Drafts of a Mobile Guide.
Folder contains 70 pages of a draft Mobile Guide compiled by Ila P. Prine for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.• 1 __• pri_ '\. 'C1 V H&!4 Couacil CI1_ber Report. of Progro.. ll11UoaU. _1I11e'. Orowth. bUe County Jlarcll 1:1,1940. Th. 71rm of Brook.,S_tl1,...
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WPA Alabama Writers' Project Drafts of a Mobile Guide. |
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WPA Alabama Writers' Project Alabama Writers' Project; Mobile (Ala.); Mobile County (Ala.); United States. Works Progress Administration |
description |
Folder contains 70 pages of a draft Mobile Guide compiled by Ila P. Prine for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.•
1 __• pri_ '\.
'C1 V H&!4 Couacil CI1_ber
Report. of Progro.. ll11UoaU. _1I11e'. Orowth.
bUe County
Jlarcll 1:1,1940.
Th. 71rm of Brook.,S_tl1, Yreool1 aDd DorralMl.,llloorporated, Ie.. Toft:
and Detrolt, _ftrU81ng oo_ltallb lido.. sd their O1I.to.ra tI1ro 110ut
the ooulluy ln thelr llOothly .uney of 00041 tl0l1li , \hat lN81.88 ln JIobUe
.. of ell the tint 51. 0 per cent aboye nor-.l. ~
JIr. Clyl1e or•••n ob&ll .n,of tile bile Hou.he Board, VULt tile 10..
oo.t houd,. proJeot. are progre••lng r~ldly,and the OraDge Groft. Ho••
tor .groe. 10 about .ixty per cent o08Plete and occupancy ..111 begln about
...., 1,1940. T e Prel'" h" OIM I1ulll1rod aIIl1 thirty tour, three rooD unlu
and ooe bwl4red aDd 81xty to~, tour and halt un1U. He e&ld tile prloe ot
l'ellt 'WOuld be alIout two dollara and tftov tift o.nte per rooD per _Il~
_d tbat tile 1Ul1b would b.aye 118l1t aDd _ter.. aDd ga.at a _n1DlDl oo.t,
.. the pUblic utili Ue. I1a4 • de a gnat redaoUoo of
OIM large .ter tor tile pro.1eot, for eaol1 uUllV·
!he Ou: LaWll Ro•• tile pro.1ect tor clte people on
U.,.. there 'WOuld
ncr - .t
0..,10 Sueet. ,10 about ''''Ilty tift per
and will be reedy tor occupancy alIout Aqll.t 1,1940. The rollt tor tIleBe
Ilo•• will be allf t two dollar. and tlfty oenu per rooD per _ntll.
bile ealtor. are aaklng a aurfty ot all rolltal. property ln d
arculld bUe ln proparaUoll tor tile lJMreue ot popW.aUon 1Ih1011 will
witll tile lNlldlng of til AZWIf Air Depet aM other." lJdu.\r1o••
Bibl1ogr~; The bUe Pre.. Rep.ur , !bIu'1IlI..." JlarcI1 14,1940••
Per.onal Xoowledg••
11a B.Pr1ne
Ci~ Hall CCUAcil Ch.-ber
lIobUe CO\lD;,y
JIaroh15,19.0.
On Saturd.., JIaroh 9, 19.0 another new iDdlletr;r opensd i h doora to the
Pllbl~. 1he ba Creo pry wi th • :rrig ~80he u proprietor ,0
e onl¥ co letoe cla1ry plan; or orea ry in bUe COllJl;y,e.re a hll liAe
o~ 4a1ry pro c;a aDd ioe cre_ are prcceaaed anei dlatoribuwd. 'rhe pro OU
are bomgell1..d mlk, bato naUlt, butohr, oototo.ge ahe e. co~tee ore_ and
1IbJ.ppillS ore..
the plan t 10 equlpped wi th ODll ., tohe .....to to.Jpe boaogeDi.era aa4e
trOD ..11 .aWaleaa, atoeel ~eke. 1here i. onl¥ one other ot theae new VPe
oaD1t0ar7. aWllleea. awel bomgenizera in Alabe •
JIr. lIIaohe the proprietorhaa been in the oree' roY bae1Dlla. all hie 11te. am
hae had apacial traiDing lnthe atucl,y ot lce oreo' -.king in the eut,and abroad.
KobUe 10 tortollnaw to haye a man ot hie experienoe in cahring too the public,
eepeeiall,y the Illuba and __1lII orgaD1aaUoDT .en ito Dlleda too eohrWo on a
large ocale or elaboratoel,y... Mr. ~80he 111 an arU.to in hia 11ne.
'!h. Crea r,y ia looawd OIl the IIDrth..uto coraar ot Bro-'- and Tena Storeeh,
in a aodern brick baUding. In the ~ronto ot the bullding 10 a .pe01alq 4..
igDlld retail 1ce-orelUll .tore. Ito hu all the ~ern taciliU•• , o1rou1h,
1'IIIID1ng watoer, proper dra11l11 and the apeo1&1 10.to.Jpe oouawn Wi ._u thato are yery oolltort.able and qUl toe popular.
Arl'aage_nta are bol aa4. wi1h __ ot the le ng 4air tor the
all 1 toe proclJlch ue to 1ce-ere_ in the leading .tore. 1n
Toula1DYille, and Chloku&". '!hey han a branch .toft ato
..lba 10 placl
110bile,i"riahard.
28011 Sprlng Hlll An_e, Criohton,Al •
a allbllrb ot IIobll••
Blbllog~; Perao~ InterneY wi th •
Creo 1r:Y, lIobUe Ala......
• '!hornllarg. !leWl er ot the ..lba
•
I~~ Prine
Ci ty HaL Counc~ hamber
Vebruary 17, 194
!Iobile, Co un ty .
lIobile•sort r th ......... Deve op e t.
In theyear of 1884 or Dac~re l's re ort to the United St tes ~D6ineers
propoee a channel o hundred feet wide and seventeen feet deep, causeho felt
the neceeeity of it. He eaid ,"we have eeen there has been B wonderful
in the timber trade of llobile,in ooneequence of the improvement in the channel
alreBdy taken place, but thie cnannel is not by any meanseu~ficent. even at
•
tni3 time, to meet the requir ents of the co erce of the port,
s are like y to incre ce almoet froID day to
ile theee
, e gre..t-r p t of the vesee soo t ort of ~bile for c oes
Itf tiu;ber and of co tton wil dr' when 10 ed, consider bly lIDre tha.n the de_
of w ter in seventeen foot channel, eome of them drawing eighteen to to' enty
feet or more. The result of necessity is U,at all such vessels are compelled
to go down to the bay to complete their loading, thereby encountering not only
great extr exPenee and delay, but aleo exposing them at times to risk heavy
loss from damage an injury to the property to be transported."
y i rovements in • bile's Fort have taken place, and the cnannel has
been wideneo nd deepened, but still
uireo more i _rovements.
bile's rowth t t' e resent time re~-
on ovember :3J, 19 7, a record for the por t 11&.8 1lllJ" e
• I. Luckenbach eai e from Uobile under her own po er, ith ",ury-one ,feet
four incaes 0'; r h"....4 "nd~' wate'r, ,.hen the channe.!. thre feet belo"
mean tide, It ~s the deepest draft ship ever to use the port, ~t thattime.
In 19:39 the Uni ted S t tes ngineers spent approximately seventy five thoue-and
dollars in wideninb the ship channel to five hundred feet between the Al~-
State Docle
progress in bile, ere ie fUrther need for wi eni
the Cochr e ~rid' •. it'. U.e 1I:..;.!,y n w develop ntsin
an deepenin,; t ..e channel
especially south of ~obile.
In a re~ort by the Chief of O;Iineere dated Wlcrch6. 19:39. in response to
reeolution by the omm1tt e on ivtlre d • rbore of t aU-Be 0 nepresentati
.....
Ila E. rine
City Council Ch~ber
;;;.obile,Ala.
At the City Council ~eeting on ?ric ar ,n
January 10,1939
LiDbile County
.m.... on iIwllary ,1940, a oro.i-nance
8 adopted repealing tae city's d valore~ tax effective t~is year,but
not affectiOJ taxes already due.Pric· ard's vet~ra.n 'yor,'•• filkins,had hoped
for ye~s,to have to h ve t~is ordin cs adopted,but as not able to introduce
it until this year,after an audit for the fiscal year ending Septeober 3~,1939,
was m e by L.J.Richard and CompanJ,~bile,Al~.
•
• ilkins said hs hoped by the re)ealing of tnis tax
that ny ne. industries and building activities would result.Ths auo.it sho ed ...... that there~three other sources of revenue, the gaszline tax,business licsnces,
and police fines and costs,were more productive last year, than the ad valorem
tax.Beer and liquor taxes alone,wsre almost up to the property tax total.
The repealing of the ad valorem tax did not include the tax on motor vehioles
which amounted to a very small sum last year.
rri~~ard is Mobile's only incorporated suburb,and is a wide awake,progreesive
town. _ayor filkins likes to recall t~ t arte:.· t, e lt063evel t adm nistration
started ~ederal re ief on ~ ~g soa e he t tae first C. I. •• crew to wor~
in bile CountY,and Prichard has taken advant e of all o.pportunities or i~-
provecents trough :ederal aid. early ~3J~.JJ worth of i~roveoents
_ ve been de,includi~ a.l~st 2 0,0 0 bsiO& used for p ve~ents,sidews~ks
carb and ~utter,bridbee and dra.in ~e,while e re~ining 1 ,J 0 bei used
for a new Ci ty Hall W"10. nex a d a • tional Juard rmory.
7he CitY,in co-operation with t e county e th depart~ent,has ope e public
h Ith clinic, an is prep&Xi~ to open new pab ic library this year.
'\>-
7 enty five d\onal street li.;: to ere p ced ast ;rear in Prichard by '" con-tract
.ith the h aba~ Power ,0. Tele ,lalla,o;, f ter Service Co., . icl has tae
ocal ~ater franahise,recentl;r completed a 53~,OJO ballon stor e t k to furnish
better fire protection and to insure ade uate water supply in case of an
"',.", ~
"x-
Ua E. Frin~
City Hall Council
""bile. U ....
ClUllllbe r JAN 8 - 1940
January 5. 1940.
bile
t:ounty
CAROO OJ' COHUllE NUTS IELITh'RtlD Dr lI011ILE.
lIobile's water front is a continual changing scene. with
the various types of boats and veseele coming in. un Tueeday January 2.
1940. a queer cargo s unloaded at ths J<labama flthte LlDcks. from a
three sted schooner loria ~olita that looked like. something out of
a story book. 1be small sailing Tesssl csme from ~elize. ~ritish
Honduras under her own sail until she neared the shore when she ran
into heavy seas and h d to accept help froa the coast gu rd.
bhe _s loaded wi th approximately three hundred and twenty
five tone of cohune nuts. that are, "baby cocoanute.-
"nle nute were sent here for the l'&n-~rican "hell t:orporation,
a Hew Jersey concern. that is now fitting up a _del factory on
AJ.awma state lJocke land in a eteel building near the "tar nsh and
uyster Company's plant on the Industrial Canal..
Karl. ll. Jones, president of the concern told of plans for a
modern pier and conveyor system to acco" odate ehips that would eoon
follow ths Gloria Colita here with cargoss of nuts.
This factory will ext~ct a high. grade vegetable oil., eome-thing
like cocoanut oil.. t.nl.y richer. and acre cOllparable to A1'rican
palm oil.. .l.t will then be loaded into tank ca..s on eidlngs at the plant
and ehipped to proceseing plante and made into butter subetitutes. ealad
.11s. patent shortenings lUld tiner b~d8 of soep.
As it has been said of the hog. at packing plante. everything
is ussd but ths grunt, eo it will bs true of the cohune nuts, oRly it
•
lla B. Prine
bil.e. Al.a.
2)
has DO srunt. but the thick. fi brouB. shell can be reduced to a Bort of
charcoal., and treated to fora activated carbon, principal. chelll1cal. ingredient
through which wearers of gas !DI'sks lIl&y s~el.y breathe.
The shells can be ground and processed to form a "Wood-flour,·
for use in pl.astics.
llr• .Tones said he brought this part of his industry to _bil.e
becaDse of its rapid denlopment &8 A.l.aba"'s seaport; and the advantag-eous
situation as to est Indies and uentral. rican sources for raw
terial.s.
The arriTILl 0 f the oria \;Ol.ita on 'iuesday hal.ped to make &
record for I!obil.e Port &8 one of the busiest days in several. IIIOnths.
according to nteran _tsr front men.
~me of the othsr vessels aotivities at ~bile·s port .uesday
were ths:
(l.) American steamer bnickehinny l.oadlUC steel. and tin pl.ate
at :otate cke.
(2) Greek stearne r asiB loadins general. cargo at "tate .LOcks.
(3} -'-erican stesmer "an &1se1lllO, which recently ran aground,
is unl.oading car at :otate Docks, prior to undergoing repairs.
(4) merican sileamer Point .Lobos disch&rging cargo at "tate
llDcks.
5) American steamer Bsllingham, ~an-Atlantic unloading at
docks. then wi1l. take on cargo.
(6) zwegian steamer borangen unl.oading bsnx, te ore at coa 1
tippl.e.
(7) Worwegian steamer cetus unloading ore at tipple.
ila Il. Prine
A riter.' Program
0i ty nal.l Counoil t..'hambe r
bile, la,
•
_. - - :~. J c.J..-.... L. ( s - t. 1.1)
JAN 8- \ 4 •
""'nuary 5, 1940.
llobile
\;Ounty
CORHERSTOBE LAID AT.ASHLAlm PLACE. OBILE. ALA.
(lJI Sunday afte rnoo n cellber 31, 1939. eeTeralother
denolll.i.I>&tions joined tha llethodiBte in laying the cornerstone of the
new Ashland Place ethodiBt t..llapsl at \lld "hell hoad and Wisteria
ATenue which is 6- unit of the "t. Francis street Church.
This chapel will serTe the exclusive residential section
of ehl&nd Place and i te enviro-u8, 8 the parent churoh, "t. nancie
"treet Vethodiet is one of the few churches located in down town MObile.
The cornerstone was donated by ~rre8t wUson, of wilson
rble orks, Toulminville and was presented by 11. 'f. iOung chair""n
of the building oommittse, after the opening devotional. servioes, led
by In'. G. Stanley h"a~r.
ere were greetinge brought from the l'rotest nt Disteri6-1
Aseociation by Hev. capere atterlee, ur, a. ". uickinson for the
.I:l&ptista, In'. J • .Il. Carpenter the Presbyteriane, Re.... lierbert :Schroeter
the .tipiecopall&.ns, and ..... l>erbert W. Price and other thodiet
Churches. Dr. John azer, brother of the Putor extended greetings
from the bile district in his capaoity as distriot superintendent.
Dr. tanley nazer read the following letter from resident •
nooeeTelt" Dear • Frazer: 1 congratul.6-te the people of the Ashland
lace thodist t..'hapel on the happy Boouion of the laying of the
oornerstone of the new building.
