When was gulf shores founded

Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about. Skip to Main Content. Loading Close. Do Not Show Again Close. Sign In. In the s, the state became interested in developing resort-style facilities for Gulf State Park to promote economic development, increase tourism and create jobs.

In , a site campground and a beach pavilion were completed. The original lodge opened in and quickly became an iconic centerpiece of the community, hosting many meetings of local groups, high school proms, and Mardi Gras balls. Hugh Branyon — our trails network namesake — took over as Park superintendent in and he, too, spent well over 30 years managing the Park from Three years into his tenure, Hurricane Frederic struck on September 12, with mph winds. The entire area was inundated with 3—5 feet of seawater and the pier and the old lodge were badly damaged.

Regional Growth. The first hotel on the beach opened in the s and the first post office opened in Shrimping, which had been primarily providing bait for other fishing segments since the early s, grew with the appearance of deep-sea trawling for the commercial seafood market around At the same time, Orange Beach was becoming more modern. While the first hotel in Orange Beach was built in on the site where the Coastal Arts Center is located , it was only accessible by water until the first paved road to Orange Beach was finished in Electricity followed in and phone service in Unfortunately, the original hotel had to be torn down in due to severe structural damage, but it served as the inspiration for the Coastal Arts Center.

Several historical elements, including the columns, wood flooring, doors and windows were salvaged and are featured in the new gallery. People start coming from far and wide In , a bus started making regular trips from Mobile to Gulf Shores, with stops along the way in Spanish Fort, Malbis, Loxley, Robertsdale, Summerdale and Foley. This allowed people who lived in more distant parts of Baldwin County, as well as those from Mobile, to have easier access to Gulf State Park.

It quickly became a popular recreation area. The first hotel opened in the early s. As tourism continued to grow, it still remained largely seasonal, with summer being the peak season. In fact, most businesses would close up on Labor Day in September and not reopen until the following year.

In an effort to increase tourism in the fall, the Alabama National Shrimp Festival was first held in Gulf Shores in and continues to be a popular annual event. Always the second weekend of October, it boasts more than , attendees every year. Ironically, nationwide news coverage of the storm and its severity marked the first time many Americans became aware of Alabama's coast. The recovery sparked a building boom that saw many new homes, restaurants, golf courses, marinas and other businesses spring up across the coastal communities and tourism quickly replaced fishing, shrimping and farming as the lead economic driver.

The home was donated by the Cole family and has been used as the area's library, youth center, and now the Gulf Shores Museum. The steeple that is situated on the Gulf Shores Museum is just another example of the generosity found throughout the area. This steeple was donated by the Oyster Bay Baptist Church in offering a place to watch over the garden. Not all events that took place to mold the history of Gulf Shores, Alabama were welcoming.

In Hurricane Fredric hit the Gulf Shores area head on and cause serious devastation for the residents and business owners alike. The entire beachfront area of Gulf Shores was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. This did ignite the massive construction boom in which many business headquarters, condominiums, retail centers, and restaurants in the area were born.

This is also the time in which it was decided that the town would become known as the City of Gulf Shores. Active since around , shrimping had at first focused largely on providing bait to other fishing industries. But in , deep-sea trawling for shrimp for the commercial food market became common, and the industry expanded into the economic mainstay it is today.

Seeking more local control, a group of Gulf Shores residents petitioned for incorporation in , and the city was granted a charter. However, other locals who opposed incorporation because of concern for local tax increases challenged the incorporation.

A local judge overturned the charter in , but the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of incorporation in Gulf Shores has been devastated by several hurricanes, including Frederic in and Ivan in