Mobile AL

Mobile, AL is a very protected port due to the bay and the outer islands. In its hey day much of the cotton produced here was exported from the port. When cotton export dropped off the port had to scramble and began importing bananas from South America.
The port is still very active and there is a large cruise terminal here as well.
We started our visit to Mobile at Fort Conde which originally was established as a French fort. The remains of the fort are right in the downtown area. Part of the exhibit was a photo gallery of the people who made up the city of Mobile from the beginning. There definitely was a great slave influence in Mobile. Once the slaves were freed many of poor blacks and whites became sharecroppers. Mobile claims to be site of the first Mardi Gras celebration. It is interesting to note that Mardi Gras parades and celebrations are all along the Gulf Coast. There are weeks of parades, balls and parties in locations such as Pensacola, FL; Mobile, AL; Biloxi, MS and, of course, New Orleans. The Bay and the Gulf of Mexico make this area very attractive for beach goers and hosts a lot of water activities as well.