This aot beara eloquent witnese to the etrength of religion
in the hearte of the faithful people who are rearing thie new temple
to the Glory of tbe Most high.
•
'bilians
lJec. 22, 1939.
Hs _. Prine
i ty nal.l
ouncil Ch lIlber
bile. Al....
• •
d s thrill that t times was bream tGking on
the fternoon of ~cember 3, 1939. when the Jaycees' brought to
so e outlltun:i1ng a ators.
bile
•
':.'hey sponsore the flying show to stimulate interest in
aviation, using the proceeds from the ehow to finance civic aviation
pro:notion in -abile.
n tre~el, Jaycee aviation co ittee chairman. was
master of ceremonies. aoong the exhibitions the following were the most
outstanding: Smoke trail acrobaties by Joeeph ·~uddy" Batzel of Trenton,
r. J. flying a one-place Laird pecial; up-eide down flying by Don
lalters of olumbus, hio. at a height of twenty five feet; aerial clowuin
by Jimmy :lranere of anada, in a delllOnstration "how not to fly.
four hundred llliles per hour;power dives by Harold Johnson of vhicago,
demonstrating test pilot" ork; formation flying and "dogfi . ts" by the
-ranere brothers; and a comic "pants race" by all participatin pilots •
. &rold Johnson demonstrated first in a smal.l pursuit plane,
and later "stunte<1" in a six ton tri-motored rd pl&.ne.
a
e clioax was reacae when Joseph Duddy" atzel jUJllped at
0-llI11e hei t and delayed opeD1ng his parachute until half w&.y do •
• ere re SlIdible gasps from the crowd as his body pllllNMted through
the ir.
~e stun ting was co vered by a special permi t from the ,ivil
Aeronautics ..uthority.
iblio raphy: rersonal interview with illiam Funchess. a spec tor at
the show,and notes from the obile Press Register • .olec. 3, 1939 •
•
cember 15, 1\)39.
11 B. Prine
Ci ty Rull
Council er
• ' bile, Ala•
70e Feyton. Higg 80n .,o::.atructlon :..;0 _ Ul • of :obl1e. W'...~o
•
id o on e C~k L.....n ho s, was 10 at of the seven contre.ctora
ID ing 0 ffer on conatruction of the homee. • Their bid a been ppTOved
bile Housing oard, with Clyde
by the Uni ted tatea liouaing u ori ty.
e 0 Lawn ho Ba ie a low coat houaino; project for ...I:.i to
. people, that ie being sponsored by the
Pore an ch irman 0 f t e Board.
The project will be locuted on u five hundred by seven hun-dred
feet Bite at the northweat corner of Baltimore nd ~ yle etreeta
in ukdule.
There will be twelve dwelling buildings containing one hun-dred
eeperato fUJily unite ith four undred and forty six roome. 111e
unite are built so ~s to range from three roo to four an one h f to
fi Vf> and one lf :toOllLB to ccomondl.'te the fferent ize f·am11iee.
e pro erty w a bOUght from as ADDie Telly, w consented
to eell on1y for te<e purpoee of iding low cost housing. The pro erty
d been in the l:elly ly for re t an seventy yeare. It ie a
ell-druined ece of ro erty d is located within ~a1l<ing dietance
of P blic en parochial. sChoole, well &B ne r e 0 l<d&1e Comou.nity
Center and Arlington ier recreation re.
7nere ie to be an a,dminietration buil~ing, and e ch elli
uni twill ua..e its own fenced in back yard, and will be e uipped i th
as or electric refrigerator,
ep ce e ...ter.
cookillG etove, hot ..ter he ter .d
.. •
Deoember 15, 1939.
116. B. Prine
• bile, .>1u•
•
UJ'l:'II.3 ' J IST:L<S JISPL<l.Y.
n aturday ni t Dec .ber 2, 1939, Bienville Squlore, ayly
illu . nated wi th thoueands of lti-colorsd electric li hts. s t.e
Bettin for the fo=al opening of bile's second fmnu&.1 ChrisUm..s street
decor tion project.
~ayor Cecil Eates pointe out in r~s brief address, "that
while e find "Teed and unholy ",bi tiolUl running rampEo.nt in other parts
• of the world today we find a spirit of brotherly love preVi-ilinlil: in
'obile." He also lauded the Exohan e Club who is as isted by the Chamber
of Com:nerce re sponsoring the project.
There was a vested choir of about fifty voices who sang
~nrist'.as Carols, under the direction of Tom Byrnes.
TIe granite cros that was erected as u elllOr1l!J. to Jean
::3apt1ste le :.:oyne ieur de Bienville, founder of 'bile, is ill=1nated
wi th blue neon li - ts.
ear the b/l.Il stand is the large three-part cyclorama, de-picitin
ati vi ty." " Crucifixion" and "~oris ,1939. " r.
::d "orton 1O is the cre...tor of tLe cyclorama, lectures twice nig .tly
on his rk, at the hours of sil< and eigut, a.s e describes t' e different
seenes in tLe _uris~s splay. spotli hts are pl~yed on tue •
~e entire electrical display is li ted from five until
ten 0' clock each ni- t and there i8 II. pro of cllimes, carols, and
s ..cred
e tioe
sic frol:l five t rty until ten o'clock with t e elCCeption of
• rorton ie ~kinlil: his lecture •
•oie diepl~y ill be open until the day after Chriet, ae.
• (2)
popu~ r. the soci~~ usufruct did not come 6nd
December ~5. ~939.
n B. Frine
• bi~e, a.
s. G th, found 'obi~e
too roo ted in o~d ways to comprehend a suon after t e IIOde of one she
~onged to say.
" Thi s mbi tioUB ~ady had four dC1ugh te rB
• sse 8 Armide. va,
Virginia and • She p~&nned a final. and sti~~ more e~~borate func-tion,
~ar r, IIIOre cosUy, &nd II embra.cing.
to 3e .ronius. but success _£.in refused to cro'-
e studied the injunction
de erving persistence.
_O._e "- 'eo...,..e ate ·~~s. ~_ . th's eu -per ny did not. .nere was Il.ee~e8e and
un grac oua col""lt';·en t t none ll'Wi ft riter ~as uinaded er 60cial • .....1:1-
tions or· r1v.te" circu~ tion. • en the ~ dy conc~uded at bile
was un!'1pe for con"uest &B for introduction of the suon. Sne carried
her daugl ters and her advanced tastes to .ew ork, where the fie~d lOU
broader for deserving effort, including 'Jr. S ith's business ones,
. esults, in one sense .. t least justified the lOve. S e lived despite
failin
ter
euth 1n a w 'r~ of society, nd died in it. ~er second
va "';;!'ried • Jr. "'Ildertil t, ant'. fter divorce, C. , .• • e1-
nt; and er and-.au .ter we. the stres of 1er...ei •• So on t ie
si te ill be odern stic structure th t will rival so~e of t e ory
of t ..e l' st th t pervaded tee old he
•
•
The new termil.'-l ill f cili tat use of tile Dankhe d Tunnel
under .:obile River by Teche '}reyhound traffic to WId from Estern,
ortheastern, and major 'orthern P01nts. The affected ec edu1eB,
through a resulthnt B ortening of t e route by seven or eight 'les, re
expected to be reduced 15 nutes thereby, <.ccording to • :Jhriner.
ib110u=ra=nh-y:_ otes frem elles, ,eaux hnd r'..-...ns of the -r.ixti,e by
~om6B _ooper De Leon. Fublieher G. . Dillingh~ Co. ey York. Infor-at10n
Lines,
fro~ r. c. ~.
• bile, Ala.
Shriner, ~erminal nacer of the .ech ~rey ound
• •• (2)
11a B. Prine
",bile, JUl>.
firet clilb s built acroee tae river, B t ere many years und l~ter
ved to • nroe P rl<, but in 19l.6 tae tropic,"l. stOrti ta t did BO IlIUch
e, cornpletel.y deBtroyed the club bu11din•• short hile ll<ter
the Eaetern hare Yacnt ub w ori;knized by ~ group of twenty five
boys. They hl<d their cl.ub OUBe on the E tern shore at ~olil< lleach,
but later conceived tae ide of having a club on the estern hore where
it uld be lIlOre convenient. They taen oved the club over on the weBt
side, to Barretts Beach hice.. is twelve mil.es below' b11e.
ey tool< tae naI:le 0 f the bile Yacht Club, and are still
located at Bl<rrett's Beach. There is a ~mbereh1p of fifty who actively
participate in the Lipton raceB. The 'obile Yacht Club weI:lberB are plannin
to build a new club house on Dog River, on the Bay side, in the
near future.
Bibl.iocraphy: PerBonlll. interview wi th' . BlliJ<e clleely.
and notes taken from llr. Telf ir HodgBon's article in tte lS36 ucc-neer
reeze. • Ho son is one of the oldest members of the ol.d bUe
Yacht .lub. Informl'otion ~rom' • Frank Hellinller.
IV---Row old is the Buccaneer Yacht Club? 7ell some fs.cts about
it. •
The Buccaneer Yacnt l.ub ized in the late epring
of l.28, ith eeven charter mbere. e. present membership is two
undred and fifty. The Junior members &&es r nge be een ixteen and
twenty four.
en the uccaneer Yl<cht Club as first organized, ey
lel<Bed a buildinG on . rrett's e~ch for three years, t,en in 1932 they
bou ht the "Reeolute" a four mast Bcnooner for'" club houee, nd .ad it
anchored t Arli ton ier. • n:y ch6.Il.ee have been cu..de in the "Resolute"
•
even in the Pl1llt Ye r the e ip
year around club house "i th
11a B. Prine
:obile, JU. •
covered BO tLat it could be used B
large d nce floor. A modern bar 'I'&.B
inetallea, 6.Dd l:lla,y types of recreation all added to the club roOlllll.
'!'he eeolute" or UCCbneer Yacht Club Houee s first
t rowa open to t e pUblic in 19~, 6.Ild 1935 the ucc"'neer won the ~ir
Tho s Lipton trophy. ':::'here .as a fire in 1936 'I'hic '1'&8 re&.ly &
bles in. in disCUise, becauee the entire m£~n deck was oUBed over and
glessed in with French windows. club kitchen &e added and tne entire
club de ClOre comfortable.
Bibliogrephy: Personal interview ith • Blake JcBeely.
t. ichael street, • bile, .lla. ember of the Bucceneers Yac t Club
nd editor of the ":BuccijJleer Breeze" their year book.
V----The Point Clear ~ibrary is claimed to be the s~llest public
institution 0 fits kind in the "orld. '!'he buildinc; is lOxll feet
in Bize not counting the piazza, but it houses over ~OOObooks and hun-dreds
of I!lll.f:Bzines. It is located on a country pll.ved hie.way by tr vel-i
Su..te1:1 y o. 16 or Hi I Y o. 3. to Foint J e"r. De 11tUe
Ii rary is on the ri t eide of the road to"..rds the beach, just e
you co to Point Cleur.
y: Ferson...l interview wi eS Leilo... AunB-pll.
u;h, ;!obiIe , .u; nd no tee t<-ken fro
y 13. 1937.
n rticle in the .obile Prese
'7l---Pleace advise w.e sr ths Crange 'jrove Ho are overn-ment
or city project W1d ..bout how near completed are ey.
~e range 'jrove Ho es is & Federal roject under t e United
States Houein. i.t.LWnistrution sponsored by the 'obile Housin ob.rd,
.• - •
December 1, 939
I a D. Prine
City H~l Council Chwmber
:lobi e,Ala.
bile's Progress Destr ys 0 d Landcar~s
ny olu landmarks bave felt tbe toucb of obi e's progress.Amo~ the 0 d
~andmarks to be torn down is tbe Sbrine Home, on the Southweet corner of Govern-ment
and "oachim streets,for the ear y construction of a ne hotel.
On ~ednesday ~ovember 22,1939
arion Vickers,attorney for tae u f Hote Corporation,asked the City of
~bile for temporary permission to begin excavation and ground work for e
bui ding.At e e e time Vic' ers filed with tbe office of C iff dama,City
bu ding inspector,plans for the twe ve story srtucture. bere are to be 250
air -conditioned roome,along with a modern drug etore,barber ehop,several
ground-floor stores, ,restaurant and dining room,besides the lobby.
The entrances to the hotel wil be arched
nth wrought iron balconies for which antique obile wrought iron grill work
"ill be used.Part of this was removed from the old Shrine llome.
Another 0 d home that is being razed is the ring House
351 overnment street at C aiborne.This 0 d boce was bui t in 846 by"u -e
Zdmund S.Dargan,Chief "ustice of the Supreme Court of ab>aca. oses faring
bO<1ght the house, in d5 from "<1dge Dargan.l,is grana-chi aren nd great-.;rand-children
are the present owners.
Tne Standard Oi Comp ny as eased t e property ~lth
the view of building on it sometime in the future.
'Jib iography .ersonal observation,
n tervi ew Yi th J • "ones, 0 the Standard
Oi Com,>any,--Obi e,Al •
• •
11 11. Prine
2
th., .he <etblic orks. ministr tion and the te-Constr.l tioD inance C rpora-tiOD
a.prov'!d plan. of the ity of Uobile to build a 4,J 0,000 vehicular tunnel
uM'!r 'obile ,U ver, the first proj ect of i te kind to be undertak'!n in the
Sou tho
10th., Ths United States Treasury De!,artment announced tile early construction
of a 300,JJO addition to the ederal Buildin in wobile.
11 t· ., _e state High fay :>e.?llrtlllent is building a 90,000 viaduct on the p_
• roach to ochra.ne 1'lridc;e and is prepariDg for the early constr"ction of a
1_0, J viaduct on st. Joseph S tr~et.
1 "_ h ., ~.1.._e "=ervllle partlllents, reo resent! an investl!lent of 300,000 have
j"st been completed.
13th., The _erchants Bank invested approximatsly 300, GJO in the enlar6 ement
of ite o'1nKinL uarters,and facilities for winter & eummer air conditioning in
•
its office bUilding and banking quarters.
14th., The Board of School Commissioners has under conetruction,ne~ school buil-din
s representing en investm'!nt of 230,000.
15 ti: ., ::'he lao Power o~an.:r completed its new l5GO,OOO high volt~~e trans-mission
line into obile, incr asir..: i te electric power capaci ty to lJO, JJ ''lorse-
:",0 er.
16th., The Southern Bell Telephone Co.announced i ediate extension and ioprove-
•
ent of its Mobile 'acilities at a cost of 160,000.
17th., T!:te Gu f Shipbuilding Corporation has been organized wi th a capi tal of
70,000 & is preparing to build laree cargo boats here.
18th., The ~ationa1 ir Lines inaugurated mail N pssseDcier service between Kobile
&: the Sou th .. tlanti c coes t.
19th., ~he Southern Iron eta! Co.hae established a plant in llobile for the
recovery of scra ttn aDd expect to spend &yproximately 50,JOO per year for
waste terials and labor.
•
•
Burch
11/18/39
In lE'19, when Alabama W88 about to be admitted to stotehood, lA6di80n was ita m
most populous County and Huntsville its most 10g1cal town tor a state ap tal. It
was at ~unt8.111e that the at( te convention assembled on luly 5, 1819, to perform
the ftr.t function. of .t.t.hood.
