Mobile, Alabama 1/16/05 page 2

E-Mail Us

Become a Member

Add us to Your Favorites

IMAGES From Nostalgiaville
ALABAMA- MOBILE, AL- 1/16/05

HISTORIC HOMES IN MOBILE (Just a few of many!!)

1904

McGowin - Zoghby

1868

The Osborne House

1905
2004

Robinson- Woman's Club

1854	Roberts - Taylor - Isbell
Photo and information contributed by R Isbell 4'05					Mirabeau Lamar, second President of the Republic of Texas, wrote on Jan 15, 1855, that he was staying at the Roberts House

1901

Methodist
Parsonage Administrative Center

1888

Phelan - Mims

1903

Piser - Drinkard

1903

Piser - Drinkard House

1901

Pollock - Compton

1902

Pollock - Dietmarz
House

1885 1909

Rapier - Boone - Beeker

1860

Ravesies House

1895

Berney - Fly

1901

Tacon - Tissington - Jones

1910

Vickers - Hudson/ West
House

1891 1912

Webb - Dodge

HISTORIC CHURCHES in MOBILE


ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH (1915 1924 1958 1997)	EMANUEL A M E CHURCH (1881 1891)

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH (1910)

THE BEE HIVE
The congregation of Government Street United Methodist Church, Methodism's Mother Church in Mobile, began in 1826 on Franklin Street. Called "The Bee Hive" because of its activity, it sent "swarms" throughout the city to form new congregations. A brick structure replaced the original wooden church in 1848 - 1849. The move to this corner was accomplished with the dedication of a Gothic structure in 1890. The remodeling to Spanish Colonial architecture was begun in 1906 and completed in 1917. Architect was Moilian George B Rogers, and Harry E Goodhue of Boston created the stained glass windows.

GOVERNMENT STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH


GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH	HEARIN - ABBA TEMPLE (1900)


ST JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH	ST LOUIS STREET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH (1872 1897 1910)

FORT CONDE IN MOBILE

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AT MOBILE (Siege of Ft Charlotte (Conde) 1780)
Spain, America's ally, declared war on Great Britain in June 1779. Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Spanish Louisiana at New Orleans, led the attack against the British along the lower Mississippi River and Gulf Coast. In February 1780, Galvez laid siege upon the British forces here at Ft Charlotte (Conde) resulting in its surrender and the capture of the City of Mobile, March 14, 1780. Galvez next captured Pensacola and accepted the British surrender of West Florida, May 9, 1781, thus aiding the American colonists by removing the British threat from the Gulf of Mexico.

MOBILE'S FIRST CANADIAN SETTLERS 1706
Dedicated to the memory of Gilbert Dardenne, Pierre Laboeuf, Claude Parent and Charles Rochon who beginning in 1706, colonized the site of present day Mobile. Settling near a Chato Indian village at a place called Los Olgnonets (The Onion Fields), these Canadians would show, as they had several years earlier in helping to establish "Old Mobile", 27 miles upriver, that without their courage, skills, and determination the fledgling colony would likely not have survived. Inspired by their success, the colony's commandant, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, ordered the memorial of the original settlement to this site in May, 1711. Mobile in both its old and new emplacements served as the first capital of colonial Louisiana from 1702 to 1719.

Spain joined the war against Great Britain in 1779, loosely aligning itself with the young United States in its War of Independence. Jose de Galvez, Spanish minister of the Indies, felt that the English presence along the Gulf of Mexico must be removed and that capturing Mobile and Pensacola were key to returning the Floridas to Spain. Leading the military campaign was Spanish Louisiana governor Bernardo de Galvez, nephew of the minister. An January 11, 1780, Galvez began the Mobile campaign leaving New Orleans with 754 fighting men. A diverse group, Galvez's troops were made up of 274 regulars, 323 white militiamen, 107 free blacks and Creole, 24 slaves, and 26 Americans.

On February 20, five ships from Havana arrived off Mobile Bay carrying supplies, equipment and 1412 men. British commander of Fort Charlotte, Elias Durnford had only 100 soldiers and some sailors to defend the fort and city. Fort Charlotte was in disrepair with guns and ammunition that were mismatched. In an attempt to slow down the massing Spanish forces, Durnford leveled and burned houses in the town. On February 28, Spanish forces crossed the Dog River and marched to within two miles of Fort Charlotte. Galvez sent Colonel Francisco Bouligny to ask for Durnford's surrender pointing out that Spanish troops outnumbered British 20 to 1. Dirnford refused to surrender believing that relief forces under General John Campbell would soon be arriving from Pensacola. The promised relief never came.

Spanish troops dug in preparing for an all out attack on Fort Charlotte. On March 10, Galvez's forces began a fierce attack against the fort that lasted two days. Durnford surrendered the fort at sunset on March 12 and the Spanish officially took possession of the fort and Mobile on March 14, 1780. Ironically this is the only time in Mobile's history that the city has been directly fired upon. British losses included 3 killed, 9 wounded, 4 drowned, 4 deserted, and 307 captured as prisoners of war while Spanish losses ran 7 killed, 9 wounded, and at least 3 deserted.

