big beautiful BALDWIN Historic Baldwin People 2019-2020 GulfCoastNewsToday.com HISTORIC BALDWIN PEOPLE • 2019-20 • Big Beautiful Baldwin 3 4 Big Beautiful Baldwin • 2019-20 • HISTORIC BALDWIN PEOPLE GulfCoastNewsToday.com BRENNY’S JEWELRY COMPANY 333 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope, AL 36532 (251) 928-3916 BRENNY’S TOO! 331 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope, AL 36532 BRENNY’S JEWELRY (251) 928-4011 Mon. - Fri. 9:30 - 5:00 • Sat. 10:00 - 5:00 An Eastern Shore Tradition Since 1986 COME BY AND VISIT OUR SHOP IN SHOPS Check out our specials and our local charms Luxury Your story is one of a kind, within reach make it your own! Free pair of earrings ($80 value) with $200 purchase! 20% OFF! 20% OFF! Natures Beauty, Nature’s Power One Step Ahead Of The Rest Created by Alamea from Hawaii Over 200 watches in stock to choose from! ½ off all Antique & Estate Jewelry ALEX AND ANI Designed and crafted in the USA Made With Love 20% off all Antique & Estate Jewelry TABLE OF CONTENTS For those who grow most Introduction: 10 OUTDOOR 31 Parks 46 Pet Friendly Places 77 Our Heritage ACTIVITIES Beach Access 50 Agriculture 78 Water Sports 32 of their own groceries. THE REGION 13 Boat Launches 33 ENTERTAINMENT 55 NEED TO KNOW 81 The Kubota L3301 and L3901 compact tractors make caring for your land comfortable North Baldwin 14 Fishing 34 Live Music 56 Hurricane Readiness 82 Eastern Shore 16 Camping 36 Annual Events 60 Driver License Info 82 and easy. With performance-matched front loaders and backhoes, they simplify the Central Baldwin 18 Hunting 37 Fine Arts 66 Utility Info 83 toughest tasks with outstanding durability. Get the job done right with the# 1 selling South Baldwin 20 Golf 38 Splash Pads 68 Elected Officials 84 compact tractor in America for over ten years* running. Visit us today. Tennis 39 Public Schools 87 THE HISTORY 23 Disc Golf & CULTURE 71 City Info 89 Historical Attractions 24 Skate Parks 40 Seafood 72 Veteran’s Services 92 Museums 26 33 Dishes to Try Church Directory 94 National Register NATURE 43 Before You Die 74 of Historic Places 28 Nature Trails 44 Mardi Gras 76 Advertiser Index 100 PUBLISHER GRAPHIC DESIGN Parks Rogers Paige Marmolejo EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY Allison Marlow Allison Marlow, CONTRIBUTING John Underwood and EDITORS/WRITERS Jessica Vaughn Crystal Castle, ADVERTISING Whisper Edwards, REPRESENTATIVES This year we John Underwood, Frank Kustura, BACK celebrate those who $ DOWN %APR MONTHS PLUS $ WITH THE PURCHASE OF Jessica Vaughn and LouAnn Love and built Baldwin County. 0 0 60 1000 QUALIFIED ATTACHMENTS. Tony Whitehead Bethany Randall Learn more about the earliest residents in Baldwin County historical references and information these frames provided by Felisha Anderson, Baldwin County Archivist. throughout Baldwin Tractor & Equipment the book. BIG BEAUTIFUL BALDWIN is a user-friendly guide to help residents and visitors experience Baldwin County’s best. Published annually by GULF COAST MEDIA 22463 State Hwy 59 S (a division of Osteen Publishing Company) Robertsdale, AL 36567 251-947-4171 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535 www.BaldwinTractor.com 251-943-2151 Reproduction without permission is prohibited. ABOUT THE COVER Civil War reenactors walk through the tunnel KubotaUSA.com GCM accepts no responsibility in the guarantee of goods and services advertised. at Fort Morgan Historic Site. The group sets up camp in the fort *Based on UCC lings for tractors nanced in 2017 for the utility tractor segments. © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2019. This material is for descriptive purposes only. Kubota disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied, or any liability from the use of this material. For complete several times a year to show visitors what life was like for the warranty, safety and product information, consult your local Kubota dealer. For the complete disclaimer, go to KubotaUSA.com/disclaimers and see the posted disclaimer. $0 Down, 0% A.P.R. nancing for up to 60 big beautiful months on purchases of select new Kubota L series equipment from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory is available to quali ed purchasers through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A.; subject to credit approval. Extra copies available at the Gulf Coast Media office military members and civilians who served there during the Some exceptions apply. Example: 60 monthly payments of $16.67 per $1,000 nanced. Offer expires 6/30/19. See us or go to KubotaUSA.com for more information. Customer instant rebates are available on BALDWINHistoric Baldwin People 2019-2020 at no charge while supplies last or for $4 if mailed. Battle of Mobile Bay in August, 1864. Photo by Allison Marlow purchases of new Kubota models as indicated above with two qualifying new implements from participating dealers stock. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 6/30/2019. 