Tag: Civil War Fort
What is There to See at the Fort Morgan Historic Site?
The beauty of the sandy shores of the Gulf Shores of Alabama is only matched by the rich history and culture of the area. The Fort Morgan Historic Site is a literal bastion of history, solidifying the area as one of the most well-rounded vacation spots in the country. You’d be remiss to not visit it during your time on Alabama’s coast. But, what is there to see there? Read on to learn more!
Are you looking for the best ideas for things to see and do in the Gulf Shores, AL, area? Then, look no further than the Activities page provided by Sunset Properties! It’s full of the best ideas for ways to spend your time! That is if you ever decide to get off the beach!
Fort Morgan Historic Site is Well Worth Your Time
Whether you’re a history buff or not, the Fort Morgan Historic Site in Fort Morgan, AL, will amaze you with its well-preserved history and backstory! You can go visit the site daily from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Construction of the historic fort began way back in 1819. It was designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with manual labor coming mostly from African-American slaves. The name “Morgan” comes from a celebrated Revolutionary War hero, General Daniel Morgan. It was completed in 1834. Only 27 years later, Fort Morgan came under Confederate control at the start of the Civil War. Toward the end of the war in 1864, Union forces gained victory over a powerful Confederate force that included the U.S.S Tennessee, one of the strongest ironclad warships of the time. The fort was occupied once again from 1900 to 1923 and once again in 1942 in response to World War II. At the end of the war, the fort was abandoned.
What You’ll Find at the Museum
Over 200 years of historical artifacts are archived at the Fort Morgan Historic Site. In the museum, you’ll have the chance to see artillery, uniforms, local historical artifacts, and even two lighthouse lenses. In addition to these, during the months of June and July, uniformed historical interpreters will guide you through the museum and site. These experts will amaze you with their thorough knowledge and intrigue you with their garb. It’s well worth your visit, so be sure to plan it into your stay!
Just Minutes Away from the Best Place to Stay
When you visit the Gulf Shores of Alabama, you have to visit the Fort Morgan Historic Site. And, when you stay at any of the luxurious vacation rentals from Sunset Properties, you’ll be just minutes away. So, take a look at our beach houses and condos! You’ll feel right at home with our luxurious amenities, too. Why wait? Book your stay today! And, if you need more ideas for ways to spend your time in the Gulf Shores area, then look no further than our Activities page. It’s full of the best ideas for things to see and do while you’re here. We guarantee it will make for an incredible time!
Delta Wildlife Boat Eco Tour
A don’t miss trip for nature lovers big and small take a Delta Safari! This charter departs daily from Tacky Jacks in Gulf Shores and tours the scenic and historical and Mobile Delta system. You can learn local history enjoy beautiful scenery and learn about our unique ecosystem and the animals that live here on this family friendly hour and a half trip.
Experience the swamps of the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta on this highly rated wildlife tour. This is the “must do” tour for all avid lovers of nature and its creatures when visiting Mobile, Alabama. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is Mobile’s biggest jewel – If you do nothing else, take this trip!
DEPARTS: Daily. Charters available 7 days.
LENGTH: 1.5 hours. Reservations suggested.
As we float among the open Marsh watching for a variety of wildlife including Alligators, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Heron, Cormorant, Pelicans, Nutria and more, learn about these unique animals of the swamp and how they live. Commentary includes points on the history, geology, ecology and characters of the Delta, as well as Alabama State Lands mission in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and the ‘Forever Wild’ program.
Perfect for children of all ages, Delta Safaris operates over 100 school field trips annually – we know kids and welcome yours aboard. For Children 5 and Under, please email us after booking and we will add their FREE tickets to your booking.
All commentary provided by experienced Delta Nature Guides.
Includes: The best eco-tour in Alabama, showing off the best delta eco-system in the USA. As seen in National Geographic – Adventure Magazine, Southern Living Magazine and on National Morning Shows.
Operates: Additional tours are offered on busy days. This public tour operates 5 days a week from February 15 – December 31st each year. From January 7 – February 14, it operates on Saturdays and Sundays only. Closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Private Group Charters available year round. Book Online above, Call: (251) 259-8531 or Email: info@5RDS.com for more information.
Delta Safaris is the only State of Alabama authorized Concessionaire offering tours of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Bottle Creek Indian Mounds and Champion Cypress. We believe in a Leave No Trace policy, in educating and preserving these amazing jewels for future generations.
Policies & Disclaimers:
Cancellation Policy: Rainchecks will be provided in the event of inclement weather. Unsafe passage call will be made by Captain on day of event. All other cancellations require 24 hour notice for refund.
