|
|
|
Place Name
|
Mobile
|
|
Pronunciation
|
MO-beel
|
|
Place Status (Type)
|
city
|
|
Capital Of
|
Mobile County
|
|
Population
|
196,278 (1990)
|
|
Location
|
Mobile County, Alabama (AL), United States, North America
|
|
Latitude
|
unknown
|
|
Longitude
|
unknown
|
Mobile
(MO-beel), city (1990 pop. 196,278),  Mobile co.,
SW Ala., at the head of Mobile Bay, at the mouth of the Mobile R. It is
one of the country's major ports, the only seaport in Ala., and the
2d-largest city in the state. Oil refineries; paper, textiles,
aluminum, and chemicals; iron smelting. After the Tennessee-Tombigbee
waterway was completed in 1984, connecting N Miss.'s Tennessee R. with
the Tombigbee R. in W Ala. and providing access to the Gulf of Mexico,
Mobile enjoyed a boom in business growth and redevelopment. Mobile was
the capital of Fr. Louisiana (1710-1719). The Br. held it
(1763-1780), before Bernardo de Galvez took it for Spain. Mobile
was seized by the U.S. in 1813. During the Civil War, ships from Mobile
evaded the Federal blockade until Admiral Farragut's victory at Mobile
Bay (1864); Gen. E. R. S. Canby captured the city in April, 1865.
Mobile has many beautiful antebellum homes and magnificent gardens.
Also noteworthy are a R.C. cathedral, the city hall (1858), and Marine
Hosp. (1842). Of historical interest are forts Morgan and Gaines at the
entrance to Mobile Bay. Mobile is the seat of Spring Hill Col., Univ.
of Mobile, the Univ. of South Ala., and Bishop State Community Col.
Brookley, a coast guard station, and a coast guard aviation training
center are here. The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, USS
Drum submarine, and numerous aircraft are here. The colorful
annual Mardi Gras was begun in the early 1700s; the Azalea Trail
Festival dates from 1929. The Bankhead Tunnel lies under the Mobile R.
Inc. 1814.
|