While it is difficult to give a totally accurate measurement of the original Fort Conde, a good estimate can be made using the 1763 Pittman Map of Mobile. It was drawn early in the British period and researchers believe this map to be one of the most accurate plans of the fort and town. Sometimes called a square, standard, or star design, Fort Conde measured about 90,000 square feet or 11 acres of land including the earthworks and defenses leading up to the brick structure. If the full size fort were present today, it would take up large sections of downtown Mobile and spread over parts of Church, Royal, St Emmanuel, and Theater Streets.

Mobile's population during the Colonial Period was small, never over 500 people. The majority of residents were military personnel. Fort Conde was the focal point of the community and the larger Mobile Bay area as well. The plan at right shows how the 1763 town developed near the fort and where the fort and other buildings would be today if they were present.

COOPER RIVERSIDE PARK

The plaques mounted along the Cooper Riverside Park depict and describe some of the vessels which are common to the Port of Mobile. You may see some of these vessels working on the Mobile River while you read from the plaques. The twelve plaques were designed by the Propeller Club of Mobile, which is part of the international organization called the Propeller Club of the United States. The club has 11,000 members in sixty-three U S ports and twenty-six foreign ports. The members are primarily people employed in the marine industry and services related to the maritime field. The objective of the Propeller Club is to promote and support waterborne commerce and to support the necessary maintenance and growth of ports and waterways. The waterfront of Mobile has a rich history and is an active and vital part of the region's economy. We hope these plaques will help you understand a little more about the waterfront.

DREDGE
There are many types of dredges including the Cutterhead Dredge seen above. They are used to deepen our waterways and harbors and allow enough water depth for maritime traffic. The Cutterhead Dredge lowers the cutterhead to the bottom and churns up the material which is then pumped through a temporary floating pipeline to a disposal site on shore. Some are self propelled and some require other vessels to aid them in moving.

GENERAL CARGO VESSEL
Designed to carry various types of cargo on deck and in cargo holds. General cargo includes military equipment, bagged products, and many types of consumer products. Vessel is equipped for self loading/unloading. Length: 300 - 650 Feet. Beam: 65 - 106 Feet

CONTAINER SHIP
Designed to transport goods of all kinds in metal containers. The average length of these vessels is 650 feet and can carry as many as 1800 containers. Containers are stacked below deck as well as up on deck. They are loaded and taken off by large cranes.

BULK CARRIER
Specifically designed to carry various types of loose dry cargo in bulk. "Bulkers" in Mobile Harbor carry cargoes such as coal, wood chips, and iron ore. Length: 600 - 950 Feet. Beam: 100 - 155 Feet. Speed: 12 - 15 knots.

ROLL-ON / ROLL-OFF SHIP
Ships designed to carry automobiles, trucks and any other cargo that can be rolled aboard through stern or side openings. Some of these ships are also equipped to handle containers. The elevated section at the stern of the vessel can be lowered and used as a ramp. The average length of these vessels is 750 feet.

TANKER
Designed to transport petroleum products in bulk. A series of piping on the top deck is an indication that the vessel is a tanker. Length: 700 - 1200 Feet. Width: 100 - 200 Feet.

INLAND PUSHBOATS / BARGES
Inland pushboats are some of the most common vessels seen in our port. They push barges that carry a variety of products. Tank barges transport petroleum and chemical products. Hopper barges carry coal, rock, wood chips, lumber, grain, and other items. Many times they bring products to be loaded on a ship, and they also transport products away that were brought in by ship. They are designed to navigate in rivers and inland waterways. The larger the boat, the more barges they are able to push. In this picture they are pushing one tank barge and one coal barge. Boat Length: 40 to 140 Feet. Barge Length : 195 - 250 Feet. Horsepower Range: 400 to 4000 HP.

DRY DOCK
There are various kinds of dry docks. Most in our port are sectional floating docks. They are open ended structures that have tanks in the bottom that are pumped full of water, which sinks the dry-dock low enough in the water to float the ship into it. Once the ship is positioned inside, the water is pumped out which raises the dock up again, with the ship inside. This is how you raise a large ship out of the water for repairs.

HARBOR TUG
The vessel's purpose is to assist ships in docking, undocking, and maneuvering in close quarters. Harbor tugs also perform fire fighting duties in times of emergencies. Size: 70 to 100 Feet.

OFFSHORE TUGBOAT
Offshore tugboats are designed to pull large ocean barges 250 to 500 feet in length, loaded with bulk or oversized cargoes. These cargoes include construction equipment, lumber, railcars and general bulk cargo. Sizes: 85 to 150 feet with 1000 - 4000 HP.

OFFSHORE SUPPLY BOAT
Primarily services the offshore oil and gas exploration industry. Has storage tanks below deck that carry large amounts of fuel and fresh water out to the rigs. Vessel has long extended aft deck used to store the many items needed in the process of offshore drilling. Size Range: 165 - 220 Feet. Horsepower: 1500 - 22,000 HP.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES in MOBILE