Fairhope
Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay
Fairhope
Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, on a sloping plateau, along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 12,480. Fairhope is a principal city of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area, which includes all of Baldwin County.
Fairhope Museum of History
Fairhope was founded in November, 1894 on the site of former Alabama City as a
utopian single tax colony by the "Fairhope Industrial Association": a group of
28 followers of economist Henry George who had incorporated earlier that year in
Des Moines, Iowa. Their corporate constitution explained their purpose in
founding a new colony:
"to establish and conduct a model community or colony, free from all forms of
private monopoly, and to secure to its members therein equality of opportunity,
the full reward of individual efforts, and the benefits of co-operation in
matters of general concern."
In forming their demonstration project, they pooled their funds to purchase land
at "Stapleton's pasture" on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and then divided it
into a number of long-term leaseholds. The corporation paid all governmental
taxes from rents paid by the lessees, thus simulating a single-tax. The purpose
of the single-tax colony was to eliminate disincentives for productive use of
land and thereby retain the value of land for the community.
Jubilee
In 1907 educator Marietta Johnson founded the School for Organic Education in
Fairhope. The school was praised in John Dewey's influential 1915 book Schools
of Tomorrow. Dewey and Johnson were founding members of the Progressive
Education Association.
mural by Dean Mosher
of the important people in Fairhope history
The Fairhope Single-Tax Corporation still operates, with 1,800 leaseholds covering more than 4,000 acres (16 km2) in and around the current city of Fairhope. Despite the ideals of the corporation, the town has transitioned from utopian experiment to artist's and intellectual's colony to boutique resort and affluent suburb of Mobile.
For over 50 years, fishermen and residents of Fairhope have experienced the
"jubilee" phenomenon. During a jubilee along the shores of Mobile Bay, some
aquatic animals, including blue crabs, flounder, stingrays, and eels, come to
the shallow water. At those times, it is possible to catch the fish, crabs, and
other sea life near the water's edge.
A nearby attraction known as the Weeks Bay Nature Reserve is known for the many
oaks, wildlife and pitcher plants along the elevated walkways through the swamp
forest.
Text from Wikipedia
old jail in the back of the Museum
the wood carver
to be confused with "Vera Bradley"
Pecan trees
Pecan storage ?
beach on Mobile Bay
Art
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