RV Lifestyle Leaving the fort, history lovers should head across the street to the Museum of Mobile. Opened in 1857 as the SouthernMarket and used as City Hall through the 1990s, the museum boasts a marble lobby with six brightly coloured murals reflecting the city’s landmark moments. Permanent galleries detail Mobile’s story and include such artifacts as a 14th-century dugout canoe and the “Colored Entrance” neon sign from the Saenger Theatre, host to many famous black musicians. Upstairs are exhibits detailing The Great Fire of 1919, which left 1,200 homeless; 1979’s Hurricane Frederic, which killed three and injured thousands; and the city’s contributions to the nation, such as the 1969 World Series Champion Mets’ outfield, who were all from Mobile. Eight National Register Historic Districts make up what is known as downtown andmidtownMobile. These eight distinct personalities, spread throughout the Mobile Bay area, define the heart and soul of Old Mobile. Dauphin Street is an historic district in downtownMobile that consists of buildings from the 1820s to the 20th century; architectural styles include Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and Victorian. Dauphin Street was named after the son of King Louis XIV (the heir to the French throne is called the “Dauphin”) and this street became the main commercial street of the city. Mobile emerged as the third busiest port in America during the boomof “King Cotton.”The late 1830s brought devastation to Mobile’s downtown as a series of fires destroyedmany of the early frame buildings. Beginning in 1839, all structures along Dauphin and in the commercial districts were required to be built of brick. During reconstruction, many structures were built in the Victorian style of architecture seen today. Today, many of these brick buildings remain, although the storefronts have been periodically updated. Shopping trends of the 1950s and ‘60s redirected retail activity to outlying areas of the city, creating vacancies in the district; many of the buildings have once again been placed in service. A stroll along historic Dauphin Street isn’t complete without a stop at A&M Peanut Shop (209 Dauphin St.), where peanuts in the shell are roasted hourly in a 90-yearold roaster. Downtown Mobile is a mixture of the old and the new. Modern office buildings and high-rise hotels are scattered among the historic buildings. The ultra-modern Outlaw Convention Center along the waterfront is an interesting contrast to the older buildings of the downtown area. The Oakleigh Historic Complex contains several buildings in one picturesque area.The OakleighMansion (built around l833) is an old two-storey T-shaped building constructed with slave labour. The bricks used in the walls of the ground floor were made by slaves from clay dug on the property. The main portion of the house is made of wood. The house is filled with antiques and original furnishings. Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (circa 1834) is the oldest Christian church in Alabama. The historic cathedral sits across the street overlooking Cathedral Square, a tree-shaded park whose design reflects the basilica’s floor plan. Outlaw Convention Center Dauphin Street Historic home in downtown Mobile Story and photos by Rex Vogel CSANews | FALL 2017 | 25
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