In 1830 . dJ!IOn was e only county In the state ..-1tb a population or ".ore
thaD 15,000. The Madison ~z.tte, tlabema's first new8pa~er, establiahed at Runt.~111e
in 1812.
nrst settlers stephen J.:e13rooa euld protber Criner in 1804. In the ea:ne year
came John Runt in •••rch of the hug••prlng thAt suppli.s all hom•• and plent. of
Huntlvill. todey with It. water supply. Orioine11y call.d "Twickcnhcm" but in 1811 the
ectU""",nt .iUch grew about the "big sprin • 89. yen the ccme ot ~tsyille in honor
of John Runt, 3 y.ars .arli.r on Deo. 13, 1808 Madlaon County hnd b••n crast.d b y
proolamation ot Robert .111j··" vernor ot the Kiss err tory and had become. wi th
ashln ton County on. of the t.o original political lubdi..la1on. 10 the pre .ot
Stet. of Alabama.
The meetings ere held in lID. assAmbly hall, DO.. long slnoe remo...d, whtoh
occupied the northwest corner at the intersection or franklin an Gates Stroets;
the .pot bain DO. mark.d by a haod.om. bronze tabl.t er.ct.d by the Deught.r. 0 r the
A:nericao Revolut ioo. Later, a re.r it. adml.a1on to tlJ!l Union th. rirlt ..ealon of
the L.gi.latur. of tlJ!l St.t. of . Alab8lll8 .e. h.ld in that 1I8IIl. building.
bit bun ness or the conTention haYing veen transacted 1n due cour.a, Ala .
.... adm1ttod into the l1.t.rhood of otot... On Aub. 2, 1819 a prool..-tion aocapting on
b.h.lf of the p.opl. of Alab.ma the oblIgation or Itat.hood, .10. promulg.t.d by J. 1 •
.alker, aa prea1dent ot the conTee t.ion.
Th••,,"outto. offic• ... rirlt occupied by '11111am lbb, Goumer ibb ....
lnaugur.t.d at Runtovi11. llov. 9, 1819. Huntcvi11....s th.o t.mporary capit.l of the
Later the seat or m'Y.rnment was remoyed to Cahaba, on acoount or 1ta more contral
peol"l'aphlo position. L.glllature m.t again Dec. 3, 1819 and bo 1r'ninl" in 1820 ell
•••• ioo. of Lcgl.letur•••r. hald in Cahab•.
•
•
Il B. Prine
deral. Yri ters Proir
i ty HaJ.l. .()bile.
ove ber 17. 1939 •
ISLAKD COTTOlI SOLD • BILE
• Throu h the efforts of County gent Charles J. roc:n'8y •
bile. with the co-oper..tion of seveJ"b.l neii:hborini f.gents, induced
the extension division at uburn to set up a ea Island cotton in at
St. Elmo. AI'.
The gin was placed on Ben Deakle 'B farm &nd on the morning
of cember 6, 1938 the pUblic was invited to see it in operation.
There were a nwnber of prominent officials preBent, ..mong them were
ongress~n Frank Boykin. . A. • collltll1tteemsn and te-te offici..l ••
J. S. Townsend of the United St&-tes department of p-icul-ture,
'VaBhiniton,D. C. and one of the few men in J\IIl8rica fBlll11iar with
this typs of gin, came to mobile to superviBe the setting up of the gin.
He Baid "if it can be proved that this premium type of cotton can be
successfully grown here, wealth is in store for many labamians, for no
where near enou of this type of cotton is own to supply the demand,"
lUring the year of 1938 there were about twenty five b..leB
own in several counties inclUding 'bile.
On ,edneBd y ove ber 15. 1939, L sale of a ls1lo.lld cotton
w s conducted by County 't'.&rm i,gent ChE.rles J. Brockway of oblle LDd.
E. E. H&.le of B",y :!ine tte, at the tate DockB.
gentB for a BOB ton firm b'ught twenty Beven bales. the
cotton ..verllged thirty three centB per pound. The better &r6deB brought
thirty Bix centB per pound wi th priceB for other gradeB running down
between that fi 'Ul'"e bDd twenty nine centB. ThiB year'e yield was low
due to excessive rainB. but in normul times the yield will aver e CUle
third of a bale to an acre.
•
ua • Frine
bile, ..la.
t. Louis tract and was a grant to the heirs of
Chost~ng froc John Baptiste Lorending, dated ugust 25, 180?,
who in turn claimed under the various conveyances commencing with a rant
from -onsieUT.l3ienville. »fter _ny convey ces a portion 0 f the .:>t. Louis
tract as Bold to ~eophilus L. Toulmin on une 6, 1828, and he was the
first settler and established the cornounity, that is nsmed for the oUl-
~ 'n fa:nily. .ou inville s not incorpor ted. • e "ltitu e is 30 feet
;1 and the population is 3. ,13 ccordins to the 1930 census.
Jibliogr phy: .drewers. istory of I 1 &.bla;:l18. ,
~ouse, .cbile, JIl. •
nd ~ecords from vounty
•
urt
is a smull incorporated suburban town located
about t ree miles from .cbile, with a population of 4.580, The town is
loc&ted on part of t e ...t. Louis tract, and was first started by leveland
c"me into possession of t e land in 18?9, when there WBS
ten foot by twelve foot yello" st tion house on tne e&st r Fricn..rd who
only a small
side of t e bile and uio l • • encouraged famers to en age in
truck farming, t.nd it was throuGh is sfforts that richard grew to be
one of the largest shipping points for early vegetablee •
•he town is buil t on what WBS a circular mile r ce track where
some of tI e finest ...nd r-"stest horsss in the United ... tates and severLU
from n and wintered "nd tr ined. .od"'y Irichard is an industri~
center. It"&8 incorpor...ted in 1925, and t e altitude is t rty five
feet.
ibliography: erson..l interview wit ~. nistler, Al....
lo.I8.yor Thomss " .illtins, l-richard ...nd S. Leil&. Prichar
•cDonald. ...t.
, ( 3)
11" B. Pr1ne
b11e, Ala.
nw population 18 2.336.
The end fa" of Citronelle .. a healtA reeort beaan
lana yeara betore the IllOdero w1nter tour1at eftr thouabt at wenc110a h18
way to the pretty 11 ttle town at&nc11na on the eullllll1tot the p1ne olad
hille at UCluth Alabema. There 18 en old Inc11en legend wh10h tella how
the duek,. red n roa_d tar and w1~ throush the OUlt at t:ountr,.
and would not atop until p1~d b,. unerr1na 1netinot, the,. re ched a
ell ~t orowned w1 tall treea, beautiful nowere, and 11te a1nna plante,
and where eprinp bubbled torth, now1na water .. eparkl.1na ..a e
unt&1n ~w and .. pure .. the nector at the do. lIere the,. re red
the1r w1 IIUI and dwelt 1n peaceful, ,hAlpp,. 11te, br1ng1oa the e1ck fre.
other tribee with nlWsht but pure &1r, t1ne water end the heal1na v1r-tu..
at ehrube end herba, nureing thelll baok to l1te and health aa&1n, end
here the,. would heft ctwelt until tAe prell8nt dIIoy, had not tate and the
decree at t e paletaoe eluted thlr hert taae troa the...
the,. went 1n ..doeea but lett, the De,7 ·C1troneU "( lch
1n the1r lanp ae _ na leal,) &e a tribute to th r,. at ble..ln •
eo treel,. be.towed, d wh1ch were onoe the1r own.
Bibl1oarapb)': bUe at the ft n aa, b,. Peter ;r. Hamil ton 1913, G111
Printina apuny,' bUe, la. laanat pUbl1llhed b,. the bile and
Oh10 Kailroad.
•
!lobile Count..
Burch
4/24/40
discovered
Dauphine
in which
•
./ Dauphin Island, a long narrow island in the Gull' of
'erlco, directly south of Point Le Barron and Cedar Point on the
extreme south line of obile County, ly1.ng 30 miles south
of obile (Lat. North 30 degrees 10 minutes, Longitude west
88 degrees,S minutes.) Dauphin Is approximately 300 acres.
It is the eastern island of the group including in order
Petitbois, Horn and Ship Island. It Is west of the entrance
into or the main channel of 'obile BlI,y. Between the island
and the main land are Little Dauphin Island, and to the west
are Cat and Grass Islands, and Isle Aux Herbes. Its surface is
flat and only a few feet above high tide. The soil is coastal
beach, with the exception of a narrow strip on the North shore.
This type soil consists of a medium of coarsew hite beach sand,
containing a number of small shell fragments.. On the eastern
point Fort Gaines is located, on which a small garrison of
troops is maintai ed. Fort 1I0rganis just opposite on Kobile
Point.
There are three Cburcbes no.. on the Island, Catholic,
llethodist and Baptist. neat Public School both elementary
and High.
James Saxon Childers says tbst Americus Vespucius
the American continent on the 4th day of July 1497 and
Island in the same year. His map was rscorded in 1501
Dauphin Islsnd is locatsd.
In Nov. 5, 1528 the Spaniards set foot on Dauphin Island
when Capt. Andreas Dorantes and 30 Spaniards were ship-wrecked
on the shores of that Island. They took possession in ths
name of his Catholic Caesarian Majesty, Don Carlos, 5th, King
of Spain.
Jan. 31, 1699 Iverbille and Bienville of France took
possession in the name of King of France, and called it llassacre
Islam from a number of skulls and bones found at its southwestern
extremity.
In 1707 several f i11es then residing at Fort Louis secured
permission from Bienville to settle on the Island. They carried
with them their cattle and poultry and began the cultivation of
small gardens. This appears to be the beginning of farming or
agriculture by white people in the bounds of what is now Ala.
In 1717 L'Epinay reached Dauphine Island as a successor of
Cadillac. On news of his arrival reaching the Indians, the
Chiefs of 24 nations representing nearly all of the Southern
Tribes came to welcome him. The smoking of the Calumet, with
accompanying songs and dances laster over 2 months. All were
well received by Gov. L'Epinay who sent them away with presents
This was the first great assembly or conference of Indians in
the South.
(History of "lehama - • Dictionary of Alabama
Biography - By Thomas McAdory Owen.
Vol. I. - Pages 454 and 456.) 1921.
Period I - The Spaniarda - 1519 - 1670 Page 3 to 28.
Period II - A French Capital - 1699 - 1717 Page 35 - 86
, PeDriod III - A French Trade Center - 1717 - 1763. Page 93 to 120
Period IV - A British Ioletropolis - 1763 - 1780. Page 133 to 155
PeDrid V - Old Spanish Town - 1780 - 1813 Page 161 too 172.
(¥obile of the Five Flags - By Peter Joseph Hamilton
1913. )
1 - De Soto prior to the coming of the French 1528 - 1697.
2 - The French Period of Colonization - 1697 - 1763.
3 - Britieh Occupation and FiDal cession to the U.S. - 1763 - 1798
4 - The Territorial Era - 1798 - 1819.
5 - The State of Alabama - 1819 - 1861.
6 - One of the Confederate StaLes - 1861 - 1865.
7 - Days of Reconstruction - 1865 - 1874.
8 - Our Own Times - 1874.
(History of Alabama By Thomas U. Owen, Vol. I.
Page 287.)
Kany stories and legends of Dauphine Island are told. Capt. Kidd
is said to have hidden vast treasures on the island. Other
pirates visited the beautious spot, fought bitter battles the~
and left their bones on the white sands that the Northern people
call "Southern Snow." •
1900.
This Island is but an 8-hour car drive from B'ham, 5 hours
from Montgomery. Only 6 miles from Bellingrath Gardens, which
attract so many visitors from all parts of t he world annually,
the island has a beach 7 miles long with sands stretching for a
width of more than 1,000 feet gradually into the sea.
Heavily wooded with virgin forest pine and oak planted by
the French several hundred years ago. Artesian wells ire ano her
attraction. Legend has it that during one of the confliCts between
the French and Spanish a huge golden cross from a Catholic Church
was thrown into a nearlly well and is still the e.
Fishing and hunting are splendid here.
(History of lao by William Garrott Brown.
Page 33 to 49.)
In 1708 there were 279 souls on the Island of which 80 were
Indian slaves. (By Brown)
,
na B. Prine
y Pride Jones
Eliz.beth Enge
.,BILB __ SRRIlIG HILL SECTION
lloblle County
April 5.1940
At Spring Hill are reller"fOira that lIupply the City'll w.ter, Spring Hill
College. nd meny old rellidencell wbare gardllna are planted in ....ale.lI.
willtari... and _ny flowers of riotoull colorll'
45- SPRnl'G HILL COLLEGE; leaft Royal and Government Streetll. drift lit
on Go ..... r .... nt one and seven tenths miles to the intersect-ion of Ann Street,
turn right on Ann and drive oorth one half mile to the intersection of Old
Shell Road. turn left on Old Shell Road and drive ...est four and eight tenths
miles to Spring Hill Collsge ....hich is on the left or south side of the Old
SheIl Road.
Spring Hill College is a Jesuit College.established in 1830 by BiShop Portilr
fint bishop of the diocese of 1I0bile. Chartered by the Alabsma Legisla-tun
in 1836,it _s placed undllr the Jesuit Order in 1847. The College wall
maintained with diff:l.cu1ty during the war between the IItates.and suat.,insd
a he.vy 1088 by fire in 1869. The inlltitution offers A.B ••B.S a •• snd B.S.
dIIgrees,and preparatory coursell in 1 ..... medicine. dentistry, and engineering.
Spring Hill Colle is .pproached through the northeast brick
entrance or Jdosk.with a glazed brick lane leading to the College Chapel,s
beautiful. edifice of Gothic arch1tecture,l.45 feet in l.ength.fifty feet
widll and seventy :e.e feet in transept and was conlltrcuted in l.9l.0.
Directl.y in the rear of the ahapsl and facing ...hat is known as the C/,uadrangl.
e ,ill the Administration Building, TIlllcan in d&sIgn and erected part-ly
in 1869.pllrtl.y in l.909, to replace the dlllll&ge caused by the hIlltoric fi s
It stands on the site of thll first bUilding ...hich Bishop portier bunt for
his pioll8er college. It is a brick structure,stuccoed,several hundred
feet in l.ength,BJ1d three stories high.
• •
fia B. Prine,
y Pride Jones,
El1 zabe th Enge -2-
Yobile County
April 5,1'40
The building ie occupied by thtt facuJ. ty, the adlllinistration ofriGIII: ~c1
the C101eter ie on the second anc1 third fioon. C1aee roolM are al.eo
10catec1 in this building. Eaet of the Quadrangle is the Inrirmary, the
only building which is now in use which ante-c1ates the fire of 1869.
To the northweet is a mod.rn structure known as the Refectory,which
contains the etudents' anc1 te.cul ty dining ro m and the kitchen. Covere d
Spanillh colonac1es join the dlIlinistration Building,Infirmary, and di-
Ding halls.
.
