Be a time traveler this summer when you journey on the Civil War Trail, part of the Connecting with the Past itinerary on the Alabama Coastal Connection. Historic forts are just part of the treasures you’ll find on your journey. Grab the sunscreen, your good walking shoes and sense of adventure.
Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island is hailed as one of the guardians of Mobile Bay. The pentagon-shaped fort is on the Mobile County side while the star shape of Fort Morgan keeps its watch on the Baldwin County side of the bay. Both forts were built early in Alabama’s statehood to protect the coastline and played a pivotal role in the Battle of Mobile Bay during the Civil War.
Fort Gaines is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and admission is charged. From Fort Gaines, catch the Mobile Bay Ferry to Historic Fort Morgan in Baldwin County. The 30-minute trip across the bay is a grand adventure in itself. Check the ferry’s Facebook page for daily updates to its schedule.
When you reach Fort Morgan, breathe in the fresh air and listen as the flag ropes clang against the flagpole. It’s a sound that’s been heard for almost 200 years. During July, daily tours of Fort Morgan will be given at 10 a.m. – or experience a different kind of tour on Tuesday evenings at Fort Morgan when historical interpreters give Twilight Tours from 7 to 8 p.m.
Your next stop on the Civil War Trail is about 22 miles from Fort Morgan at the mouth of Fish River; Civil War troops on army transports and naval gunboats gathered here. You’ll find an environmental education center at Weeks Bay as well as a public boat launch, and interpretive signs are located along the boardwalk.
Continue your journey through the past at Starke’s Landing at May Day Park in Daphne. This site served as a U.S. Army supply depot in 1865. While standing on the shore of the bay, imagine the flotilla that crossed the bay in its attempt to occupy the City of Mobile.
Your last stop in this tour is the Eastern Shore Overlook in Spanish Fort. Read the stories of Fort McDermott and the 8th Iowa Line, key elements in the siege and battle at Spanish Fort.
The journey along the Connecting with the Past itinerary can take you two days depending on how long you like to spend exploring forts and other historic spots. Enjoy the trek and be sure to stop for plenty of yummy food and treats along Alabama’s Coastal Connection.
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