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What Mobile, Alabama looked like in the 1900s through these Stunning Historical Photos

At the turn of the 20th Century, Mobile’s population increased from about 40,000 in 1900 to 60,000 by 1920. The city received $3 million in federal grants during this time to deepen the shipping channels in the harbor. In the years following World War I, manufacturing became increasingly crucial to Mobile’s economy, especially shipbuilding and steel production. City officials in Mobile passed their first segregation ordinance in 1902, which segregated the city’s streetcars. The African American community in Mobile responded to this with a two-month boycott that ultimately failed. Eventually, Mobile’s de facto segregation would be replaced with legislated segregation. In 1911, the city adopted the commission form of government and expanded streetcar and telephone service. Nevertheless, the war hampered progress once again. When World War I erupted in Europe, trade vessels were recalled for military service, causing the port to stagnate.

The industrial sector also boosted the economy of Mobile at the beginning of the 1900s. Mobile was a major port, shipbuilding and repair center during World Wars I and II. The city remains a center for shipping, shipbuilding, and ship repair.

Here are some stunning historical photos that show Mobile, Alabama, at the turn of the 20th Century.

#1 Bird’s Eye View of Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1900s

#5 Workers inside a factory, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Workers inside a factory, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#6 Insane Hospital, Mt. Vernon, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#7 Bathing at Rolston’s Hotel, Coden, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#10 Bird’s-eye View, Mobile, 1900s

Bird's-eye View, Mobile, 1900s

#12 Central Presbyterian Church, Dauphin & Ann Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#14 Steamboat “City of Mobile” on the Alabama River in Selma, 1903

#15 Bienville Square, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Bienville Square, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#17 A Nook in the Mission Lobby of the Cawthon Hotel, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#20 Bienville Hotel, Mobile, 1900s

Bienville Hotel, Mobile, 1900s

#21 Bienville Square, Mobile, 1900s

Bienville Square, Mobile, 1900s

#24 Cawthon Hotel, St. Joseph and St. Francis Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#25 Central Presbyterian Church, Dauphin & Ann Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Central Presbyterian Church, Dauphin & Ann Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#26 Chapel and Grounds, Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1900s

#27 Coal Crane For Loading Ocean Going Steamers Mobile, 1900s

#28 Come along to Mobile, Ala. Autoing’s great, 1900s

#30 Convent of Mercy, Mobile, 1900s

Convent of Mercy, Mobile, 1900s

#35 County Court House, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

County Court House, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#36 Temple Shaarai Shamayim, Government Street, Mobile, 1906

#37 Students outside a school building in rural Mobile County, 1901

#38 A Corridor, Cawthon Hotel, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#40 Bienville Hotel, Mobile, 1900s

Bienville Hotel, Mobile, 1900s

#41 Bienville Square showing a few of Mobile’s prominent buildings, Mobile, 1900s

#45 A Typical Cotton Compress Scene in the South, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

A Typical Cotton Compress Scene in the South, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#48 Birds Eye View overlooking Bienville Square, Mobile, 1900s

#49 Cathedral Rectory, Built by William H. Ketchum Around 1850. 400 Government St., Mobile, 1900s

#50 Children’s Playground in Washington Square, Mobile, 1900s

Children's Playground in Washington Square, Mobile, 1900s

#55 Cotton Exchange and Chamber of Commerce, Mobile, 1900s

Cotton Exchange and Chamber of Commerce, Mobile, 1900s

#60 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1904

Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama, 1904

#64 Dog River Fishing and Hunting Club, near Mobile, 1904

#65 Dog River, Mobile, 1904

Dog River, Mobile, 1904

#70 Entrance to Alabama Insane Hospital, Mt. Vernon, 1900s

Entrance to Alabama Insane Hospital, Mt. Vernon, 1900s

#71 Entrance to Ashland Place, former Home of Augusta Evans Wilson (Authoress) in the distance, Mobile, 1900s