Directly west of the Adminietration Building ie Quinlan
Hall,a long corridor of rooms built over thft GyamuiUJll-Auditorilml Builc1ing
in 1916, and nsmec1 in honor ~f Spring HUl' e second founder Bishop
(Ouinlan. orthwesterly from the Refectory is Yenni Hall, the Scieneft
Building in which ie housed the Seismographic Sta..tion. This building
was erectec1 in 1905 and n8l!!Ild in IIlf!mory of Father Dominic nnni, S• .T .Profeseor
of Latin and Greek at Spring Hill for over fifty years,and author
of Yenni's Latin and Greek Grammars.
Direct1y north,in the eftnter of the burial. plaeft for the priests,is the
rtuary Chapftl,a Gothic type structure of etone,approxiaatftly twenty
fi ve feet squ"re. Continuing northward on a paved _ll< to lIobile Hall,
the s tuc1ents' reeidenee and clus -room building, colonial. in etyle., anc1
erected in 1927,this bUilding ie the first unit of Greater Spring Hill.
Directly west of UDbilft Hall ie the Collsge Inn,a T sha d,white fr e
building which is thft recreation center,containing a dancft hall,billiard
room, fratern1 ty meeting roolll4, and dressing rooms.
Directly north of College Inn i8 the Thomae B7rnB morlal
Library, built in 1931 and also of colonial archi te cture. On the
grounds are two Shrines,one to aint .Toseph,tie Patron aint,and the other
to tne Lady of Lourdlle,which is an exact replica of the original..
Looking towards Old ell Road,to the north is th8 new entr neft,a beautiful
and inposing gatewsy of Romeneaque design.
•
Ila B Prine
IIary Pride Jonee
Elizabeth Engs
'!'he Clo1eter
llobile County
April. 5, 1940
ile the Jesuit Order is not a cloiStered order, the
second and third floors of the Administration Building are the Cloister
where no female is permitted, layaen are sometaes given the privilege
of entering.Ascending an enclosed winding stair one enters a large
rotunda extending through the third floor to the roof. On the third
noor a balcony surrounds the well of the rotund... 'rhe priests recreation
rooma and priyate quarters are located on these two noors. '!'he
rotunda has a IIlUsewa appearance with mOiDY cases containing
relics, and specimens of interest or Y&lue.
mentoes,
Athletigs: pring Hill College is a member of the Dixie Conference
and hu a competent staff of football co..ches. Ilaxon l/ield a long needed
stadium was built in 1935. It will aocommodate 4,000 spectators and is
equipJled wi th noodlights for night g es. fees variable.
A golf course 3,126 yards in length with a professional instructor in
charge is open to the pUblic; greens fees 50¢ for 18 holes, 35¢ for 9
holes~ caddy fees 60¢ for 18 holes, and 30¢ for 9 holes. tudent rate
15.00 per semester.
fresh water lake covering approximately an acre provides out door
s.i~ng. 'rhere 0ir8 &lso complete facilities for basket ball, tennis,
baseball and yoU,. b&ll.
(prlvate) on pring Hill College Campus,. 'rhe entrance
on the south side of Old Shell Road is lit II1les from Royal and GoY-e:
rnment ts.
••
•
bile. '!'he house at the end of an oak lined avenue,
three tenths of a m1~e long is a white fr cotatge-.'. ~ th a wina at
the er.st and west sides. A wide porch "i th 6 whi te columns extends
across the front. "Stewartfield" was built by Roger tewart in 1845
and Damed for hiB OiDcestral home in cotland. Originally a 6 roOm
house with an immense hall through the center and an oval shaped
11a B. Prine
llary Pride Jones
Elizabeth Engs
- . - JIobile County
April 5, 1940
ball. room across the entire back of the house. The ball room is a
double noor, without joists, and the space filled with caulking
which giYes the noor a -springy- motion. The house has had _dsrn
1lIlproYe-nts made but has not any of its original beauty.
Yssterhouse [private) One of the llIOst notable old homes in Spring
Hill. is Yesterhouse.which was bui1t by i11i&lll Dawson in 1840 at a
cost of tso,OOO.He was a wealthy cotton merchan_,one of two brothers
who settled at Spring Hill.built a home deep in the woodB,lIl8.de a
sunken garden and planted various shrubs ahd trees. The house is a two
storY,plantation t~.painted whits and into it went heart pine timber
Carolina lIl8.rble and plaster from Italy. The lIl8.in house has verandahs
with four Corintlian columns with two pilasters on either &ids.both
at the front and at the back of the houss and two wings with the
Corinthian columns and pilasters.on the right and left of ths building.
The foundation ie of solid brick about eight feet high and in the
basement or ground noor is the ki tchen.Here the old dumb .,ai ter is
still in use eerving food to the dining room just above. To the rear
o. the house is a brick courtyard in which plays a fountain whioh
was fOl • rly supplied by water pumped by the sl.aves. An aveIlUe of
atatel.y old oak trees leads up to the front entrance gates which
are set in plastered lFlllls and on each is a great iron e e sentinel.
The house wondertul.l.y restored by the present Olmers whe gave it ths
name of Yesterl!ouse.containe gorgeous mirrors,rare works of art.g1ass
china, turnishingll.&nd sil.ver.1e one of the show places of the South.
The house was Pot one time a part of pring Hill COllege and was ased _
a school for younger boys. A story goss that on ths estate ths famed .
old Copeland Gang buried their booty.
Yesterhouse is slOven miles from Government and Royal Streets.Lean
I B Prine • •
2 Ilobile Cou rty
~-
~Item 6.
In business district.
J"onath n Kirk_bride House (pri-wate ) 104 atre Street, is on .;;he
lot DllXt to the si te of Ilobile's first theatee.:e-t~lIhiah was also a part of the
a d painted white. Thereas a
Fre ort Conde. I t is a o story building ,covered 111 th smooth slncco
across the front of the bUilding ,with four
ge Roman Tuscon Columns 0 e fir.t floor while there are four Roman Composite
columns supporting the It is on the north side of Theatsr 6treet ,the house
with large pore Bnd high walls on each ,was apart of UObile's first court-house
Itwas bought by J"onathan Kirkbride and converted into an imposi
resi in 1665 and is now 'racant.
e 14
7. In business district.
City Hal ; H• • corner of Royal and Church 9ts.,was built in 1855. It is a
two story wI1i te ilding ,built of brick and s.,oth stuccoed,covering half a city
block,is af p easin
under wide eaves and
roportions. rought iron work in arched openings , brackets
pediment and the oupola are attractive features. Its
primary purpose was to be market for meats, fish, and vegetables as -The 90uthee
the ground floor space was so used and served
llarket" its name im)lies. the was first was used as amarket live fish in cypre-s~
re displayed for sale.
~
by two driveways extendin from Roy·~· to 7ater Street.It has been recodle twice
but the structure h a not been change ,It is Kediterranean type
arc itecture with cl ssic influence in o~~nt and 4esign • armory on the se...
cond atory at the south end ssrved as he for the local state
until the completion of the Fort 1h1ting AXm 193'\ .
or stored there temporaZ-In
busi dietr.1ct.
Th s City Hall is on the ~East side of Royal 6treet.
-/
Admiral Semmes ~nument that ie1the corridor
ily until the compUtion of Bankhead Tunnel.
Page 16
Item 12
The 0 • (pri Tate t. Anthony Street, ilt about 1795.is a
nt • J"oha B. Toul in clai d ths p
small creole style ho
houses of this style it a
red wi th stucco. acteristic of the
property under Spanish Grants and finally obtained undisputed possesion.
11a B. Prine
It is built in an
slender columns
hape with
the roof..
3
on the north
e house is grey ,
Yobile county
sides , with eight
dingy and dirty a
and d~apidated.I is on the sou~ eide of the street.
Page 17
Item 15 The J"onathan ",mame House has been torn do n.
Page 18
Item 16 In business district.
!be House of Two Cities, (private)8-10 J"ackson Street, was built in 1820by
Reicgeard at old Blakley in Baldwin County obile niver. In1829 the house
,
Colonial in deeign was moved pMce by slaves in rowboats and erected
present site. This laborious pr edure required over a year and the reassemb-took
much longer a period . It
finish. It is a double
story
story brick house with grey stucco ,smooth
drive/BY throuah the center of the first floor.
.If;;:n~gallery extends enti~ely across the front, the first
floor gallery interrupted by the double iron gates of the carriag~ dx!vs .•
There are slender iron columns on both the upper and lower galleries. The
The house is on the ast side of the Street.
Page 19
Item I9 In bueines" distri t.
use(private) 452 Gov nmant street, is a a story house with front
wall of red
design as the
and side walls of
room at the front a
ye llow s tuc co.
house has po
is very unusual in d
on each side ,
east and west. The
gables and steep roof.
r~l character of thi
e is a brick wing
is mod1fie othic with higa
ouse. The house
is on the north side of the Street.
Page 20
Item 21 In business d strict.
The Ca thedral Of The
Dauphin Streets ,is an imposi
Conception, Claiborne St. betweem Conti and
tructure ehowing the Roman Influenoein its design.
Acroee the front facade are eight flu ted oman Doric columna. Red brick was used
for the exterior, limsstone and gr for the portico, base and cornice. The
eide and rear facades have massively pilasters in keeping with the imposil8
entrance. The Cathedral is on the lest s e of Cl iborne streetbetween Dauphin a
Ua~. Prine • 4 Mobile Coun ty
and Conti streoUo ""li"nd extends west to FraDlclin Street.
Page 24
Item 32 - In Residential DiBtrict.
o
Ilobile Public Library, (open .....ek da,ys 10 A. If, - 8 P .. • ) 701 Govern:oennt
@ot.ghi \80
J
Simpliot1
a two '"' t
treatment and
white, It is
oreaje by 10. horizontal
--t1l smooth stuooo , painted
feeling of repose
s br ioll. 0 ave red
in this bui ding is based upon
ure; viz; tb.
Street was erected in 1928. Designed bf Geor<Ie ~rs ." the archi tectural moti.~ .....a1
prinoiple of anoient Greek ~-
The bu ildi ng
story buildi • the
East wing hou es the
eim Hall ,an a •
portion being nanked with wings at each end. The as
ral seum while the est wing has the :Beatrioe B. Berm
The Library is on the Sout side of Government Street.
The wi ndows e seoond floor have eimple wrought iron baloonies under them.
~5
Item 35 In Residential Distriot.
Oakleigh (private) is at the head of Sav ah Street and on Oakleigh Street. It
is a Colonial type house with G influenoes , Built in 1839's by Janes
Roper it has a brick basement ,
bouse is trame , painted wIli te wi
loor gallery and pillar supported roof. The
en tiilll. il1gs haTe been added on the sast
and west of th house. The house stands at the head at S....annah Street and on the
weat side of OakleighStreet.
Page 'Z1
Item 41 In residenti striot.
McInnis and Dant&1er 0 Yard 913 SpringHill ATenue is Correct.It is on the sout
side of SpringHill Ave •
Page 28
Itsm 43. In Residential Distriot.
General Bragg House (private) 1906 Sprinll Hill Avanue is a two story trame house
painted white with green blinds. There e wings on the "'-and weet sides wi th
a porch extending &oross the entire tr nt.
00 tagonal oolullllls on the poroh.Tl*Are 1s
brackets ,enolosed with oast iron balus
e sixteen slender French
aloony supported by wooden
the window of the second floor.
The house is on the north side ot Spri
~age 28
venue .
ana 11eon Cottage is out ide of city limits.
11a B Pri
Ci ty HaH uncil Chamber
Uobile County.
Karch 8,1940
Corrections and Revision of Part of the obile ee~.
~
Item 1
Railroade Stations; Terminal atation,Beellregard and st. Joseph ste.fllr ~
•
Mobile and Ohio R. • and
ville and Naehville R.R. ;
• ; Government and Commerce Ste. for Louin-and
Alabama State Docke for Alabama ,Tenneeeee
and IIorthern R. R. ; Station intereection of South Royal and Charleeton S~.
, boarding houees,and inne. five leading hotels ,three
for Gulf ,lIobile and
~
Item 2
ccolllOd a ti on
Northern R. R.
.-
The Terminal Railway at abama State Docke.
of which offer free l'",r ing epace ; Mmlcipally owned but leaeed tour1et camp
white people and playground at 1255 Davie
re all correct.
at Arlington ,overlooking the baY, and pri_tely owned
entering the ci ty.
LyO~k ,for
Fee at ei ther.
ente:
Tennis~
nDual
wi th water and ligh
camps along all principal high 'aye
~
Item 7
for negroe e. No
~
Item 3
~
Item 2 In bud e diBtric t.
erne Le Vert House (private) S •• corner St. manuel and ",,",' r mil! n t S to •
onial etyle with
ed and only a emall buildi
of eek and Egyptian influencee • It ie a o
~".
of Goverrunent Street.It hae
y red brick house on the south
on the
property,formerly Dr. Le Vert' etill a Dr,' e office,retains ite origi-nal
deeign. Yadame owner was a wolrd traveler and prominent socialaad
li terary of ante be~lum Uobile. Both houee and pffioe have stone trim. The
or al houee wae a box l1ke e tructure, but when it was remodled ,turrets andpar _
pete were added changin~ the entire
e 13. :::, i ees
em 14. In ine ee dis tric t.
structure.
Site of Kobile's rst .Tewieh adj *1ns the C 1. theral reeidence
on the north. I e a vacant 10 t.
•
ee ~rtle les, State Supervisor,
.P. • ,ri ters Pro am
Powell School Building (Romm 14)
2:3:31- 6th. vsnue, North,
Birmingham, Alabama.
Dear ss' lss ,
.•P A. i tere Program. v-IJ8/J
}(Obile, abama.
Ci ty Hal Council Chamber,
l!"archB, 1940.
Your apecial delivery came this morni~ and I went immediately to see
•• Leo Brown ,..no was very gracious in tryi to hel. us to get an interview
with =. ogers. lie called his office and asked the secretary to try and get
an appointment wi th • Rogere for UB • I also asked him if he \11d c' 1I};Q he
some eveni'll; with the hietorical facts about the old buildings,as he had said
he was very busy in the day? lie then aaid he had a 11 ttls time to spare and
looksd over the manuscript while I was there and he said that it semmed to be
complete. I then went over to . Rogers office to see if was possible to see
him ,at~. Brown's suggeation. The aecrstary had gotten in touch with his wife
t\ tL-··· and she said that it would be impossible to assist us at this time as Mr.".'."left
much earlier than usual and reached home later because they were gettillg ready
for the zalea Trail. o 3rown sugges ted that we ge t . Clarke as he had
been the architect for so many of the recent buildings in obile. I spent
several hours wi th • Clarke going over the manuscript and Icannot get it in
todays mail as it will have to be wri tten. I am to get some more of the materi
al tomorrow ,Saturday. I am not sending a report due to this fact,but will get
it all in the mail Yonday with the architectural description.
Yours Truly.
