Alabama Historic Places and Landmarks

The Miracle of Mobile Bay

By |

This story is not fiction. It is an amazing account of an episode in connection with the naval battle in Mobile bay, on August 5 1864, when the monitor Tecumseh was sunk in action. The names in the story, as told by Rear Admiral Goodrich, are real, and with the historic facts set forth are in the records of the great Civil war.

Alabama Treasure Legends

French Treasure Ship Yet To Be Found

By |

French Treasure Ship Yet To Be Found
In September 1724, a French merchant ship was located off the coast of present-day Alabama near present-day Dauphin Island.  The vessel was “La Bellone.” In her hold was stored a cargo of beaver skins, deer hides, tobacco, indigo and coins and bullion valued at 40,000 crowns. She was on her way to Dauphin Island to collect the yearly production of goods by the French colonials in Louisiana, and transport them to France. While trying to enter Pelican Bay, the Bellone ran aground.

Alabama Maps

Map: 1718 Map of Gulf Coast Region

By |

Original is possession of Chicago’s Historical Society. Shows De Soto’s wanderings in 1540, La Salle’s landing, his journey to the interior, and the place of his death; Tonti’s journey to the Chickasaws, the old forts at Biloxi, on Mobile Bay, and on the Mississippi River below New Orleans, route of Bienville from Tensas village to Red River.

Alabama Maps
In August, 1864, Admiral Farragut defeated the Confederate forces in Mobile Bay.

Civil War Map: Rebel Defences of Mobile

By |

Map shows route taken by Union Admiral Farragut in August 1864 as well as that in March 1865, when his fleet provided naval support to land forces under Frederick Steele and E.R.S. Camby. Camby captured Spanish Fort and Blakely, across the bay from Mobile, entering that city on April 18. This map pays attention to the Confederates use of spikes and torpedoes (naval mines) as defenses against an invasion by water.