#72 Episcopal Church Home, (Orphanage), Mobile, 1900s

#75 Fidelia Club, Mobile, 1904

Fidelia Club, Mobile, 1904

#76 Fire Engine House, Erected in 1843- No. 1 S. Laurence St., Mobile, 1901

#79 Former Home of Augusta Evans-Wilson, the Authoress, Mobile, 1900s

#80 Fountain and Cross, Bienville Square, Mobile, 1900s

Fountain and Cross, Bienville Square, Mobile, 1900s

#84 Government Street Presbyterian Church and Burgett Memorial, Mobile, 1904

#85 Government Street Scene, Mobile, 1904

Government Street Scene, Mobile, 1904

#90 Grape Fruit – On Mobile, 1904

Grape Fruit - On Mobile, 1904

#91 Gulf Fishing and Hunting Club, Dog River, Mobile, 1904

#92 Having Fatted on Alabama for 90 Years It Is Now Time for a Change, 1900s

#93 Havoc of the Storm in Biernell Square, Sept. 27, 1906, Mobile.

#94 Hedge of Early Pink Azaleas, Mobile, Alabama, 1901

#95 Home of Augusta Evans Wilson, Mobile, 1901

Home of Augusta Evans Wilson, Mobile, 1901

#100 Jail and Court House in background, Mobile, 1901

Jail and Court House in background, Mobile, 1901

#105 Live Oaks, Mobile, 1907

Live Oaks, Mobile, 1907

#109 Magnolia River, Mobile, Ala. – On Mobile, 1907

#110 Main building of the Hotel Joullian, Coden, 1907

Main building of the Hotel Joullian, Coden, 1907

#111 Main Buildings, Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1907

#114 McMillan Home, Built Around 1850 – 256 N. Joachim, Mobile, 1907

#115 Medical College, Mobile, 1907

Medical College, Mobile, 1907

#116 Mill Dam, M.L. Davis’ Saw Mill, Oak Grove, 1907

#119 Mobile Country Golf Club and Links, showing Bay, Mobile, 1907

#120 Mobile Infirmary, Mobile, 1907

Mobile Infirmary, Mobile, 1907

#124 Augusta Evans Wilson Home, Spring Hill Ave, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#125 Avenue in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Avenue in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#130 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#133 Confederate Rest. Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#134 Convent of the Visitation Gate, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#135 Convent of the Visitation, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Convent of the Visitation, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#139 Grotto of Lourdes at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#140 In the Convent Grounds, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

In the Convent Grounds, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#141 Live Oak Tree (Spreading over 100 feet), Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#144 New Home of Augusta Evans Wilson, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#145 Post Office, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Post Office, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#148 Reception Hall, Y.M.C.A. Building, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#149 River Front, showing Grain Elevator, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#150 River Front, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

River Front, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#152 Spring Hill College Drive, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#155 The Cloister. Convent of the Visitation, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

The Cloister. Convent of the Visitation, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#156 The Grapery, Seventh Floor, Cawthon Hotel, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#157 The Lake at Jesuit College, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#159 Trinity Episcopal Church, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#160 Unloading Bananas, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Unloading Bananas, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#164 Monroe Park and shell road on Mobile Bay, Mobile, 1903

#165 Augusta Evans Wilson Present Home, Government St., Mobile, 1909

Augusta Evans Wilson Present Home, Government St., Mobile, 1909

#167 Old Home of Augusta Evans-Wilson, the Authoress, Mobile, 1909

#170 Packet, James T. (BIG JIM) Staples, laying stern upstream, Prairie Bluff, Alabama River, (Mi 225, from Mobile), on Maiden Trip, 1909.

Packet, James T. (BIG JIM) Staples, laying stern upstream, Prairie Bluff, Alabama River, (Mi 225, from Mobile), on Maiden Trip, 1909.

#171 Pat. J. L. Lyons Park, Springhill Ave., Mobile, 1909

#175 Raphael Semmes Monument, Mobile, 1909

Raphael Semmes Monument, Mobile, 1909

#176 River Steamers along Municipal Wharf, Mobile, 1909

#180 Royal Street. Mobile, 1908

Royal Street. Mobile, 1908

#183 S. Lossing’s Home, Made of Oyster Shells, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#184 Scene on St. Louis St. after the storm of Sept. 27, 1906

#185 Sea Cliff, Alabama, Across the Bay from Mobile, 1906

Sea Cliff, Alabama, Across the Bay from Mobile, 1906

#188 Southern Markets Erected on Fort Charlotte’s Foundations, S. Royal St., Mobile, 1907