~~.~- a B. Prine,
.1.1'.11.. riters Project
City Hall Council Chamber,
~blle, labarna. |
title |
Drafts of a Mobile Guide. |
titleStr |
Drafts of a Mobile Guide. |
url |
http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/wpa/id/853 |
id |
ADAHwpa853 |
thumbnail |
http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/wpa/id/853 |
_version_ |
1743797183406145536 |
spelling |
GSU# SG022775_01174-01244SG022775_01174_01244Drafts of a Mobile Guide.Folder contains 70 pages of a draft Mobile Guide compiled by Ila P. Prine for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.1939-1940 circa1930-1939; 1940-1949Alabama Writers' Project; Mobile (Ala.); Mobile County (Ala.); United States. Works Progress AdministrationTextDocumentsAlabama. Dept. of Archives and HistoryWorks Progress Administration filesSG022775WPA Alabama Writers' Project, Mobile County, Miscellaneous, Mss by Ila P. Prine.Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, 624 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36130EnglishThis material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research. Though ADAH has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections.96 dpi tiff•
1 __• pri_ '\.
'C1 V H&!4 Couacil CI1_ber
Report. of Progro.. ll11UoaU. _1I11e'. Orowth.
bUe County
Jlarcll 1:1,1940.
Th. 71rm of Brook.,S_tl1, Yreool1 aDd DorralMl.,llloorporated, Ie.. Toft:
and Detrolt, _ftrU81ng oo_ltallb lido.. sd their O1I.to.ra tI1ro 110ut
the ooulluy ln thelr llOothly .uney of 00041 tl0l1li , \hat lN81.88 ln JIobUe
.. of ell the tint 51. 0 per cent aboye nor-.l. ~
JIr. Clyl1e or•••n ob&ll .n,of tile bile Hou.he Board, VULt tile 10..
oo.t houd,. proJeot. are progre••lng r~ldly,and the OraDge Groft. Ho••
tor .groe. 10 about .ixty per cent o08Plete and occupancy ..111 begln about
...., 1,1940. T e Prel'" h" OIM I1ulll1rod aIIl1 thirty tour, three rooD unlu
and ooe bwl4red aDd 81xty to~, tour and halt un1U. He e&ld tile prloe ot
l'ellt 'WOuld be alIout two dollara and tftov tift o.nte per rooD per _Il~
_d tbat tile 1Ul1b would b.aye 118l1t aDd _ter.. aDd ga.at a _n1DlDl oo.t,
.. the pUblic utili Ue. I1a4 • de a gnat redaoUoo of
OIM large .ter tor tile pro.1eot, for eaol1 uUllV·
!he Ou: LaWll Ro•• tile pro.1ect tor clte people on
U.,.. there 'WOuld
ncr - .t
0..,10 Sueet. ,10 about ''''Ilty tift per
and will be reedy tor occupancy alIout Aqll.t 1,1940. The rollt tor tIleBe
Ilo•• will be allf t two dollar. and tlfty oenu per rooD per _ntll.
bile ealtor. are aaklng a aurfty ot all rolltal. property ln d
arculld bUe ln proparaUoll tor tile lJMreue ot popW.aUon 1Ih1011 will
witll tile lNlldlng of til AZWIf Air Depet aM other." lJdu.\r1o••
Bibl1ogr~; The bUe Pre.. Rep.ur , !bIu'1IlI..." JlarcI1 14,1940••
Per.onal Xoowledg••
11a B.Pr1ne
Ci~ Hall CCUAcil Ch.-ber
lIobUe CO\lD;,y
JIaroh15,19.0.
On Saturd.., JIaroh 9, 19.0 another new iDdlletr;r opensd i h doora to the
Pllbl~. 1he ba Creo pry wi th • :rrig ~80he u proprietor ,0
e onl¥ co letoe cla1ry plan; or orea ry in bUe COllJl;y,e.re a hll liAe
o~ 4a1ry pro c;a aDd ioe cre_ are prcceaaed anei dlatoribuwd. 'rhe pro OU
are bomgell1..d mlk, bato naUlt, butohr, oototo.ge ahe e. co~tee ore_ and
1IbJ.ppillS ore..
the plan t 10 equlpped wi th ODll ., tohe .....to to.Jpe boaogeDi.era aa4e
trOD ..11 .aWaleaa, atoeel ~eke. 1here i. onl¥ one other ot theae new VPe
oaD1t0ar7. aWllleea. awel bomgenizera in Alabe •
JIr. lIIaohe the proprietorhaa been in the oree' roY bae1Dlla. all hie 11te. am
hae had apacial traiDing lnthe atucl,y ot lce oreo' -.king in the eut,and abroad.
KobUe 10 tortollnaw to haye a man ot hie experienoe in cahring too the public,
eepeeiall,y the Illuba and __1lII orgaD1aaUoDT .en ito Dlleda too eohrWo on a
large ocale or elaboratoel,y... Mr. ~80he 111 an arU.to in hia 11ne.
'!h. Crea r,y ia looawd OIl the IIDrth..uto coraar ot Bro-'- and Tena Storeeh,
in a aodern brick baUding. In the ~ronto ot the bullding 10 a .pe01alq 4..
igDlld retail 1ce-orelUll .tore. Ito hu all the ~ern taciliU•• , o1rou1h,
1'IIIID1ng watoer, proper dra11l11 and the apeo1&1 10.to.Jpe oouawn Wi ._u thato are yery oolltort.able and qUl toe popular.
Arl'aage_nta are bol aa4. wi1h __ ot the le ng 4air tor the
all 1 toe proclJlch ue to 1ce-ere_ in the leading .tore. 1n
Toula1DYille, and Chloku&". '!hey han a branch .toft ato
..lba 10 placl
110bile,i"riahard.
28011 Sprlng Hlll An_e, Criohton,Al •
a allbllrb ot IIobll••
Blbllog~; Perao~ InterneY wi th •
Creo 1r:Y, lIobUe Ala......
• '!hornllarg. !leWl er ot the ..lba
•
I~~ Prine
Ci ty HaL Counc~ hamber
Vebruary 17, 194
!Iobile, Co un ty .
lIobile•sort r th ......... Deve op e t.
In theyear of 1884 or Dac~re l's re ort to the United St tes ~D6ineers
propoee a channel o hundred feet wide and seventeen feet deep, causeho felt
the neceeeity of it. He eaid ,"we have eeen there has been B wonderful
in the timber trade of llobile,in ooneequence of the improvement in the channel
alreBdy taken place, but thie cnannel is not by any meanseu~ficent. even at
•
tni3 time, to meet the requir ents of the co erce of the port,
s are like y to incre ce almoet froID day to
ile theee
, e gre..t-r p t of the vesee soo t ort of ~bile for c oes
Itf tiu;ber and of co tton wil dr' when 10 ed, consider bly lIDre tha.n the de_
of w ter in seventeen foot channel, eome of them drawing eighteen to to' enty
feet or more. The result of necessity is U,at all such vessels are compelled
to go down to the bay to complete their loading, thereby encountering not only
great extr exPenee and delay, but aleo exposing them at times to risk heavy
loss from damage an injury to the property to be transported."
y i rovements in • bile's Fort have taken place, and the cnannel has
been wideneo nd deepened, but still
uireo more i _rovements.
bile's rowth t t' e resent time re~-
on ovember :3J, 19 7, a record for the por t 11&.8 1lllJ" e
• I. Luckenbach eai e from Uobile under her own po er, ith ",ury-one ,feet
four incaes 0'; r h"....4 "nd~' wate'r, ,.hen the channe.!. thre feet belo"
mean tide, It ~s the deepest draft ship ever to use the port, ~t thattime.
In 19:39 the Uni ted S t tes ngineers spent approximately seventy five thoue-and
dollars in wideninb the ship channel to five hundred feet between the Al~-
State Docle
progress in bile, ere ie fUrther need for wi eni
the Cochr e ~rid' •. it'. U.e 1I:..;.!,y n w develop ntsin
an deepenin,; t ..e channel
especially south of ~obile.
In a re~ort by the Chief of O;Iineere dated Wlcrch6. 19:39. in response to
reeolution by the omm1tt e on ivtlre d • rbore of t aU-Be 0 nepresentati
.....
Ila E. rine
City Council Ch~ber
;;;.obile,Ala.
At the City Council ~eeting on ?ric ar ,n
January 10,1939
LiDbile County
.m.... on iIwllary ,1940, a oro.i-nance
8 adopted repealing tae city's d valore~ tax effective t~is year,but
not affectiOJ taxes already due.Pric· ard's vet~ra.n 'yor,'•• filkins,had hoped
for ye~s,to have to h ve t~is ordin cs adopted,but as not able to introduce
it until this year,after an audit for the fiscal year ending Septeober 3~,1939,
was m e by L.J.Richard and CompanJ,~bile,Al~.
•
• ilkins said hs hoped by the re)ealing of tnis tax
that ny ne. industries and building activities would result.Ths auo.it sho ed ...... that there~three other sources of revenue, the gaszline tax,business licsnces,
and police fines and costs,were more productive last year, than the ad valorem
tax.Beer and liquor taxes alone,wsre almost up to the property tax total.
The repealing of the ad valorem tax did not include the tax on motor vehioles
which amounted to a very small sum last year.
rri~~ard is Mobile's only incorporated suburb,and is a wide awake,progreesive
town. _ayor filkins likes to recall t~ t arte:.· t, e lt063evel t adm nistration
started ~ederal re ief on ~ ~g soa e he t tae first C. I. •• crew to wor~
in bile CountY,and Prichard has taken advant e of all o.pportunities or i~-
provecents trough :ederal aid. early ~3J~.JJ worth of i~roveoents
_ ve been de,includi~ a.l~st 2 0,0 0 bsiO& used for p ve~ents,sidews~ks
carb and ~utter,bridbee and dra.in ~e,while e re~ining 1 ,J 0 bei used
for a new Ci ty Hall W"10. nex a d a • tional Juard rmory.
7he CitY,in co-operation with t e county e th depart~ent,has ope e public
h Ith clinic, an is prep&Xi~ to open new pab ic library this year.
'\>-
7 enty five d\onal street li.;: to ere p ced ast ;rear in Prichard by '" con-tract
.ith the h aba~ Power ,0. Tele ,lalla,o;, f ter Service Co., . icl has tae
ocal ~ater franahise,recentl;r completed a 53~,OJO ballon stor e t k to furnish
better fire protection and to insure ade uate water supply in case of an
"',.", ~
"x-
Ua E. Frin~
City Hall Council
""bile. U ....
ClUllllbe r JAN 8 - 1940
January 5. 1940.
bile
t:ounty
CAROO OJ' COHUllE NUTS IELITh'RtlD Dr lI011ILE.
lIobile's water front is a continual changing scene. with
the various types of boats and veseele coming in. un Tueeday January 2.
1940. a queer cargo s unloaded at ths J<labama flthte LlDcks. from a
three sted schooner loria ~olita that looked like. something out of
a story book. 1be small sailing Tesssl csme from ~elize. ~ritish
Honduras under her own sail until she neared the shore when she ran
into heavy seas and h d to accept help froa the coast gu rd.
bhe _s loaded wi th approximately three hundred and twenty
five tone of cohune nuts. that are, "baby cocoanute.-
"nle nute were sent here for the l'&n-~rican "hell t:orporation,
a Hew Jersey concern. that is now fitting up a _del factory on
AJ.awma state lJocke land in a eteel building near the "tar nsh and
uyster Company's plant on the Industrial Canal..
Karl. ll. Jones, president of the concern told of plans for a
modern pier and conveyor system to acco" odate ehips that would eoon
follow ths Gloria Colita here with cargoss of nuts.
This factory will ext~ct a high. grade vegetable oil., eome-thing
like cocoanut oil.. t.nl.y richer. and acre cOllparable to A1'rican
palm oil.. .l.t will then be loaded into tank ca..s on eidlngs at the plant
and ehipped to proceseing plante and made into butter subetitutes. ealad
.11s. patent shortenings lUld tiner b~d8 of soep.
As it has been said of the hog. at packing plante. everything
is ussd but ths grunt, eo it will bs true of the cohune nuts, oRly it
•
lla B. Prine
bil.e. Al.a.
2)
has DO srunt. but the thick. fi brouB. shell can be reduced to a Bort of
charcoal., and treated to fora activated carbon, principal. chelll1cal. ingredient
through which wearers of gas !DI'sks lIl&y s~el.y breathe.
The shells can be ground and processed to form a "Wood-flour,·
for use in pl.astics.
llr• .Tones said he brought this part of his industry to _bil.e
becaDse of its rapid denlopment &8 A.l.aba"'s seaport; and the advantag-eous
situation as to est Indies and uentral. rican sources for raw
terial.s.
The arriTILl 0 f the oria \;Ol.ita on 'iuesday hal.ped to make &
record for I!obil.e Port &8 one of the busiest days in several. IIIOnths.
according to nteran _tsr front men.
~me of the othsr vessels aotivities at ~bile·s port .uesday
were ths:
(l.) American steamer bnickehinny l.oadlUC steel. and tin pl.ate
at :otate cke.
(2) Greek stearne r asiB loadins general. cargo at "tate .LOcks.
(3} -'-erican stesmer "an &1se1lllO, which recently ran aground,
is unl.oading car at :otate Docks, prior to undergoing repairs.
(4) merican sileamer Point .Lobos disch&rging cargo at "tate
llDcks.
5) American steamer Bsllingham, ~an-Atlantic unloading at
docks. then wi1l. take on cargo.
(6) zwegian steamer borangen unl.oading bsnx, te ore at coa 1
tippl.e.
(7) Worwegian steamer cetus unloading ore at tipple.
ila Il. Prine
A riter.' Program
0i ty nal.l Counoil t..'hambe r
bile, la,
•
_. - - :~. J c.J..-.... L. ( s - t. 1.1)
JAN 8- \ 4 •
""'nuary 5, 1940.
llobile
\;Ounty
CORHERSTOBE LAID AT.ASHLAlm PLACE. OBILE. ALA.
(lJI Sunday afte rnoo n cellber 31, 1939. eeTeralother
denolll.i.I>&tions joined tha llethodiBte in laying the cornerstone of the
new Ashland Place ethodiBt t..llapsl at \lld "hell hoad and Wisteria
ATenue which is 6- unit of the "t. Francis street Church.
This chapel will serTe the exclusive residential section
of ehl&nd Place and i te enviro-u8, 8 the parent churoh, "t. nancie
"treet Vethodiet is one of the few churches located in down town MObile.
The cornerstone was donated by ~rre8t wUson, of wilson
rble orks, Toulminville and was presented by 11. 'f. iOung chair""n
of the building oommittse, after the opening devotional. servioes, led
by In'. G. Stanley h"a~r.
ere were greetinge brought from the l'rotest nt Disteri6-1
Aseociation by Hev. capere atterlee, ur, a. ". uickinson for the
.I:l&ptista, In'. J • .Il. Carpenter the Presbyteriane, Re.... lierbert :Schroeter
the .tipiecopall&.ns, and ..... l>erbert W. Price and other thodiet
Churches. Dr. John azer, brother of the Putor extended greetings
from the bile district in his capaoity as distriot superintendent.
Dr. tanley nazer read the following letter from resident •
nooeeTelt" Dear • Frazer: 1 congratul.6-te the people of the Ashland
lace thodist t..'hapel on the happy Boouion of the laying of the
oornerstone of the new building.
