Look backward, move forward. 

The region that is today Alabama was originally the homeland of several American Indian tribes, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creeks. The current Poarch Creek Nation are descendants of the original native population. They settled in the southwest at the point the land meets the Gulf of Mexico. The earliest French explorers arrived in the 1500s. 1n 1702, Fort Louis de la Mobile, established by French-Canadian Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and Mobile, was named the capital of "French" Louisiana. It remains the oldest city in the state. 

The end of the Seven Years War led to British rule of the region and in 1780, the area became a Spanish colony prior to joining the United States in 1813. Mobile rapidly became an important river port, transporting goods, primarily cotton and the enslaved. At the onset of the Civil War there were approximately 30,000 people, including 1,000 freedmen and 11,000 slaves. Because of the numerous ethnic legacies in the city Mobile is filled with a unique history that, coupled with the climate and scenic beauty, makes for a stellar trip.

The History Museum of Mobile, a wonderful introduction to the city, also administers Colonial Fort Conde and the Visitor Center. The museum's holdings number greater than 117,000 objects. Originally U,e fort was constructed by the French in 1723. Stones from the fort were unearthed at a building site in 1966 and a 4/5-replica was opened in 1976. Fort Conde offers an imrnersive self-guided tour and visitors are allowed to walk along the ramparts. The view from here is definitely a photo op.

Even before the fort was constructed there was Mardi Gras, beginning in 1703. Frenchman Nicholas Langlois began the French tradition as a celebration of Fat Tuesday, the last day to celebrate prior to Lent. Mobile's Carnival Museum interprets more than three centuries of the city's carnival history and culture. The museum, situated in the 1872 Bernstein-Bush mansion, exhibits photographs, regalia and costumes in both interactive and static exhibits.

A tour of the downtown Mobile squares is mandatory. They are filled with people, spontaneous entertainment, Magnolias and surrounded by outstanding architecture. Two of the most popular squares are Cathedral and Bienville. Cathedral Square is across from the 1703 Cathedral Basilica of The Immaculate Conception, the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile.

Initially slaves were brought into Alabama during the French period and by 1861 the enslaved population reached 435,080. The first African slaves arrived aboard a French vessel from Saint-Domingue to Mobile. Enslaved individuals were sold at the corner of St. Louis and Royal. The site is notable for a history plaque.

Mobile's recent sites, Africatown Heritage House and Clotilda, The Exhibition, are moving and thought-provoking. 1n 1807 the US Congress banned the African slave trade but an illegal trade continued for more than 50-years. Throughout the South ships crept into the country, hid in coves and bayous, and then sold their human goods.

In 1859, Timothy Meaher bet that he could bring in a ship filled with illegal cargo. On July 9, 1860 the Clotilda, with 110 Africans, secretly anchored in Mobile Bay. The enslaved came from the Guinea Coast and were members of the Dahomey, Dendi, Nupe and Yoruba people. Federal troops were patrolling the waters and the captain was forced to bum and sink the ship in 20ft of water and let the Africans go free. Thirty-two of the Africans, after the Civil War in 1870, purchased land and established a community, many of the descendants continue to live there. The youngest captive was two-years-old. The shipwreck was located in 2019.

A tour of the exhibits must begin on the exterior with a sculpture in the Africatown Heritage House Memorial Garden. The symbolic, 9-ft tall, stainless-steel work was dedicated in 2023. "The Memory Keeper" represents the 110 Africans and their descendants. On the interior, galleries are thematic and the story is told in the voices of those who made the journey, from capture to life in Africatown. Displays are interactive and immersive. Highlights of a tour showcase actual pieces of the boat, photographs, videos and interpretive panels.

Wintzell's Oyster House is a great place to end the day. They are renowned for "oysters - fried, stewed and nude." You will love the menu and the ambiance.

This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of Extended Weekend Getaways. You can view the online issue here.