Travel Guide to Historic Districts in Downtown Mobile, Alabama

The city of Mobile was founded in 1702 and the area was explored by the Spanish as early as 1519. It is a city that is older than New Orleans and has many historic districts that rival those found in Charleston or Savannah. Several of the historic districts are located in the downtown area and include much of the commercial business district.

The city was settled by the French and was eventually under Spanish, English, and Confederate control during its history. These influences are found throughout the historic areas in the various styles of architecture and by the street names that reflect the period when each country ruled the area. According to information on the Mobile Historic Commission website, http://www.mobilehd.org/ornament.php, many of these buildings in the downtown historic districts feature the ornamental iron lace balconies that were often the handiwork of artisan slaves who lived in the city during that period. This article provides information for travelers to the main historic districts in downtown Mobile and highlights some of the key buildings and sites within each district. Much of the information in this article is based on information found on Wikipedia under the Historic districts in Mobile, Alabama topic.