From Rome to Home: My life in Mobile, Alabama: Washington Square, Oakleigh Garden District

Friday, August 19, 2011

Washington Square, Oakleigh Garden District

I recommend to anyone visiting Mobile that they take a tour of the Oakleigh Garden District. In the heart of the district is Washington Square which was deeded to the city as a public promenade in 1850. The homes facing the square were built just after the Civil War and represent some of the best examples of italianate and victorian architecture in the city.

14 comments:

Claudia FabianaAugust 19, 2011 at 2:55 PM
I would love to visit. It looks so pretty!

Hope you have a great weekend!
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SimonaAugust 19, 2011 at 3:13 PM
Thank you Fabiana, we`ll give you a personal tour!
Hope you have a great weekend also!
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DrickAugust 19, 2011 at 5:49 PM
beautiful photos Simona, so clear... very nice pictorial for your readers, now what about that deer, dear...
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SimonaAugust 19, 2011 at 6:24 PM
Ahhhh, the deer. What an old and fine buck that fills the kids with glee. It's said that it originally resided in Bienville Square before the war was lost by Lee...
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Anita @ GoingALittleCoastalAugust 19, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Such beautiful old homes. Thanks so much for the tour!
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SimonaAugust 19, 2011 at 7:47 PM
Thank you Anita! More to come...
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Bama PlanterAugust 20, 2011 at 6:41 AM
I loved reading your blog and look forward to all of your future posts. My sister lives in Fairhope at Rock Creek so I am somewhat familiar with the area ( We took a paid tour of the Historic District and Oakleigh years ago). Reading your posts helped me to remember just how fun and exciting and historical Mobile is. Marshel at Bamaplanter. Thanks for joining my blog followers. Everyone who joins is important to me.
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SimonaAugust 20, 2011 at 7:12 AM
Marshel, I was excited to come across your blog this morning! My husband and I often make forays into Alabama's black belt antiquing as well. I enjoyed seeing your "finds" as well as the photos of your old house. Thanks for following me as well.
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AnonymousAugust 26, 2011 at 6:04 PM
What a lovely post! I am a Mobile native who has lived in central Florida for the past 26 years. I write a cooking blog, Syrup and Biscuits, that you might enjoy. I have authentic Southern recipes and I write stories about Southern lifestyle and culture. Please come visit. Thank you for such a lovely trip through my hometown.
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AnonymousAugust 26, 2011 at 7:01 PM
What a great square! I'm lucky enough to live a baseball throw from it. It does need a bike rack though. And this is something I'm working on :) Don't worry it will fit the surrounding architecture and style.
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SimonaAugust 26, 2011 at 7:59 PM
@syrupandbiscuits: Thanks for the compliment and for stopping by. I will definately check out your blog!
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SimonaAugust 26, 2011 at 8:05 PM
@Southernspokes: Your work is paying off. I was glad the City Council adopted the "Complete Streets" back in June. Hopefully we will continue to see more people biking!
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Why Rome?November 4, 2011 at 8:20 AM
Hi Simona, my father discovered your blog and passed it along to me today. It seems you and I have switched lives. :-) I am a native Mobilian currently living in Rome, Italy. I moved to Rome a year ago to be with my husband, and I also blog about my daily life in the city.

Your blog is a great reminder of my home town. My husband and I were actually married in Washington Square a little over a year ago, so your photos were especially lovely to see. I am very glad I came across your blog, and I look forward to your future posts.

Andrea
www.whyrome.blogspot.com
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SimonaNovember 4, 2011 at 5:36 PM
Ciao Andrea! Che piacere! What a funny coincidence...yes, we are trading places! Feel free to visit any time you feel homesick. :)
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Simona's Top 10 things to do while in Mobile, Alabama

#1 Take a walk Downtown on Dauphin Street. There's a lot of great architecture and places to eat. Don't miss the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and the Bishop Portier House. Bienville Books is one of my favorite haunts and dinner at Wintzell's Oyster House is a must before leaving Mobile.

#2 Tour Mobile's Greek Revival Public Buildings. Buildings of note include Barton Academy and the Presbyterian Church on Government Street and Christ Episcopal Church at the corner of St Emanuel and Church Street (near the Fort Conde Visitor Center). The Mobile City Hospital and Marine Hospital on St Anthony Street and the Washington Fire Station on Lawrence Street are also worth a visit for the architectural enthusiast or history buff.

#3 Walk through the De Tonti Square Historic District. This is one of Mobile's oldest neighborhoods and includes architecture ranging from raised Creole Cottages to brick Federal and Italianate Townhouses. Just outside De Tonti Square, monthly jazz jambalaya's are held by the Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed at the Old Gulf City Lodge.

#4 Tour the Oakleigh Garden District. Stops should include a tour of the Oakleigh House Museum, a stroll through the camelias and under the oak shaded canopy of Washington Square, and dining at Callaghan's Irish Bar. When you need a break, stop by the newly renovated Cream and Sugar Coffee House.

#5 Visit Spring Hill College. The architecture and landscape of the southeast's oldest catholic university provide for a pleasant stroll through the grounds. Stewartfield is an excellent example of an antebellum home that is on campus but don't miss other notable homes in the area including the Marshall-Eslava house on Tuthill Lane, the Gaillard House on Myrtlewood Lane, and Carolina Hall on Yester Place.

#6 Travel along the Old Dauphinway. On your return from Spring Hill, along Spring Hill Avenue, the Old Shell Road, and Dauphin Street you'll find many exceptional old homes. The Gates-Davy House on Dauphin, the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion on Spring Hill Avenue, and the Calef House on Old Shell Road are a few of my favorites. For a special treat, stop by the Visitation Monastery on Spring Hill Avenue where the nuns have been selling their delicious "Heavenly Hash" since the 1950's.

#7 Go back in time in Church Street East and Fort Conde Village. Back downtown, make sure to check out the on-going renovations in Fort Conde Village and visit the Conde-Charlotte House Museum. Church Street East has a range of architectural styles including many turn of the 20th century shotgun homes. The replica Fort Conde includes great colonial-era artifacts collected at the site and the nearby Museum of Mobile provides additional insite into Mobile's History. No visit to Mobile would be complete without visiting the Mardi Gras Museum on Government Street which celebrates Mobile's oldest tradition.

#8 Take a Cemetery Tour. Mobile has many old cemeteries and three of them should definately be on any travel itenerary. The Church Street Grave Yard dates to 1820 and includes separate sections for the interment of catholics, protestants, and strangers. Yellow fever quickly helped to fill up the Church Street Cemetery so Magnolia Cemetery, 1838, and the Catholic Cemetery, 1848, were created.

#9 Go for a Bike Ride. Mobile has a couple of very active bike groups with group rides available for the novice to the pro. The relatively mild weather through much of the year, flat terrain, street layout, and the many less travelled roads provide excellent biking opportunities. "Mobilians on Bikes" can be found on facebook and provides information on all the rides.

#10 Tour the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is the second largest delta in the United States and provides many opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, and nature watching. Eagles, Osprey, and Alligators are some of my favorite sites. The Bottle Creek Indian Mound is a treasure hidden deep within the delta.