Mobile, located about twenty miles from Bluebell, Alabama, and about eleven miles from Daphne, Alabama, is the third most populous city in the state of Alabama. As one of the Gulf Coast's cultural centers, Mobile houses several art museums, a symphony orchestra, a professional opera, a professional ballet company, and a large concentration of historic architecture. Mobile is known for having the oldest organized carnival celebrations in the United States, dating to the 18th century of its early colonial period. People from Mobile are known as Mobilians.
The city of Mobile is pronounced moh-BEEL' and is named after the Mauvilla indian tribe (no relation to the word mobile, as in "mobile phone") This was the tribe encountered by the explorer Hernando de Soto in 1540. When European settlers later encountered members of this tribe in the 18th century, they referred to these native Americans as Mobilians.
Mobile was founded as the capital of French Louisiana in 1702, became part of British West Florida in 1763, became part of Spanish West Florida in 1779, and was then annexed as part of a US territory in 1813. The city has a culture all its own. French, British, and Spanish influence can be found throughout the city.
Past and Present Residents[]
- Dr. Judson Lyons
Other[]
- Polly Parker works in Mobile.