What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, cameras and binoculars. Packed food and drink is welcome on board – no glass containers please.
Should I Tip?: Tips are not required but are graciously received. Our guides strive hard to educate and entertain. Please let your guides know how they did.
Cancellations: Rainchecks will be provided in the event of inclement weather. An unsafe passage call will be made by Captain on day of event. All other cancellations require 24 hour notice for refund.
Be sure to call and book your trip to enjoy this unique trip with your family!
American Fun, The Perfect Little House For Your Getaway!
This is a quaint two story house, close to the Dunes Community Pool, and NEWLY updated in 2012. There is plenty of room for the family in this 1,600 Sq Ft 3 bedroom, 3 bath duplex. The beach beckons to you from behind the houses just 150 yards away. You get sneak peaks of a view from both balconies and a really nice view off to the West of the Sunset.
As you enter the house you will notice the spacious living room with ocean colored walls and modern furniture. The couch is a sleeper sofa.
The adjoined dining area has a table for 6 with additional seating at the kitchen bar. The fully stocked, fully equipped kitchen with full size appliances is perfect for cooking your favorite seafood dishes at meal time. The floors are tiled throughout except for the bedrooms. Right off of the kitchen is the “lavender” room that has a King size bed and access to a shared bathroom.
Upstairs to the left is the kid’s room with two twin beds and a full private bath. The Gulf facing Master bedroom has a King bed with its own private bath as well as access to a balcony. Each room has its own TV. This house also has underneath parking. As a guest of the Dunes Community, you have access to the Dunes Community pool and hot tub as well as the Dunes Condo pool, hot tub, sauna, and work out facility.
This house rents from Saturday to Saturday during the spring and summer, but is available for shorter stays outside of these times. Give us a call for pricing on less than weekly stays 1-888-877-9270!
It's Almost Spring Break!!!!
This year is flying bye. Ok kids, Spring Break is upon us!!!!! Have you made your plans yet??? Now is the time! I know if you are basically anywhere north of the Gulf Coast you have had a very cold wet winter and you are probably ready for some lovely sunshine.
Maybe some warm days and a trip to the beach? Now is the time to book. we are just two weeks away from our first Spring Break visitors arriving and we have set some specials! If a fishing trip is in your future either off the beach or from a boat Ft. Morgan is the place to be!
Just some fun family time is exactly what your want for Spring Break. Relaxing on the, beach playing in the water, or enjoying the local nature it all can be done here in Ft. Morgan. It is bird migration time and are flowers are already blooming!
Stay 3 nights in a 1 bedroom condo only $599.00
Stay 3 nights in a 2 bedroom condo only $699.00
Stay 3 nights in a 3 bedroom condo only $799.00
Stay 5 Nights in a 1 bedroom condo only $899.00
Stay 5 Nights in a 2 bedroom condo only $999.00
Stay 5 Nights in a 3 bedroom condo only $1099.00
Stay 7 nights in a 1 bedroom condo only
$1199.00
Stay 7 nights in a 1 bedroom condo only
$1399.00
Stay 7 nights in a 1 bedroom condo only
$1499.00
Give us a call to book today and then grab your little guys and head our way! we look forward to helping you plan your trip!
A Runner's Paradise...Sunset Properties
NOTE: We have a guest Blogger for this post, Road Runner Girl, Mindy, joined us with her family and wrote a blog for us of her adventures. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!!
This weekend we headed to the beach for a mini-vacation. You would think since we live on the Gulf Coast that we would visit the beach more often. But sadly we do not. I was super excited about getting in some rest and relaxation with my wonderful family!
We were staying at The Dunes Condos in Fort Morgan, AL. These condos are a part of Sunset Properties and are fabulous!
So after my long run, we headed south. It takes us a little over an hour to get there but it’s paradise once we are there! Before we made it to our destination we stopped to walk on the beach. Unfortunately it was super super windy (I’m talking 25 mph winds) and it was hard to enjoy the beach as much as we would have liked. It was also cold…and the wind made it colder. But we didn’t let the chill spoil our fun too bad. We still walked around, took some pictures, and collected some seashells.
The red and purple flags were flying. A red flag means the surf is dangerous and to swim with caution. A purple flag means there is dangerous marine life in the water. Hmmm…I was kinda glad it was too cold to swim. I didn’t want my boys going into the water with these flags flying!
After we had enough of the wind and cold we climbed back into the warm car and headed to Sunset Properties! Everyone was so excited!