This aot beara eloquent witnese to the etrength of religion
in the hearte of the faithful people who are rearing thie new temple
to the Glory of tbe Most high.
•
'bilians
lJec. 22, 1939.
Hs _. Prine
i ty nal.l
ouncil Ch lIlber
bile. Al....
• •
d s thrill that t times was bream tGking on
the fternoon of ~cember 3, 1939. when the Jaycees' brought to
so e outlltun:i1ng a ators.
bile
•
':.'hey sponsore the flying show to stimulate interest in
aviation, using the proceeds from the ehow to finance civic aviation
pro:notion in -abile.
n tre~el, Jaycee aviation co ittee chairman. was
master of ceremonies. aoong the exhibitions the following were the most
outstanding: Smoke trail acrobaties by Joeeph ·~uddy" Batzel of Trenton,
r. J. flying a one-place Laird pecial; up-eide down flying by Don
lalters of olumbus, hio. at a height of twenty five feet; aerial clowuin
by Jimmy :lranere of anada, in a delllOnstration "how not to fly.
four hundred llliles per hour;power dives by Harold Johnson of vhicago,
demonstrating test pilot" ork; formation flying and "dogfi . ts" by the
-ranere brothers; and a comic "pants race" by all participatin pilots •
. &rold Johnson demonstrated first in a smal.l pursuit plane,
and later "stunte<1" in a six ton tri-motored rd pl&.ne.
a
e clioax was reacae when Joseph Duddy" atzel jUJllped at
0-llI11e hei t and delayed opeD1ng his parachute until half w&.y do •
• ere re SlIdible gasps from the crowd as his body pllllNMted through
the ir.
~e stun ting was co vered by a special permi t from the ,ivil
Aeronautics ..uthority.
iblio raphy: rersonal interview with illiam Funchess. a spec tor at
the show,and notes from the obile Press Register • .olec. 3, 1939 •
•
cember 15, 1\)39.
11 B. Prine
Ci ty Rull
Council er
• ' bile, Ala•
70e Feyton. Higg 80n .,o::.atructlon :..;0 _ Ul • of :obl1e. W'...~o
•
id o on e C~k L.....n ho s, was 10 at of the seven contre.ctora
ID ing 0 ffer on conatruction of the homee. • Their bid a been ppTOved
bile Housing oard, with Clyde
by the Uni ted tatea liouaing u ori ty.
e 0 Lawn ho Ba ie a low coat houaino; project for ...I:.i to
. people, that ie being sponsored by the
Pore an ch irman 0 f t e Board.
The project will be locuted on u five hundred by seven hun-dred
feet Bite at the northweat corner of Baltimore nd ~ yle etreeta
in ukdule.
There will be twelve dwelling buildings containing one hun-dred
eeperato fUJily unite ith four undred and forty six roome. 111e
unite are built so ~s to range from three roo to four an one h f to
fi Vf> and one lf :toOllLB to ccomondl.'te the fferent ize f·am11iee.
e pro erty w a bOUght from as ADDie Telly, w consented
to eell on1y for te<e purpoee of iding low cost housing. The pro erty
d been in the l:elly ly for re t an seventy yeare. It ie a
ell-druined ece of ro erty d is located within ~a1l<ing dietance
of P blic en parochial. sChoole, well &B ne r e 0 l<d&1e Comou.nity
Center and Arlington ier recreation re.
7nere ie to be an a,dminietration buil~ing, and e ch elli
uni twill ua..e its own fenced in back yard, and will be e uipped i th
as or electric refrigerator,
ep ce e ...ter.
cookillG etove, hot ..ter he ter .d
.. •
Deoember 15, 1939.
116. B. Prine
• bile, .>1u•
•
UJ'l:'II.3 ' J IST:L<S JISPL<l.Y.
n aturday ni t Dec .ber 2, 1939, Bienville Squlore, ayly
illu . nated wi th thoueands of lti-colorsd electric li hts. s t.e
Bettin for the fo=al opening of bile's second fmnu&.1 ChrisUm..s street
decor tion project.
~ayor Cecil Eates pointe out in r~s brief address, "that
while e find "Teed and unholy ",bi tiolUl running rampEo.nt in other parts
• of the world today we find a spirit of brotherly love preVi-ilinlil: in
'obile." He also lauded the Exohan e Club who is as isted by the Chamber
of Com:nerce re sponsoring the project.
There was a vested choir of about fifty voices who sang
~nrist'.as Carols, under the direction of Tom Byrnes.
TIe granite cros that was erected as u elllOr1l!J. to Jean
::3apt1ste le :.:oyne ieur de Bienville, founder of 'bile, is ill=1nated
wi th blue neon li - ts.
ear the b/l.Il stand is the large three-part cyclorama, de-picitin
ati vi ty." " Crucifixion" and "~oris ,1939. " r.
::d "orton 1O is the cre...tor of tLe cyclorama, lectures twice nig .tly
on his rk, at the hours of sil< and eigut, a.s e describes t' e different
seenes in tLe _uris~s splay. spotli hts are pl~yed on tue •
~e entire electrical display is li ted from five until
ten 0' clock each ni- t and there i8 II. pro of cllimes, carols, and
s ..cred
e tioe
sic frol:l five t rty until ten o'clock with t e elCCeption of
• rorton ie ~kinlil: his lecture •
•oie diepl~y ill be open until the day after Chriet, ae.
• (2)
popu~ r. the soci~~ usufruct did not come 6nd
December ~5. ~939.
n B. Frine
• bi~e, a.
s. G th, found 'obi~e
too roo ted in o~d ways to comprehend a suon after t e IIOde of one she
~onged to say.
" Thi s mbi tioUB ~ady had four dC1ugh te rB
• sse 8 Armide. va,
Virginia and • She p~&nned a final. and sti~~ more e~~borate func-tion,
~ar r, IIIOre cosUy, &nd II embra.cing.
to 3e .ronius. but success _£.in refused to cro'-
e studied the injunction
de erving persistence.
_O._e "- 'eo...,..e ate ·~~s. ~_ . th's eu -per ny did not. .nere was Il.ee~e8e and
un grac oua col""lt';·en t t none ll'Wi ft riter ~as uinaded er 60cial • .....1:1-
tions or· r1v.te" circu~ tion. • en the ~ dy conc~uded at bile
was un!'1pe for con"uest &B for introduction of the suon. Sne carried
her daugl ters and her advanced tastes to .ew ork, where the fie~d lOU
broader for deserving effort, including 'Jr. S ith's business ones,
. esults, in one sense .. t least justified the lOve. S e lived despite
failin
ter
euth 1n a w 'r~ of society, nd died in it. ~er second
va "';;!'ried • Jr. "'Ildertil t, ant'. fter divorce, C. , .• • e1-
nt; and er and-.au .ter we. the stres of 1er...ei •• So on t ie
si te ill be odern stic structure th t will rival so~e of t e ory
of t ..e l' st th t pervaded tee old he
•
•
The new termil.'-l ill f cili tat use of tile Dankhe d Tunnel
under .:obile River by Teche '}reyhound traffic to WId from Estern,
ortheastern, and major 'orthern P01nts. The affected ec edu1eB,
through a resulthnt B ortening of t e route by seven or eight 'les, re
expected to be reduced 15 nutes thereby, <.ccording to • :Jhriner.
ib110u=ra=nh-y:_ otes frem elles, ,eaux hnd r'..-...ns of the -r.ixti,e by
~om6B _ooper De Leon. Fublieher G. . Dillingh~ Co. ey York. Infor-at10n
Lines,
fro~ r. c. ~.
• bile, Ala.
Shriner, ~erminal nacer of the .ech ~rey ound
• •• (2)
11a B. Prine
",bile, JUl>.
firet clilb s built acroee tae river, B t ere many years und l~ter
ved to • nroe P rl<, but in 19l.6 tae tropic,"l. stOrti ta t did BO IlIUch
e, cornpletel.y deBtroyed the club bu11din•• short hile ll<ter
the Eaetern hare Yacnt ub w ori;knized by ~ group of twenty five
boys. They hl<d their cl.ub OUBe on the E tern shore at ~olil< lleach,
but later conceived tae ide of having a club on the estern hore where
it uld be lIlOre convenient. They taen oved the club over on the weBt
side, to Barretts Beach hice.. is twelve mil.es below' b11e.
ey tool< tae naI:le 0 f the bile Yacht Club, and are still
located at Bl<rrett's Beach. There is a ~mbereh1p of fifty who actively
participate in the Lipton raceB. The 'obile Yacht Club weI:lberB are plannin
to build a new club house on Dog River, on the Bay side, in the
near future.
Bibl.iocraphy: PerBonlll. interview wi th' . BlliJ<e clleely.
and notes taken from llr. Telf ir HodgBon's article in tte lS36 ucc-neer
reeze. • Ho son is one of the oldest members of the ol.d bUe
Yacht .lub. Informl'otion ~rom' • Frank Hellinller.
IV---Row old is the Buccaneer Yacht Club? 7ell some fs.cts about
it. •
The Buccaneer Yacnt l.ub ized in the late epring
of l.28, ith eeven charter mbere. e. present membership is two
undred and fifty. The Junior members &&es r nge be een ixteen and
twenty four.
en the uccaneer Yl<cht Club as first organized, ey
lel<Bed a buildinG on . rrett's e~ch for three years, t,en in 1932 they
bou ht the "Reeolute" a four mast Bcnooner for'" club houee, nd .ad it
anchored t Arli ton ier. • n:y ch6.Il.ee have been cu..de in the "Resolute"
•
even in the Pl1llt Ye r the e ip
year around club house "i th
11a B. Prine
:obile, JU. •
covered BO tLat it could be used B
large d nce floor. A modern bar 'I'&.B
inetallea, 6.Dd l:lla,y types of recreation all added to the club roOlllll.
'!'he eeolute" or UCCbneer Yacht Club Houee s first
t rowa open to t e pUblic in 19~, 6.Ild 1935 the ucc"'neer won the ~ir
Tho s Lipton trophy. ':::'here .as a fire in 1936 'I'hic '1'&8 re&.ly &
bles in. in disCUise, becauee the entire m£~n deck was oUBed over and
glessed in with French windows. club kitchen &e added and tne entire
club de ClOre comfortable.
Bibliogrephy: Personal interview ith • Blake JcBeely.
t. ichael street, • bile, .lla. ember of the Bucceneers Yac t Club
nd editor of the ":BuccijJleer Breeze" their year book.
V----The Point Clear ~ibrary is claimed to be the s~llest public
institution 0 fits kind in the "orld. '!'he buildinc; is lOxll feet
in Bize not counting the piazza, but it houses over ~OOObooks and hun-dreds
of I!lll.f:Bzines. It is located on a country pll.ved hie.way by tr vel-i
Su..te1:1 y o. 16 or Hi I Y o. 3. to Foint J e"r. De 11tUe
Ii rary is on the ri t eide of the road to"..rds the beach, just e
you co to Point Cleur.
y: Ferson...l interview wi eS Leilo... AunB-pll.
u;h, ;!obiIe , .u; nd no tee t<-ken fro
y 13. 1937.
n rticle in the .obile Prese
'7l---Pleace advise w.e sr ths Crange 'jrove Ho are overn-ment
or city project W1d ..bout how near completed are ey.
~e range 'jrove Ho es is & Federal roject under t e United
States Houein. i.t.LWnistrution sponsored by the 'obile Housin ob.rd,
.• - •
December 1, 939
I a D. Prine
City H~l Council Chwmber
:lobi e,Ala.
bile's Progress Destr ys 0 d Landcar~s
ny olu landmarks bave felt tbe toucb of obi e's progress.Amo~ the 0 d
~andmarks to be torn down is tbe Sbrine Home, on the Southweet corner of Govern-ment
and "oachim streets,for the ear y construction of a ne hotel.
On ~ednesday ~ovember 22,1939
arion Vickers,attorney for tae u f Hote Corporation,asked the City of
~bile for temporary permission to begin excavation and ground work for e
bui ding.At e e e time Vic' ers filed with tbe office of C iff dama,City
bu ding inspector,plans for the twe ve story srtucture. bere are to be 250
air -conditioned roome,along with a modern drug etore,barber ehop,several
ground-floor stores, ,restaurant and dining room,besides the lobby.
The entrances to the hotel wil be arched
nth wrought iron balconies for which antique obile wrought iron grill work
"ill be used.Part of this was removed from the old Shrine llome.
Another 0 d home that is being razed is the ring House
351 overnment street at C aiborne.This 0 d boce was bui t in 846 by"u -e
Zdmund S.Dargan,Chief "ustice of the Supreme Court of ab>aca. oses faring
bO<1ght the house, in d5 from "<1dge Dargan.l,is grana-chi aren nd great-.;rand-children
are the present owners.
Tne Standard Oi Comp ny as eased t e property ~lth
the view of building on it sometime in the future.
'Jib iography .ersonal observation,
n tervi ew Yi th J • "ones, 0 the Standard
Oi Com,>any,--Obi e,Al •
• •
11 11. Prine
2
th., .he <etblic orks. ministr tion and the te-Constr.l tioD inance C rpora-tiOD
a.prov'!d plan. of the ity of Uobile to build a 4,J 0,000 vehicular tunnel
uM'!r 'obile ,U ver, the first proj ect of i te kind to be undertak'!n in the
Sou tho
10th., Ths United States Treasury De!,artment announced tile early construction
of a 300,JJO addition to the ederal Buildin in wobile.
11 t· ., _e state High fay :>e.?llrtlllent is building a 90,000 viaduct on the p_
• roach to ochra.ne 1'lridc;e and is prepariDg for the early constr"ction of a
1_0, J viaduct on st. Joseph S tr~et.
1 "_ h ., ~.1.._e "=ervllle partlllents, reo resent! an investl!lent of 300,000 have
j"st been completed.
13th., The _erchants Bank invested approximatsly 300, GJO in the enlar6 ement
of ite o'1nKinL uarters,and facilities for winter & eummer air conditioning in
•
its office bUilding and banking quarters.
14th., The Board of School Commissioners has under conetruction,ne~ school buil-din
s representing en investm'!nt of 230,000.
15 ti: ., ::'he lao Power o~an.:r completed its new l5GO,OOO high volt~~e trans-mission
line into obile, incr asir..: i te electric power capaci ty to lJO, JJ ''lorse-
:",0 er.
16th., The Southern Bell Telephone Co.announced i ediate extension and ioprove-
•
ent of its Mobile 'acilities at a cost of 160,000.
17th., T!:te Gu f Shipbuilding Corporation has been organized wi th a capi tal of
70,000 & is preparing to build laree cargo boats here.
18th., The ~ationa1 ir Lines inaugurated mail N pssseDcier service between Kobile
&: the Sou th .. tlanti c coes t.
19th., ~he Southern Iron eta! Co.hae established a plant in llobile for the
recovery of scra ttn aDd expect to spend &yproximately 50,JOO per year for
waste terials and labor.