8 Big Beautiful Baldwin • 2019-20 • HISTORIC BALDWIN PEOPLE GulfCoastNewsToday.com GulfCoastNewsToday.com HISTORIC BALDWIN PEOPLE • 2019-20 • Big Beautiful Baldwin 9 OUR HERITAGE The first inhabitants to Baldwin County’s rich Delta entombed crew near the fort. region can be traced back approximately 10,000 years to Numerous skirmishes also occurred in the northern part pre-Mississippian Native American cultures, who are often of the county. Fort McDermott in the Spanish Fort region referred to as “mound-builders.” Even today, a variety of received 48 hours of constant bombardment, and in April burial, ceremonial and residential mounds can be found 1865, Union forces mounted an assault on Fort Blakeley, along the county’s waterways. with an estimated 4,475 soldiers killed or wounded in the The Spanish arrived in the area in 1519 when Alonzo attack on the earthwork fortress. Alvarez De Pineda sailed into Mobile Bay and named it Baldwin County was not only a place where battles Espiritu Santo; in 1540, Hernando de Soto traveled through were fought, but a land where futures were built by a portion of the county — the town of Spanish Fort being embracing diversity and with a neighborly helping hand the site of the Spanish occupation. — France, Greece, Yugoslavia, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Over the years, both the French and English would also Czechoslovakia, countless African nations and dozens of occupy the county, offering a variety of contributions to its other sources have contributed to the area’s rich cultural rich history and heritage. history. Baldwin County has also been the site of many historical This melting pot of people built the county’s agricultural, battles. Andrew Jackson and his Volunteers fought the commercial, manufacturing, tourism and fishing industries Indians in 1813 at Fort Mims, and Jackson also crossed the and made the county prosper and persevere during even county to cause the surrender of the Spanish commandant severe economic depressions. at Pensacola. Today, Baldwin County remains one of the fastest During the War of 1812, at Fort Bowyer (now Fort Morgan), growing counties in Alabama, with 182,265 citizens the British attacked the fort prior to the infamous Battle of according to the 2010 census, and growing by estimated by New Orleans, losing the HMS Hermes in the process. 12 new residents per day, making the current population During the Civil War, Fort Morgan was once again the site over 210,000. Baldwin County is a place welcome to all — a of a fierce battle, when, in 1864, Union Adm. David Farragut land of abundant natural resources, a healthy economy and entered Baldwin-Mobile Bay to seal off Confederate beautiful beaches, as well as a people who have carved out shipping. During the fighting, the Tecumseh, a Federal a place to live, prosper and continually grow. Ironclad, sank in a narrow inlet, where it still lies with its Mayne Belt – Charles Tristan de Adolph Late 19th Swift – Built Luna – Early Berglin – century sawmills through- Spanish explorer. Founded first ice photographer, out the south, his Attempted to plant in Alabama. documented north large home in Bon establish a colony, Brought electricity Baldwin and Secour is on the ships destroyed to Fairhope in county history. National by a hurricane 1915. Historic in Register. Pensacola. 10 Big Beautiful Baldwin • 2019-20 • HISTORIC BALDWIN PEOPLE GulfCoastNewsToday.com BALDWIN COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT REGIONAL Protect yourself from a flood disaster NATURAL AND BENEFICIAL FUNCTIONS United States than any other type of natural disaster. While The wetlands within Baldwin County are indispensable recent construction practices and regulations have made and fragile natural resources with significant development new homes less prone to flooding, many existing structures constraints due to flooding, erosion and soil limitations. In remain susceptible. Throughout the country there is a grow- their natural state, wetlands serve man and nature. They ing interest from property owners to develop practical and provide habitat areas for fish, wildlife and vegetation; water cost-effective methods for reducing or eliminating exposure quality maintenance and pollution control; flood control; to flooding. erosion control; natural resource education; and many other There are many ways you can help protect your property causes. Damaging or destroying wetlands threatens public and your possessions from flood damage. Property protec- safety and the general welfare. It is therefore necessary for tion measures publications and assistance is available to you Baldwin County to ensure maximum protection for wetlands by contacting the Baldwin County Building Inspection De- by discouraging development activities that may adversely partment at 251.972.6837 or by visiting your local libraries. affect wetlands. You may also visit the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/ Baldwin County regulates Stormwater Management policies through the Subdivision Regulations for all new FLOOD SAFETY developments. Developments which produce an increase Flood safety protection measures that are to be taken in the in the amount of stormwater runoff are required to construct event of a hurricane or any other major storm event include stormwater management facilities.