Sunset Properties has several properties to choose from. They have two condominiums that overlook the Gulf of Mexico…The Dunes and The Indies. What’s really awesome about these condos is they have a gulf view from your room…and the front part of the building has a view of Mobile Bay. Sunset Properties also has a property located on a marina…Navy Cove…so you can park your boat and stay in luxury! They also have beach houses available that can sleep from 9 to 19 people. So you can find any type of beach front accommodations that you are looking for at Sunset Properties!
The condo was decorated soooo nice! It had a touch of home with a beachy feel. LOVE!!! As soon as we opened the door we were greeted by this cute display in the foyer. The boys loved the chair with the fish on top of each corner!
The boys were so excited about getting to sleep in bunk beds. Of course we had a fight over who would sleep in the top bunk. A quick game of pick a number from 1-10 solved it…and Hayden won. The best part…each bunk had it’s own TV equipped with DVD players and game jacks! The boys stayed in bed the entire time we were inside the condo!!!
The master bedroom was gorgeous! And I LOVED the king size bed! Andy and I have a queen size bed at home so it was a luxury to us! And we enjoyed watching a movie in bed on the large TV.
Another favorite of the boys was the private balcony! It was a little cold to stay out there for long but the boys loved going out there and being able to see the gorgeous view of the beach and the pool below.
Top 5 Beaches or Cruise for your vacation???
Thanks to AL.com for the information on our beautiful area being rated as one of the Top 5 Gulf Coast Beaches. While we were celebrating this wonderful accolade the disabled cruise ship the Carnival Triumph was being towed past us at the end of the island carrying 4000 vacationers! Our hearts couldn’t help but be sad for them and what they have experienced during a time when they were supposed to be relaxing and making wonderful family memories.
On the Travel Channel’s website, it mentions how the Gulf Coast region has rebounded from the 2010 BP oil spill. “Today, the charming seaside towns and sugary white sands are again beckoning travelers with promises of emerald waters, brilliant white beaches, picturesque sand dunes with waving sea oats, excellent nature hikes and ample bird-watching,”
Fun Things Going On In Gulf Shores
We are so proud of Gulf Shores and hope it is your favorite place just like it is ours! Gulf Shores is fortunate to have nabbed one of fifteen finalist slots in Budget Travel’s America’s Coolest Small Town Contest! We’d love to win, of course, and that means we’ll need people to vote so the whole country knows about our cool destination. Your role couldn’t be more simple – vote daily and include this link (https://bit.ly/VxUcfd) in your communications via social media channels, and help push us to #1. Contest ends Feb. 15.
Part of why Gulf Shores is our favorite place is because our environment is important to everyone who lives and works here. One of our newest adventures in this area is An Artificial Reef! As you may have seen or heard via The Weather Channel’s video clips and promotions, the sinking of the Lulu by our local Reef Wranglers is set to air Feb 12th at 8 pm. Lulu’s is planning a viewing party that evening – please call them if you would like more details. I know we are planning to watch and can’t wait to see our new reef grow.
Other fun nature lover adventures this winter include Guided Nature Walks at the Bon Secour Refuge. Come join us and learn about the plants, wildlife, ecology, and history found on the refuge.Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge will be offering free guided Nature Walk tours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week starting on January 15th 2013 and continuing until February 28th 2013. The tours are free to the public however a reservation is required. The tours are limited to 12 people per tour and will consist of a 1-2 hour walk. The tours will start at 9:00am on Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:00am on Thursday.We request at least 24 hours notice for cancellations. We encourage you to bring binoculars but they are not necessary to enjoy the tours. Restroom facilities are available at the refuge office and on the Pine Beach Trail.
Admission: Free to the Public
Of course there are these and so many more adventures to have in Gulf Shores this time of year. You just have to look for something that fits your interests. Weather its painting , hiking or enjoying a parade there is something for you to enjoy in Gulf Shores.
See you soon!!!
Christmas To Mardi Gras At The Beach!
Each year we decorate our office and Christmas tree in a very beautiful and frankly elaborate way not only for us but our neighbors, friends and guests. To me it is fun to have the lights up and all of the decorations. I get to really enjoy Christmas even though I am rarely at home to see my own tree. After the New Year rings in our tree converts to a Mardi Gras tree. I didn’t realize many people do not know anything about Mardi Gras.