•
•
Burch
11/18/39
In lE'19, when Alabama W88 about to be admitted to stotehood, lA6di80n was ita m
most populous County and Huntsville its most 10g1cal town tor a state ap tal. It
was at ~unt8.111e that the at( te convention assembled on luly 5, 1819, to perform
the ftr.t function. of .t.t.hood.
In 1830 . dJ!IOn was e only county In the state ..-1tb a population or ".ore
thaD 15,000. The Madison ~z.tte, tlabema's first new8pa~er, establiahed at Runt.~111e
in 1812.
nrst settlers stephen J.:e13rooa euld protber Criner in 1804. In the ea:ne year
came John Runt in •••rch of the hug••prlng thAt suppli.s all hom•• and plent. of
Huntlvill. todey with It. water supply. Orioine11y call.d "Twickcnhcm" but in 1811 the
ectU""",nt .iUch grew about the "big sprin • 89. yen the ccme ot ~tsyille in honor
of John Runt, 3 y.ars .arli.r on Deo. 13, 1808 Madlaon County hnd b••n crast.d b y
proolamation ot Robert .111j··" vernor ot the Kiss err tory and had become. wi th
ashln ton County on. of the t.o original political lubdi..la1on. 10 the pre .ot
Stet. of Alabama.
The meetings ere held in lID. assAmbly hall, DO.. long slnoe remo...d, whtoh
occupied the northwest corner at the intersection or franklin an Gates Stroets;
the .pot bain DO. mark.d by a haod.om. bronze tabl.t er.ct.d by the Deught.r. 0 r the
A:nericao Revolut ioo. Later, a re.r it. adml.a1on to tlJ!l Union th. rirlt ..ealon of
the L.gi.latur. of tlJ!l St.t. of . Alab8lll8 .e. h.ld in that 1I8IIl. building.
bit bun ness or the conTention haYing veen transacted 1n due cour.a, Ala .
.... adm1ttod into the l1.t.rhood of otot... On Aub. 2, 1819 a prool..-tion aocapting on
b.h.lf of the p.opl. of Alab.ma the oblIgation or Itat.hood, .10. promulg.t.d by J. 1 •
.alker, aa prea1dent ot the conTee t.ion.
Th••,,"outto. offic• ... rirlt occupied by '11111am lbb, Goumer ibb ....
lnaugur.t.d at Runtovi11. llov. 9, 1819. Huntcvi11....s th.o t.mporary capit.l of the
Later the seat or m'Y.rnment was remoyed to Cahaba, on acoount or 1ta more contral
peol"l'aphlo position. L.glllature m.t again Dec. 3, 1819 and bo 1r'ninl" in 1820 ell
•••• ioo. of Lcgl.letur•••r. hald in Cahab•.
•
•
Il B. Prine
deral. Yri ters Proir
i ty HaJ.l. .()bile.
ove ber 17. 1939 •
ISLAKD COTTOlI SOLD • BILE
• Throu h the efforts of County gent Charles J. roc:n'8y •
bile. with the co-oper..tion of seveJ"b.l neii:hborini f.gents, induced
the extension division at uburn to set up a ea Island cotton in at
St. Elmo. AI'.
The gin was placed on Ben Deakle 'B farm &nd on the morning
of cember 6, 1938 the pUblic was invited to see it in operation.
There were a nwnber of prominent officials preBent, ..mong them were
ongress~n Frank Boykin. . A. • collltll1tteemsn and te-te offici..l ••
J. S. Townsend of the United St&-tes department of p-icul-ture,
'VaBhiniton,D. C. and one of the few men in J\IIl8rica fBlll11iar with
this typs of gin, came to mobile to superviBe the setting up of the gin.
He Baid "if it can be proved that this premium type of cotton can be
successfully grown here, wealth is in store for many labamians, for no
where near enou of this type of cotton is own to supply the demand,"
lUring the year of 1938 there were about twenty five b..leB
own in several counties inclUding 'bile.
On ,edneBd y ove ber 15. 1939, L sale of a ls1lo.lld cotton
w s conducted by County 't'.&rm i,gent ChE.rles J. Brockway of oblle LDd.
E. E. H&.le of B",y :!ine tte, at the tate DockB.
gentB for a BOB ton firm b'ught twenty Beven bales. the
cotton ..verllged thirty three centB per pound. The better &r6deB brought
thirty Bix centB per pound wi th priceB for other gradeB running down
between that fi 'Ul'"e bDd twenty nine centB. ThiB year'e yield was low
due to excessive rainB. but in normul times the yield will aver e CUle
third of a bale to an acre.
•
ua • Frine
bile, ..la.
t. Louis tract and was a grant to the heirs of
Chost~ng froc John Baptiste Lorending, dated ugust 25, 180?,
who in turn claimed under the various conveyances commencing with a rant
from -onsieUT.l3ienville. »fter _ny convey ces a portion 0 f the .:>t. Louis
tract as Bold to ~eophilus L. Toulmin on une 6, 1828, and he was the
first settler and established the cornounity, that is nsmed for the oUl-
~ 'n fa:nily. .ou inville s not incorpor ted. • e "ltitu e is 30 feet
;1 and the population is 3. ,13 ccordins to the 1930 census.
Jibliogr phy: .drewers. istory of I 1 &.bla;:l18. ,
~ouse, .cbile, JIl. •
nd ~ecords from vounty
•
urt
is a smull incorporated suburban town located
about t ree miles from .cbile, with a population of 4.580, The town is
loc&ted on part of t e ...t. Louis tract, and was first started by leveland
c"me into possession of t e land in 18?9, when there WBS
ten foot by twelve foot yello" st tion house on tne e&st r Fricn..rd who
only a small
side of t e bile and uio l • • encouraged famers to en age in
truck farming, t.nd it was throuGh is sfforts that richard grew to be
one of the largest shipping points for early vegetablee •
•he town is buil t on what WBS a circular mile r ce track where
some of tI e finest ...nd r-"stest horsss in the United ... tates and severLU
from n and wintered "nd tr ined. .od"'y Irichard is an industri~
center. It"&8 incorpor...ted in 1925, and t e altitude is t rty five
feet.
ibliography: erson..l interview wit ~. nistler, Al....
lo.I8.yor Thomss " .illtins, l-richard ...nd S. Leil&. Prichar
•cDonald. ...t.
, ( 3)
11" B. Pr1ne
b11e, Ala.
nw population 18 2.336.
The end fa" of Citronelle .. a healtA reeort beaan
lana yeara betore the IllOdero w1nter tour1at eftr thouabt at wenc110a h18
way to the pretty 11 ttle town at&nc11na on the eullllll1tot the p1ne olad
hille at UCluth Alabema. There 18 en old Inc11en legend wh10h tella how
the duek,. red n roa_d tar and w1~ throush the OUlt at t:ountr,.
and would not atop until p1~d b,. unerr1na 1netinot, the,. re ched a
ell ~t orowned w1 tall treea, beautiful nowere, and 11te a1nna plante,
and where eprinp bubbled torth, now1na water .. eparkl.1na ..a e
unt&1n ~w and .. pure .. the nector at the do. lIere the,. re red
the1r w1 IIUI and dwelt 1n peaceful, ,hAlpp,. 11te, br1ng1oa the e1ck fre.
other tribee with nlWsht but pure &1r, t1ne water end the heal1na v1r-tu..
at ehrube end herba, nureing thelll baok to l1te and health aa&1n, end
here the,. would heft ctwelt until tAe prell8nt dIIoy, had not tate and the
decree at t e paletaoe eluted thlr hert taae troa the...
the,. went 1n ..doeea but lett, the De,7 ·C1troneU "( lch
1n the1r lanp ae _ na leal,) &e a tribute to th r,. at ble..ln •
eo treel,. be.towed, d wh1ch were onoe the1r own.
Bibl1oarapb)': bUe at the ft n aa, b,. Peter ;r. Hamil ton 1913, G111
Printina apuny,' bUe, la. laanat pUbl1llhed b,. the bile and
Oh10 Kailroad.
•
!lobile Count..
Burch
4/24/40
discovered
Dauphine
in which
•
./ Dauphin Island, a long narrow island in the Gull' of
'erlco, directly south of Point Le Barron and Cedar Point on the
extreme south line of obile County, ly1.ng 30 miles south
of obile (Lat. North 30 degrees 10 minutes, Longitude west
88 degrees,S minutes.) Dauphin Is approximately 300 acres.
It is the eastern island of the group including in order
Petitbois, Horn and Ship Island. It Is west of the entrance
into or the main channel of 'obile BlI,y. Between the island
and the main land are Little Dauphin Island, and to the west
are Cat and Grass Islands, and Isle Aux Herbes. Its surface is
flat and only a few feet above high tide. The soil is coastal
beach, with the exception of a narrow strip on the North shore.
This type soil consists of a medium of coarsew hite beach sand,
containing a number of small shell fragments.. On the eastern
point Fort Gaines is located, on which a small garrison of
troops is maintai ed. Fort 1I0rganis just opposite on Kobile
Point.
There are three Cburcbes no.. on the Island, Catholic,
llethodist and Baptist. neat Public School both elementary
and High.
James Saxon Childers says tbst Americus Vespucius
the American continent on the 4th day of July 1497 and
Island in the same year. His map was rscorded in 1501
Dauphin Islsnd is locatsd.
In Nov. 5, 1528 the Spaniards set foot on Dauphin Island
when Capt. Andreas Dorantes and 30 Spaniards were ship-wrecked
on the shores of that Island. They took possession in ths
name of his Catholic Caesarian Majesty, Don Carlos, 5th, King
of Spain.
Jan. 31, 1699 Iverbille and Bienville of France took
possession in the name of King of France, and called it llassacre
Islam from a number of skulls and bones found at its southwestern
extremity.
In 1707 several f i11es then residing at Fort Louis secured
permission from Bienville to settle on the Island. They carried
with them their cattle and poultry and began the cultivation of
small gardens. This appears to be the beginning of farming or
agriculture by white people in the bounds of what is now Ala.
In 1717 L'Epinay reached Dauphine Island as a successor of
Cadillac. On news of his arrival reaching the Indians, the
Chiefs of 24 nations representing nearly all of the Southern
Tribes came to welcome him. The smoking of the Calumet, with
accompanying songs and dances laster over 2 months. All were
well received by Gov. L'Epinay who sent them away with presents
This was the first great assembly or conference of Indians in
the South.
(History of "lehama - • Dictionary of Alabama
Biography - By Thomas McAdory Owen.
Vol. I. - Pages 454 and 456.) 1921.
Period I - The Spaniarda - 1519 - 1670 Page 3 to 28.
Period II - A French Capital - 1699 - 1717 Page 35 - 86
, PeDriod III - A French Trade Center - 1717 - 1763. Page 93 to 120
Period IV - A British Ioletropolis - 1763 - 1780. Page 133 to 155
PeDrid V - Old Spanish Town - 1780 - 1813 Page 161 too 172.
(¥obile of the Five Flags - By Peter Joseph Hamilton
1913. )
1 - De Soto prior to the coming of the French 1528 - 1697.
2 - The French Period of Colonization - 1697 - 1763.
3 - Britieh Occupation and FiDal cession to the U.S. - 1763 - 1798
4 - The Territorial Era - 1798 - 1819.
5 - The State of Alabama - 1819 - 1861.
6 - One of the Confederate StaLes - 1861 - 1865.
7 - Days of Reconstruction - 1865 - 1874.
8 - Our Own Times - 1874.
(History of Alabama By Thomas U. Owen, Vol. I.
Page 287.)
Kany stories and legends of Dauphine Island are told. Capt. Kidd
is said to have hidden vast treasures on the island. Other
pirates visited the beautious spot, fought bitter battles the~
and left their bones on the white sands that the Northern people
call "Southern Snow." •
1900.
This Island is but an 8-hour car drive from B'ham, 5 hours
from Montgomery. Only 6 miles from Bellingrath Gardens, which
attract so many visitors from all parts of t he world annually,
the island has a beach 7 miles long with sands stretching for a
width of more than 1,000 feet gradually into the sea.
Heavily wooded with virgin forest pine and oak planted by
the French several hundred years ago. Artesian wells ire ano her
attraction. Legend has it that during one of the confliCts between
the French and Spanish a huge golden cross from a Catholic Church
was thrown into a nearlly well and is still the e.
Fishing and hunting are splendid here.
(History of lao by William Garrott Brown.
Page 33 to 49.)
In 1708 there were 279 souls on the Island of which 80 were
Indian slaves. (By Brown)
,
na B. Prine
y Pride Jones
Eliz.beth Enge
.,BILB __ SRRIlIG HILL SECTION
lloblle County
April 5.1940
At Spring Hill are reller"fOira that lIupply the City'll w.ter, Spring Hill
College. nd meny old rellidencell wbare gardllna are planted in ....ale.lI.
willtari... and _ny flowers of riotoull colorll'
45- SPRnl'G HILL COLLEGE; leaft Royal and Government Streetll. drift lit
on Go ..... r .... nt one and seven tenths miles to the intersect-ion of Ann Street,
turn right on Ann and drive oorth one half mile to the intersection of Old
Shell Road. turn left on Old Shell Road and drive ...est four and eight tenths
miles to Spring Hill Collsge ....hich is on the left or south side of the Old
SheIl Road.
Spring Hill College is a Jesuit College.established in 1830 by BiShop Portilr
fint bishop of the diocese of 1I0bile. Chartered by the Alabsma Legisla-tun
in 1836,it _s placed undllr the Jesuit Order in 1847. The College wall
maintained with diff:l.cu1ty during the war between the IItates.and suat.,insd
a he.vy 1088 by fire in 1869. The inlltitution offers A.B ••B.S a •• snd B.S.
dIIgrees,and preparatory coursell in 1 ..... medicine. dentistry, and engineering.
Spring Hill Colle is .pproached through the northeast brick
entrance or Jdosk.with a glazed brick lane leading to the College Chapel,s
beautiful. edifice of Gothic arch1tecture,l.45 feet in l.ength.fifty feet
widll and seventy :e.e feet in transept and was conlltrcuted in l.9l.0.
Directl.y in the rear of the ahapsl and facing ...hat is known as the C/,uadrangl.
e ,ill the Administration Building, TIlllcan in d&sIgn and erected part-ly
in 1869.pllrtl.y in l.909, to replace the dlllll&ge caused by the hIlltoric fi s
It stands on the site of thll first bUilding ...hich Bishop portier bunt for
his pioll8er college. It is a brick structure,stuccoed,several hundred
feet in l.ength,BJ1d three stories high.
• •
fia B. Prine,
y Pride Jones,
El1 zabe th Enge -2-
Yobile County
April 5,1'40
The building ie occupied by thtt facuJ. ty, the adlllinistration ofriGIII: ~c1
the C101eter ie on the second anc1 third fioon. C1aee roolM are al.eo
10catec1 in this building. Eaet of the Quadrangle is the Inrirmary, the
only building which is now in use which ante-c1ates the fire of 1869.
To the northweet is a mod.rn structure known as the Refectory,which
contains the etudents' anc1 te.cul ty dining ro m and the kitchen. Covere d
Spanillh colonac1es join the dlIlinistration Building,Infirmary, and di-
Ding halls.
