as well as seminars and demonstrations will be offered.
The children enjoy painting flowers at the Mobile Museum of Art’s venue and look for the garden container exhibit for small spaces where there are artful ideas for pots, planters and baskets.
Selected by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the “Top 20 Events” for March 2002–2004, the event draws thousands to witness nature’s best in bloom. For more information, contact the Mobile Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1-800-5-Mobile or visit www.mobile.org.
Bellingrath Gardens
Located 30 minutes from Mobile, Bellingrath Gardens is ranked as one of the finest gardens in America. Spring is when the more than 200,000 azalea plants are caught showing off in living color.
Benches are placed along the paths so that you can stop to enjoy the gardens. For more information, call 251-973-2217 or visit www.bellingrath.org.
Historic accommodations
The Kate Shepard House
The house designed by architect George Franklin Barber was chosen from a catalog and shipped on railroad cars from Tennessee to be built in 1897. The current owners, Wendy and Bill James, found the attic filled with rare documents relating to the Civil War. Many of these are on display on the second floor of this bed and breakfast. For more information call 251-479-7048 or e-mail kateshepard@comcast.net
The Grand Hotel
Point Clear near Mobile is home to the historic Grand Hotel. Originally built in 1847 as the Point Clear Hotel, the hotel is tucked along Mobile Bay. During the Civil War, the Grand was closed and used as a hospital for soldiers.
Today, the hotel maintains a cemetery for about 300 Confederate soldiers. The hotel also was used as a training base for beach assaults in the Pacific during World War II. For more information call 1-800-544-9933 or visit www.marriottgrand.com.
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