So for a very brief explanation Mardi Gras! It was brought to the U.S. By the French. This is a celebration of, well, excess! This is a holiday that grew from a Catholic celebration of having rich food and celebrations prior to giving up those things for lent. The Mardi Gras tradition actually started just across the Bay in Mobile. It has changed greatly over the years and morphed into months of balls given by societies or Krews and Parades. Locally, we typically have a Mardi Gras Parade in each city until you get to Mobile where they have days of parades and the kids get out of school to enjoy the festivities. Mardi Gras Activities are Family Friendly at the beach. So if you have a weekend to getaway come down and enjoy the parades around town. At the Sunset Properties office we are much more relaxed we have our pretty tree and we never turn down sweets around here! We hope to see you soon. Below is the parade schedule for the area!
LuLu’s Krewe De Lu Roux Mardi Gras Ball
Feb 6, 2013 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
LuLu’s at Homeport Marina
Mystical Order of Mirams Parade
Feb 8, 2013 6:30 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s
Mystics of Pleasure Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 9, 2013 5:30 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Zeke’s Marina
Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 12, 2013 10:00 AM
Begins at Hwy 59 from bottom of Intracoastal Canal Bridge and ends at Main.
Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 12, 2013 2:00 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Hwy 161, Orange Beach
LuLu’s 9th Anniversary Celebration and Mardi Gras Boat Parade
Feb 12, 2013 3:00 PM
Intracoastal Canal-Begins at The Wharf and ends at Lulu’s.
Christmas At The Beach!
I am crazy about Christmas. My tree is already up at home and I am really enjoying decorating our office slowly. Our very beachy area has one fun event after another for locals and visitors to the Gulf! A list of some of my favorites is below.
| COASTAL CHRISTMAS EVENTS AS OF DECEMBER 5, 2012 To get the whole scoop on Coastal Christmas, please visit www.alabamacoastalchristmas.com |
Fort Morgan Ship Wreck
A must see while you are here was recently unearthed during Hurricane Isaac. Hal Scheurich recently wrote the article below for Fox10tv.com. Be sure to visit the ship while you are here. It will be covered up again soon!
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) – Only a shell of what she once was, the 150 foot sailing vessel thought to be the Rachael, is attracting attention again on Fort Morgan. Word had spread that the storm surge from Hurricane Isaac had uncovered her once again and plenty of folks came with their cameras.
The Rachael was an early 20 th century schooner that ran aground. Buried for decades, hurricanes expose what’s left of the vessel every few years.
“It’s just something that you really have to go see,” said Adriana Mutan as she walked around the burnt wreckage taking pictures. “I mean, I’ve seen so many pictures…heard so many stories and now I’ve seen it.”
According to the Alabama Historical Commission, the three mast schooner met her fate in 1930 while carrying a load of timber. Commission archeologists Amanda Hill said the belief is the vessel ran into a storm and had too few crew aboard to maintain control. According to interviews with witnesses that were alive at the time of the wreck, the ship was looted of its cargo and set on fire.
The ship has been exposed several times over the decades from beach erosion during hurricanes. The last time was during hurricane Ike several years ago. There was always speculation as to its origin. Many even thought it may have been a blockade runner during the Civil War. Assistant Professor, Greg Cook of the University of West Florida helped put those rumors to bed after doing a study of the vessel in 2008.
He noted that many of the riggings were post Civil War and dated to the early 20 th century. After some more digging, it’s believed that the Rachael was designed and built in Moss Point, MS in 1919.
Billy Berrey grew up in Gulf Shores and remembers seeing the ship as a child. It’s now closer in than ever and he’s worried about the amount of attention it gets.
“I’ve always thought it would be kind of cool for them to excavate this thing and move it…preserve what they can and take it to the museum,” said Berrey. “The last time it was uncovered, people were pulling things off of it.”
There is a problem. The ship now rests on private property and the folks that own the homes are concerned about liability in the event someone gets hurt by the wreckage. They would like to see, at very least, the ship covered up.
The Alabama Historical Commission looked into that after hurricane Ike but found that it would cost too much to do anything with it and since it’s on private property, the owners would have to foot the bill. They did say they would assist if someone else funded the effort.
For now, the ship will sit until Mother Nature decides to cover her back up once again. Owners just ask that sightseers like Dusty Bones and his family respect their property while they visit.
“We really like history. We like going to see things like the Battleship and stuff like that, so to see a piece of this is really interesting.”
Although much is now known about the ship than just a few years ago, there is still much mystery and intrigue. Who was on board and where were they going? Was it a hurricane or just a bad storm that caused her to run aground? They’re all questions that keep visitors coming to the little stretch of beach with they’re cameras ready to capture a little piece of
