Historical Sunday

We are constantly surrounded by beauty.  Whether it be history of the place you live or out in Mother Nature.  John Muir once said, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."  That is exactly what my wife and I accomplished today.  It is amazing how refreshing knowledge can be, how refreshing a simple walk outside can be.

We started the day with Fort Conde, which is located on the south side or Royal Street in downtown Mobile Alabama.  It is a replica of the historic french fort of the 1720's.  It is at 4/5 scale as a third of the original.  If Fort Conde was true to size it would cover large sections of Royal Street, Church Street, Government Boulevard, Saint Emanuel and Theatre Streets in downtown.  It would have covered about eleven acres.  The fort guarded Mobile and its people for almost one hundred years.  When England was in possession of it, it was named Fort Charlotte in honor of King George III's wife around 1763 to 1780.  In 1780 Spain
ruled the region and it was named Fort Carlota until 1813, in 1813 Mobile was occupied by American troops and the Fort was renamed Fort Charlotte.  In 1820 the U.S. Congress authorized sale and removal of the fort because it was no longer need, by 1823 most of the fort was gone.  In 1976 the replica was built in honor of the American Bicentennial.  Right across the street from Fort Conde is the Mobile History Museum.
 We decided to take a look at the new exhibit "Scottsboro Boys" and take a walk through the history of Mobile as well.  From the very beginnings of native American settlement all the way up to more recent times.  Mobile has been through almost anything you could imagine from hurricanes, plagues and even explosions.  A very fun and educational day.

After that we would head across the pond to Daphne Alabama.  We would go to Village Point park which is located off of scenic HWY 98.  This park is a landmine of history and also registered as a National Recreational Trail.  The park consists of links to some of the first settlers of the eastern shore.  Located inside the park is D'Olive Cemetery.  The D'Olive's lived here on their
plantation in the 1800's.  Evidence of  Indians, Spanish, French and English have been discovered in the park.  It is also home to six champion trees of Alabama.  Jackson's Oak is one of them, it is Alabama's champion live oak.  It was said in the War of 1812 that Andrew Jackson gave a speech from one of the tree's limbs to his army, but the tree is dated back even further than this.  It is on a Spanish land survey map from 1787 as a line marker.  The park includes several trails which are very easy hikes and a great place to enjoy.  If you follow the gravel road all the way down it will take you to Bay Front Park as well.

Overall it was an excellent day with my wife, we enjoyed nature and learned a little bit more about the place we call home.  In my opinion these are the things that matter, the history, the largest trees of its kind, spending time outside with someone you love, not the things most of us let ruin our day or consume our time and energy, myself included.  It was adventures like today that started it all for me and wife, from historical places and museums to canoeing the Delta and camping in the Sipsey Wilderness.  So once again I challenge you, get out of your house and enjoy yourself and the place you call home.  Believe it or not most places are filled with some very interesting things if we are willing to look.  Until next time, live to wander.