#190 Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1907

Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1907

#191 St. Francis St. Hotel Bienville and Athelstan Club, Mobile, 1907

#193 St. Francis Street Methodist Church, Mobile, 1907

#195 St. John’s Episcopal Church, Mobile, 1907

St. John's Episcopal Church, Mobile, 1907

#197 St. Joseph St., opposite Bienville Sq. Mobile, 1907

#200 St. Vincent’s Church, Mobile, 1907

St. Vincent's Church, Mobile, 1907

#201 Steamer Saratoga between Havana and Mobile, Mobile, 1906

#204 The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, 1906

#205 The Cotton Docks, Mobile, 1906

The Cotton Docks, Mobile, 1906

#207 The Great Storm of Sept. 27, 1906, wrecked vessel, Mobile

#210 The Van Antwerp Building, Mobile, 1907

The Van Antwerp Building, Mobile, 1907

#214 University Military School and Cadet Battalion, Mobile, 1906

#215 University Military School, Mobile, 1906

University Military School, Mobile, 1906

#219 View of St. Joseph St., looking North, Mobile, 1906

#220 West Government Street, Mobile, 1904

West Government Street, Mobile, 1904

#222 Wreckage, foot of St. Francis Street, storm. Sept. 27, 1906, Mobile

#224 African American man driving a team of oxen pulling a wagon of logs in Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#225 Confederate memorial parade in downtown Mobile, 1902

Confederate memorial parade in downtown Mobile, 1902

#226 Construction of the steamboat “Nettie Quill” in Mobile, 1902

#227 Abuilding at the Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, 1902

#228 A wagon of watermelons at Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, Alabama, 1902

#229 Buildings at Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, 1902

#230 Doctors and staff in front of the main entrance to the Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, 1902

Doctors and staff in front of the main entrance to the Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, 1902

#231 The superintendent’s residence at the Mount Vernon Hospital in Mobile County, 1902

#233 Damage from a hurricane in downtown Mobile, Alabama, just south of the L & N depot, 1902

#234 Damage from a hurricane in downtown Mobile, 1902

#235 Damage from a hurricane in Mobile, 1902

Damage from a hurricane in Mobile, 1902

#236 Damage from a hurricane on a residential street in Mobile, 1902

#237 Damage to the shoreline after a hurricane in Mobile, 1902

#238 Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile, Alabama, 1903

#239 Flooded street at Duncan Place in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#240 Flooded street in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

Flooded street in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#243 North Royal Street in downtown Mobile, Alabama, 1908

#244 Raphael Semmes Camp of the United Confederate Veterans in Mobile, 1907

#245 Raphael Semmes monument in downtown Mobile, Alabama, 1907

Raphael Semmes monument in downtown Mobile, Alabama, 1907

#246 Raphael Semmes Monument on Government Street in downtown Mobile, Alabama, 1901

#247 Ruins of a brick building, probably an Odd Fellows Hall in Mobile County, 1903

#248 Steamboat “Helen Burke” and other steamboats leaving Mobile, Alabama, for Selma and Demopolis, 1903

#249 Steamboat “Helen Burke” leaving Mobile, Alabama, to travel northward, 1903

#250 Steamboat “M. A. Burke” in Mobile, Alabama, 1903

Steamboat "M. A. Burke" in Mobile, Alabama, 1903

#251 Steamboats “Jas. T. Staples” and “City of Mobile” on the Alabama River in Selma, Alabama, 1903

#252 Students and faculty in front of the public school in Wilmer, Alabama, 1901

#253 Students and teacher outside a school building in rural Mobile County, 1901

#254 Students standing in front of the public school in Whistler, Alabama, 1902

#255 Wreckage at the docks in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

Wreckage at the docks in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#256 Wreckage at the docks in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#257 Wreckage at the docks in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#258 Wreckage of the “Steamer ‘Mary” in Mobile, Alabama, after the hurricane of 1906.

#259 A nook in the Mission Lobby of the Cawthon Hotel, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#260 Insane Hospital, Mt. Vernon, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

Insane Hospital, Mt. Vernon, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

#263 Battle House, Royal and St. Francis Streets, Mobile, Alabama, 1900s

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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