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Eastern Shore, AL

Communities

Living is easy on the Eastern Shore. It’s a sportsman’s paradise, with year-round golfing, boating and fishing. Enjoy warm breezes as you stroll along the breathtaking view of Mobile Bay under a golden sunset. It’s an artist’s haven for both beginner and advanced. Festivals and cultural celebrations take place year-round. There’s Southern charm, friendly neighbors and magnolias. Experience architectural delights, unique shopping and fresh Gulf seafood to tempt every palate. The Eastern Shore is “a little slice of paradise”!

Our Cities & Communities
You’ll discover convenience and our wonderful location go hand-in-hand. The Eastern Shore is just two hours’ driving distance from New Orleans and about five hours from Atlanta (an hour’s flight), while Nashville, Memphis, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa are within a day’s drive. Interstates 65 and 10 converge nearby, U.S. 98 runs to Mobile and Mississippi, and highways 98 and 59 provide the connection between the Eastern Shore and Gulf Shores.

Spanish Fort
Located on the bluffs and rolling hills of the Eastern Shore, Spanish Fort is a city characterized by new development and boundless energy. Incorporated in 1993, Spanish Fort is located just north of I-10 and includes the Causeway, with a blend of nature and wonderful restaurants to try.

Visit the exciting new Eastern Shore Centre — a 58-acre lifestyle shopping center that offers more than 80 high-end stores and many specialty shops. There is a host of restaurants, including Fire Mountain, Ruby Tuesday, Ciao Bella Pizza and Cracker Barrel, just to name a few.
New development in Spanish Fort has sparked the growth of new neighborhoods in the town’s rolling hills. Just a few years ago, a new elementary school opened, and in 2005 the new state-of-the-art Spanish Fort High School opened its doors to students in this fast-growing community with easy access to Interstate 10.

Daphne
Nicknamed “The Jubilee City,” the bustling City of Daphne has experienced rapid population growth of more than 30 percent in the last few years. Although it is the largest city in Baldwin County, Daphne maintains the ambience of a small town. The centerpiece of historic Village Point Park Preserve is the magnificent tree known as “Jackson’s Oak,” named for Gen. Andrew Jackson, who rallied troops beneath the tree.

Today, visitors dine in the wonderful restaurants in historic Olde Towne Daphne, along Scenic Highway 98; discover the local history at the Old Methodist Museum; view works of local artists at the Bay Rivers Art Guild; enjoy the movies at the newly expanded, multi-screen Jubilee Square 12 Rave Theater; and visit the tempting shops and restaurants in Jubilee Square Shopping Center on U.S. 90, a moderate to high-end retail center that’s home to many well-known national chains and other shops. Also located in Daphne are several larger discount retail stores, such as Wal-Mart.

Fairhope
Known today for its romantic, sweeping views of Mobile Bay and the charm of its boutiques and flower-lined streets, Fairhope started as a dream by a group of individuals seeking their own utopia. The first single-tax colonists (economic reformers whose beliefs were based on the theories of Henry George) advocated no taxes other than a single land tax and founded their community on the high bluff overlooking Mobile Bay in 1894.

In the 1930s, the Single Tax Colony deeded miles of waterfront, bluff and other parklands to the City of Fairhope, along with a 0.25-mile-long pier. Today, residents and visitors enjoy the pier and parks on the waterfront. Village-style downtown Fairhope is home to locally owned shops, bookstores, antique stores, restaurants, art galleries, public art displays, and colorful street-corner flowers and hanging baskets. Fairhope’s vibrant arts scene draws skilled artists, writers, musicians and crafters. On the first Friday evening of each month, Fairhope’s galleries are open during Art Walk.

Fairhope maintains its unparalleled quality of life through improvements that honor its heritage and keep Fairhope a vibrant city for young and old alike.

Blakeley
This unincorporated community, founded in 1814, was the site of an army fort during the Civil War. Today it is a peaceful, growing community within an easy commute of work.

Historic Blakeley State Park, once a bustling city of 4,000 people, preserves much of the area’s history on more than 3,800 acres along the Tensaw River. Walk the pristine Civil War Battlefield, the site of the last major battle of the war. Camp on the primitive grounds and hike more than 10 miles of nature trails. Blakeley is the largest National Historic Register Site east of the Mississippi River. It abounds with prehistoric Indian mounds, a proposed wilderness RV park and the must-see Gatra L. Whele Nature Center. Don’t forget to take a ride on the Delta Explorer, with its one- and two-hour boat trips into the Tensaw Delta.

Malbis
In the early 1900s, two Greek immigrants, Jason Malbis and William Pappageorge, purchased land in Baldwin County just northeast of Daphne. The settlers encouraged their countrymen to join them in establishing a new community in America.

The community of Malbis grew and flourished. Jason Malbis was proud of his heritage and strong in his religious faith. His dream was to establish a Greek Orthodox church as the heart of the community. In 1965, supporters built a magnificent Greek Orthodox church, a replica of a Byzantine church in Athens. Services are held regularly, and visitors are always welcome to tour the church with its wonderful mosaics.

Barnwell
Just a short drive from all the amenities the Eastern Shore offers is the small rural community of Barnwell. It is not uncommon to find neighbors living miles apart. However, the location is ideal, because the community is just south of Fairhope and adjoins Point Clear.

Belforest
Belforest, a small community south of Malbis and close to I-10, is the breadbasket of the Eastern Shore. It continues to be very supportive of its farming heritage. Today, exciting new neighborhoods and businesses are expanding the community, just as other Baldwin County cities and communities are growing.

Montrose
Just south of Daphne, Montrose is a National Historic District located on Mobile Bay. Known for its elegant homes and towering oak trees on Scenic Highway 98, Montrose is home to Ecor Rouge (“Red Bluff”), which rises 120 feet above sea level. Ecor Rouge is the highest point of land on saltwater from Maine to Mexico. This historic neighborhood is a beautiful place to walk, jog and bicycle, especially in the spring, when the azaleas are in bloom.

Point Clear
Point Clear, once known as Punta Clara, is the westernmost point on the Eastern Shore and has the waters of Mobile Bay on both sides. In the 1800s, wealthy families from Baldwin County and Mobile built cottages along the bay. Walk along the two-mile boardwalk south of the Grand Hotel, first built in 1847, and you’ll see the fabulous old summer cottages, antebellum homes and newer homes. The 550-acre Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa features a four-star hotel, and its golf course is a jewel on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.