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Mobile , Alabama
Mobile, Alabama is located at
the joining of the Mobile River and the Mobile Bay on the north part of the
Gulf of Mexico, and the third biggest city in the state. It was originally
the capital of the colony of French Louisiana in 1702, then a part of the
English colony, then Spain and in 1813, it became a part of America. In
1861, it was one of the states seceding from the union and becoming a part
of the Confederate States. Mobile is the only port city for Alabama, which
has helped its development and growth over the years; and is the 10th
biggest port in the nation. Since it is located on the gulf, it has become
somewhat of a cultural hub for the area, with numerous museums, an opera,
ballet, orchestra and many historical buildings. It has the oldest carnival
celebrations in the country and hosted the first krewe of this country in
1830.
The city
endured many changes over the next century, including the civil war, but
since it was the only port for Alabama and an important one for the southern
states, it continued it growth and importance. While being one of the first
cities to import slaves, it wasn't as large a user of the slave trade as the
other inland areas, and in the turn of the century the progressive era
started many changes. During the early 1900s, the federal government
allocated millions to improve the harbor, and steel production and
shipbuilding grew, which in turn helped the population grow. Racial
tensions grew also and in 1902, the city passed the first segregation laws
regarding the electric street cars. The local African Americans boycotted
the cars for two months, but it didn't change anything. Jim Crow laws were
passed by the state legislature to ensure that the African American didn't
have any rights.
The second
World War brought greater increases in the ship building industry as it
brought in more people. During the first few years of the war, almost
90,000 people came to the city to work on Brookley Air Field and Alabama
Drydock and Shipbuilding Company; which made the city one of 18 in the
nation building Liberty ships for the war efforts. Gulf Shipbuilding
Corporation, part of Waterman Steamship Corporation built minesweepers,
freighter and Fletcher class destroyers. The aftermath of the war brought
about a change in the economic area with paper and chemical businesses
beginning to flourish, and many of the military installations were changed
to civilian venues.
After the
war, the African American increased their efforts to achieve racial
equality, and in the fifties integrated the police department and a local
college. Buses and lunch counters were voluntarily integrated by the
sixties, but in 1963, three students brought a case against the Mobile
County School Board for not allowing them to go to Murphy High School. The
court said to allow them into the next school year, 1964, the same year the
Civil Rights Act was passed. In the late sixties, the Brookley Air Force
Base closed and the city went through a tough time that lasted into the
seventies. In the late 1980s, Mayor Mike Dow and the city council started
efforts to revitalize the city with many new changes they called the String
of Pearls initiative. The city is still going through that effort and
shipbuilding has renewed its business there with Austal USA.
When traveling
to Mobile, the best way for
visitors to see the city and its wonderful historic sights, is to
rent a car. By car rental, visitors will save time and money, as
well as adding some flexibility to their busy schedule. Many people
pick up their rental car at or near the Mobile Airport so they have
a bigger choice. The rental car company can also pick you up at or
near the Mobile Airport and save you more time. Whatever you car
needs are, whether a compact, mid-size, full-size, luxury car, SUV
or minivan, let us help you choose the best car for your needs.
Dollar Rental Car Specials
Dollar Rental Car - Mobile
Airport
The Museum of Mobile is an exciting
museum that reflects the growth of the city over a 300 year period with
original artifacts of the early Native Americans that settled here; with
unique wall and hall hangings; as well as antique furniture, silver and
artwork. There is an interactive gallery for the children, old or young;
helping them to understand the growth and people of the area. Relive the
journey of a slave ship, the lives of the Civil War soldiers and other
interesting events that shaped this city on the gulf. Built in 1857, the
old city hall is now the museum and a National Historic Landmark.
Thrifty Rental
Car Specials
Thrifty Rental Car - Mobile Airport
Located on 175 acres, the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial
Park is home to the battleship that won 9 battle stars during World War II ,
a Mach 3 A-12 Blackbird supersecret spy plane, original plane used by
Tuskegee Airmen, USS Drum a submarine, Calamity Jane, a B-52 stratofortress
and 22 other aircraft and weapons from all areas of the military. View a
Vietnamese river patrol boat, tanks and all the cockpits of the various
planes. There is a Korean War Memorial and a Vietnam War Memorial. The
battleship itself was commissioned in 1942 and decommissioned in 1947, one
of the fortunate few that never suffered a casualty during the war and she
became nicknamed the Lucky A. |