.
Directly west of the Adminietration Building ie Quinlan
Hall,a long corridor of rooms built over thft GyamuiUJll-Auditorilml Builc1ing
in 1916, and nsmec1 in honor ~f Spring HUl' e second founder Bishop
(Ouinlan. orthwesterly from the Refectory is Yenni Hall, the Scieneft
Building in which ie housed the Seismographic Sta..tion. This building
was erectec1 in 1905 and n8l!!Ild in IIlf!mory of Father Dominic nnni, S• .T .Profeseor
of Latin and Greek at Spring Hill for over fifty years,and author
of Yenni's Latin and Greek Grammars.
Direct1y north,in the eftnter of the burial. plaeft for the priests,is the
rtuary Chapftl,a Gothic type structure of etone,approxiaatftly twenty
fi ve feet squ"re. Continuing northward on a paved _ll< to lIobile Hall,
the s tuc1ents' reeidenee and clus -room building, colonial. in etyle., anc1
erected in 1927,this bUilding ie the first unit of Greater Spring Hill.
Directly west of UDbilft Hall ie the Collsge Inn,a T sha d,white fr e
building which is thft recreation center,containing a dancft hall,billiard
room, fratern1 ty meeting roolll4, and dressing rooms.
Directly north of College Inn i8 the Thomae B7rnB morlal
Library, built in 1931 and also of colonial archi te cture. On the
grounds are two Shrines,one to aint .Toseph,tie Patron aint,and the other
to tne Lady of Lourdlle,which is an exact replica of the original..
Looking towards Old ell Road,to the north is th8 new entr neft,a beautiful
and inposing gatewsy of Romeneaque design.
•
Ila B Prine
IIary Pride Jonee
Elizabeth Engs
'!'he Clo1eter
llobile County
April. 5, 1940
ile the Jesuit Order is not a cloiStered order, the
second and third floors of the Administration Building are the Cloister
where no female is permitted, layaen are sometaes given the privilege
of entering.Ascending an enclosed winding stair one enters a large
rotunda extending through the third floor to the roof. On the third
noor a balcony surrounds the well of the rotund... 'rhe priests recreation
rooma and priyate quarters are located on these two noors. '!'he
rotunda has a IIlUsewa appearance with mOiDY cases containing
relics, and specimens of interest or Y&lue.
mentoes,
Athletigs: pring Hill College is a member of the Dixie Conference
and hu a competent staff of football co..ches. Ilaxon l/ield a long needed
stadium was built in 1935. It will aocommodate 4,000 spectators and is
equipJled wi th noodlights for night g es. fees variable.
A golf course 3,126 yards in length with a professional instructor in
charge is open to the pUblic; greens fees 50¢ for 18 holes, 35¢ for 9
holes~ caddy fees 60¢ for 18 holes, and 30¢ for 9 holes. tudent rate
15.00 per semester.
fresh water lake covering approximately an acre provides out door
s.i~ng. 'rhere 0ir8 &lso complete facilities for basket ball, tennis,
baseball and yoU,. b&ll.
(prlvate) on pring Hill College Campus,. 'rhe entrance
on the south side of Old Shell Road is lit II1les from Royal and GoY-e:
rnment ts.
••
•
bile. '!'he house at the end of an oak lined avenue,
three tenths of a m1~e long is a white fr cotatge-.'. ~ th a wina at
the er.st and west sides. A wide porch "i th 6 whi te columns extends
across the front. "Stewartfield" was built by Roger tewart in 1845
and Damed for hiB OiDcestral home in cotland. Originally a 6 roOm
house with an immense hall through the center and an oval shaped
11a B. Prine
llary Pride Jones
Elizabeth Engs
- . - JIobile County
April 5, 1940
ball. room across the entire back of the house. The ball room is a
double noor, without joists, and the space filled with caulking
which giYes the noor a -springy- motion. The house has had _dsrn
1lIlproYe-nts made but has not any of its original beauty.
Yssterhouse [private) One of the llIOst notable old homes in Spring
Hill. is Yesterhouse.which was bui1t by i11i&lll Dawson in 1840 at a
cost of tso,OOO.He was a wealthy cotton merchan_,one of two brothers
who settled at Spring Hill.built a home deep in the woodB,lIl8.de a
sunken garden and planted various shrubs ahd trees. The house is a two
storY,plantation t~.painted whits and into it went heart pine timber
Carolina lIl8.rble and plaster from Italy. The lIl8.in house has verandahs
with four Corintlian columns with two pilasters on either &ids.both
at the front and at the back of the houss and two wings with the
Corinthian columns and pilasters.on the right and left of ths building.
The foundation ie of solid brick about eight feet high and in the
basement or ground noor is the ki tchen.Here the old dumb .,ai ter is
still in use eerving food to the dining room just above. To the rear
o. the house is a brick courtyard in which plays a fountain whioh
was fOl • rly supplied by water pumped by the sl.aves. An aveIlUe of
atatel.y old oak trees leads up to the front entrance gates which
are set in plastered lFlllls and on each is a great iron e e sentinel.
The house wondertul.l.y restored by the present Olmers whe gave it ths
name of Yesterl!ouse.containe gorgeous mirrors,rare works of art.g1ass
china, turnishingll.&nd sil.ver.1e one of the show places of the South.
The house was Pot one time a part of pring Hill COllege and was ased _
a school for younger boys. A story goss that on ths estate ths famed .
old Copeland Gang buried their booty.
Yesterhouse is slOven miles from Government and Royal Streets.Lean
I B Prine • •
2 Ilobile Cou rty
~-
~Item 6.
In business district.
J"onath n Kirk_bride House (pri-wate ) 104 atre Street, is on .;;he
lot DllXt to the si te of Ilobile's first theatee.:e-t~lIhiah was also a part of the
a d painted white. Thereas a
Fre ort Conde. I t is a o story building ,covered 111 th smooth slncco
across the front of the bUilding ,with four
ge Roman Tuscon Columns 0 e fir.t floor while there are four Roman Composite
columns supporting the It is on the north side of Theatsr 6treet ,the house
with large pore Bnd high walls on each ,was apart of UObile's first court-house
Itwas bought by J"onathan Kirkbride and converted into an imposi
resi in 1665 and is now 'racant.
e 14
7. In business district.
City Hal ; H• • corner of Royal and Church 9ts.,was built in 1855. It is a
two story wI1i te ilding ,built of brick and s.,oth stuccoed,covering half a city
block,is af p easin
under wide eaves and
roportions. rought iron work in arched openings , brackets
pediment and the oupola are attractive features. Its
primary purpose was to be market for meats, fish, and vegetables as -The 90uthee
the ground floor space was so used and served
llarket" its name im)lies. the was first was used as amarket live fish in cypre-s~
re displayed for sale.
~
by two driveways extendin from Roy·~· to 7ater Street.It has been recodle twice
but the structure h a not been change ,It is Kediterranean type
arc itecture with cl ssic influence in o~~nt and 4esign • armory on the se...
cond atory at the south end ssrved as he for the local state
until the completion of the Fort 1h1ting AXm 193'\ .
or stored there temporaZ-In
busi dietr.1ct.
Th s City Hall is on the ~East side of Royal 6treet.
-/
Admiral Semmes ~nument that ie1the corridor
ily until the compUtion of Bankhead Tunnel.
Page 16
Item 12
The 0 • (pri Tate t. Anthony Street, ilt about 1795.is a
nt • J"oha B. Toul in clai d ths p
small creole style ho
houses of this style it a
red wi th stucco. acteristic of the
property under Spanish Grants and finally obtained undisputed possesion.
11a B. Prine
It is built in an
slender columns
hape with
the roof..
3
on the north
e house is grey ,
Yobile county
sides , with eight
dingy and dirty a
and d~apidated.I is on the sou~ eide of the street.
Page 17
Item 15 The J"onathan ",mame House has been torn do n.
Page 18
Item 16 In business district.
!be House of Two Cities, (private)8-10 J"ackson Street, was built in 1820by
Reicgeard at old Blakley in Baldwin County obile niver. In1829 the house
,
Colonial in deeign was moved pMce by slaves in rowboats and erected
present site. This laborious pr edure required over a year and the reassemb-took
much longer a period . It
finish. It is a double
story
story brick house with grey stucco ,smooth
drive/BY throuah the center of the first floor.
.If;;:n~gallery extends enti~ely across the front, the first
floor gallery interrupted by the double iron gates of the carriag~ dx!vs .•
There are slender iron columns on both the upper and lower galleries. The
The house is on the ast side of the Street.
Page 19
Item I9 In bueines" distri t.
use(private) 452 Gov nmant street, is a a story house with front
wall of red
design as the
and side walls of
room at the front a
ye llow s tuc co.
house has po
is very unusual in d
on each side ,
east and west. The
gables and steep roof.
r~l character of thi
e is a brick wing
is mod1fie othic with higa
ouse. The house
is on the north side of the Street.
Page 20
Item 21 In business d strict.
The Ca thedral Of The
Dauphin Streets ,is an imposi
Conception, Claiborne St. betweem Conti and
tructure ehowing the Roman Influenoein its design.
Acroee the front facade are eight flu ted oman Doric columna. Red brick was used
for the exterior, limsstone and gr for the portico, base and cornice. The
eide and rear facades have massively pilasters in keeping with the imposil8
entrance. The Cathedral is on the lest s e of Cl iborne streetbetween Dauphin a
Ua~. Prine • 4 Mobile Coun ty
and Conti streoUo ""li"nd extends west to FraDlclin Street.
Page 24
Item 32 - In Residential DiBtrict.
o
Ilobile Public Library, (open .....ek da,ys 10 A. If, - 8 P .. • ) 701 Govern:oennt
@ot.ghi \80
J
Simpliot1
a two '"' t
treatment and
white, It is
oreaje by 10. horizontal
--t1l smooth stuooo , painted
feeling of repose
s br ioll. 0 ave red
in this bui ding is based upon
ure; viz; tb.
Street was erected in 1928. Designed bf Geor<Ie ~rs ." the archi tectural moti.~ .....a1
prinoiple of anoient Greek ~-
The bu ildi ng
story buildi • the
East wing hou es the
eim Hall ,an a •
portion being nanked with wings at each end. The as
ral seum while the est wing has the :Beatrioe B. Berm
The Library is on the Sout side of Government Street.
The wi ndows e seoond floor have eimple wrought iron baloonies under them.
~5
Item 35 In Residential Distriot.
Oakleigh (private) is at the head of Sav ah Street and on Oakleigh Street. It
is a Colonial type house with G influenoes , Built in 1839's by Janes
Roper it has a brick basement ,
bouse is trame , painted wIli te wi
loor gallery and pillar supported roof. The
en tiilll. il1gs haTe been added on the sast
and west of th house. The house stands at the head at S....annah Street and on the
weat side of OakleighStreet.
Page 'Z1
Item 41 In residenti striot.
McInnis and Dant&1er 0 Yard 913 SpringHill ATenue is Correct.It is on the sout
side of SpringHill Ave •
Page 28
Itsm 43. In Residential Distriot.
General Bragg House (private) 1906 Sprinll Hill Avanue is a two story trame house
painted white with green blinds. There e wings on the "'-and weet sides wi th
a porch extending &oross the entire tr nt.
00 tagonal oolullllls on the poroh.Tl*Are 1s
brackets ,enolosed with oast iron balus
e sixteen slender French
aloony supported by wooden
the window of the second floor.
The house is on the north side ot Spri
~age 28
venue .
ana 11eon Cottage is out ide of city limits.
11a B Pri
Ci ty HaH uncil Chamber
Uobile County.
Karch 8,1940
Corrections and Revision of Part of the obile ee~.
~
Item 1
Railroade Stations; Terminal atation,Beellregard and st. Joseph ste.fllr ~
•
Mobile and Ohio R. • and
ville and Naehville R.R. ;
• ; Government and Commerce Ste. for Louin-and
Alabama State Docke for Alabama ,Tenneeeee
and IIorthern R. R. ; Station intereection of South Royal and Charleeton S~.
, boarding houees,and inne. five leading hotels ,three
for Gulf ,lIobile and
~
Item 2
ccolllOd a ti on
Northern R. R.
.-
The Terminal Railway at abama State Docke.
of which offer free l'",r ing epace ; Mmlcipally owned but leaeed tour1et camp
white people and playground at 1255 Davie
re all correct.
at Arlington ,overlooking the baY, and pri_tely owned
entering the ci ty.
LyO~k ,for
Fee at ei ther.
ente:
Tennis~
nDual
wi th water and ligh
camps along all principal high 'aye
~
Item 7
for negroe e. No
~
Item 3
~
Item 2 In bud e diBtric t.
erne Le Vert House (private) S •• corner St. manuel and ",,",' r mil! n t S to •
onial etyle with
ed and only a emall buildi
of eek and Egyptian influencee • It ie a o
~".
of Goverrunent Street.It hae
y red brick house on the south
on the
property,formerly Dr. Le Vert' etill a Dr,' e office,retains ite origi-nal
deeign. Yadame owner was a wolrd traveler and prominent socialaad
li terary of ante be~lum Uobile. Both houee and pffioe have stone trim. The
or al houee wae a box l1ke e tructure, but when it was remodled ,turrets andpar _
pete were added changin~ the entire
e 13. :::, i ees
em 14. In ine ee dis tric t.
structure.
Site of Kobile's rst .Tewieh adj *1ns the C 1. theral reeidence
on the north. I e a vacant 10 t.
•
ee ~rtle les, State Supervisor,
.P. • ,ri ters Pro am
Powell School Building (Romm 14)
2:3:31- 6th. vsnue, North,
Birmingham, Alabama.
Dear ss' lss ,
.•P A. i tere Program. v-IJ8/J
}(Obile, abama.
Ci ty Hal Council Chamber,
l!"archB, 1940.
Your apecial delivery came this morni~ and I went immediately to see
•• Leo Brown ,..no was very gracious in tryi to hel. us to get an interview
with =. ogers. lie called his office and asked the secretary to try and get
an appointment wi th • Rogere for UB • I also asked him if he \11d c' 1I};Q he
some eveni'll; with the hietorical facts about the old buildings,as he had said
he was very busy in the day? lie then aaid he had a 11 ttls time to spare and
looksd over the manuscript while I was there and he said that it semmed to be
complete. I then went over to . Rogers office to see if was possible to see
him ,at~. Brown's suggeation. The aecrstary had gotten in touch with his wife
t\ tL-··· and she said that it would be impossible to assist us at this time as Mr.".'."left
much earlier than usual and reached home later because they were gettillg ready
for the zalea Trail. o 3rown sugges ted that we ge t . Clarke as he had
been the architect for so many of the recent buildings in obile. I spent
several hours wi th • Clarke going over the manuscript and Icannot get it in
todays mail as it will have to be wri tten. I am to get some more of the materi
al tomorrow ,Saturday. I am not sending a report due to this fact,but will get
it all in the mail Yonday with the architectural description.
Yours Truly.
~~.~- a B. Prine,
.1.1'.11.. riters Project
City Hall Council Chamber,
~blle, labarna.http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/wpa/id/853 |