fishing
Big Creek Lake Semmes AL Mobile County Alabama

Big Creek Lake

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Big Creek Lake

Semmes AL

Mobile County Alabama
 

 

Big Creek Lake (or Converse Reservoir) is a municipal reservoir which serves as the main source of drinking water for the city of Mobile, Alabama and its suburbs.[1] It was formed by the damming of Big Creek, a tributary of the Escatawpa River in southwest Alabama. The reservoir was the subject of controversy in the 1980s over freshwater rights between Alabama andMississippi.[2]

 
During the period from 1907 to 1940, the city of Mobile kept pace with providing water service for the population growth until the outbreak of World War II when it became increasingly apparent that the existing sources of supply were inadequate and undependable. A new source was necessary not only because of lack of sufficient quantity, but because the water sheds of Clear and Three Mile Creeks were becoming more urbanized and the quality of the supply was endangered. The source of supply recommended by the Mobile Water Works to the City and Planning Commissions was Big Creek, in the western part of Mobile County. The Big Creek project was placed in service in 1952 at a cost of about $7,000,000 including land, dams, pumphouse, reservoir and pipelines.

Free Things To Do In Alabama
Free Things To Do In Alabama Fort Conde Mobile AL

Fort Conde

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Mobile was originally founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1702 as Fort Louis de la Mobile at 27-Mile Bluff up river (27 miles [43 km] from the mouth).[1][2] After the Mobile River flooded and damaged the fort, Mobile was relocated in 1711 to the current site. A temporary wooden stockade fort was constructed, also named Fort Louis after the old fort up river.[1] In 1723, construction of a new brick fort with a stone foundation began, renamed later as Fort Condé in honor of Louis Henri de Bourbon, duc de Bourbon and prince de Condé.

civil war
Rare painiting of Tecumseh at sea en route to Mobile Bay, accompanied by Augusta (right) and Eutaw. Oil on canvas (1912) by Xanthus Smith, Captain's Clerk aboard Augusta

Alabama Civil War Timeline: September 13, 1864

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Alabama Civil War Timeline
September 13, 1864

Admiral Farragut At Mobile Bay
Rear Admiral Farragut’s sailors continued to clear the main ship channel at Mobile Bay of torpedos such as the one that bad sunk U.S.S. Tecumseh on 5 August. He reported to Secretary Welles that 22 torpedos had been raised. He added: ” This part of the channel is now believed to be clear, for, though beyond doubt many more were originally anchored here, report says they have sunk over one hundred to the bottom.” Despite the Admiral’s efforts, Union ships would be destroyed in the vicinity of Mobile Bay by torpedoes in the months to come. MORE MOBILE COUNTY ARTICLES

ALABAMA CIVIL WAR MAIN PAGE

 

Alabama Civil War

Alabama Civil War Timeline: September 11, 1864

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Alabama Civil War Timeline
September 11, 1864
Expedition Up Fish River At Mobile Bay
Acting Lieutenant Wiggin led an expedition up Fish River at Mobile Bay to seize an engine used by Confederates in a sawmill and to assist Union soldiers in obtaining lumber. Tinclad U.S.S. Rodolph, Acting Lieutenant George D. Upham, and wooden side-wheeler U.S.S. Stockdale, Acting Master Spiro V. Bennis, with Wiggin embarked, convoyed Army transport Planter to Smith’s mill, where they took the engine, 60,000 feet of lumber, and some livestock. Loading the lumber on board a barge in tow of Planter took almost until nightfall, and in the dusk of the return down-stream, Confederate riflemen took the ships under fire and felled trees ahead of them. The gun-boats returned the fire rapidly and Rodolph broke through the obstructions, enabling the remaining ships to pass downriver.  

ALABAMA CIVIL WAR MAIN PAGE

Mobile Alabama
Boyington Oak | Church Street Graveyard | Mobile Alabama

Boyington Oak

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The Boyington Oak is a historic Southern live oak in Mobile, Alabama. In a city with many live oaks that are famous for their age and size, the Boyington Oak stands out as a singular example of one famous for the folklore surrounding its origin.
Ghost stories about the tree claim that visitors have reported hearing crying and whispering sounds emanating from the vicinity of the tree.

Bayou La Batre Alabama
Bayou La Batre Alabama

Visiting Forrest Gump

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Visiting Forrest Gump

Bayou La Batre Alabama
Bayou La Batre is mesmerizing. As soon as you arrive at the first traffic light (one of two) at Highway 188 and Padgett Switch Road, it’s not hard to let yourself reminisce about days and places long gone. Speed limit signs in Bayou La Batre need to be replaced with big red caution signs: “Caution. Wonder & Astonishment Ahead!” Turn left.