Hank Aaron Stadium, home of the Mobile Bay Bears.

Mobile, neighboring Alabama’s oldest town, sometimes refers to itself as “The City of Six Flags,” and for a very good reason.

The settlement became the first capital of French Louisiana when it was established in 1702 as Fort Louis de la Mobile. Moved 12 miles downriver in 1712, the city subsequently came under English rule in 1763 following the Seven Years War. Seventeen years later, it was captured by Spain and became part of Spanish West Florida. Mobile was seized by the United States during the War of 1812 whereupon it became a U.S. possession. Later, it was part of the Confederacy until surrendering nine months following the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay. The design and colors atop the flagpoles kept changing and the city earned a nickname, but it wasn’t easy.

The First Mardi Gras

Although not likely to be mentioned by residents of New Orleans, Mobile was the site of the first annual Mardi Gras festival (1703), a celebration for French colonists to make merry and rejoice in their European ancestry. The tradition continues today in Mobile with weeks of balls, parades, and coronations that culminate on Fat Tuesday, the day prior to the beginning of Lent. The city has adopted the moon pie for its major celebrations of Mardi Gras and New Year’s Eve. These Chattanooga-produced delicacies (best accompanied by a bottle of RC Cola) are tossed in large quantities during Mardi Gras parades, while on New Year’s Eve revelers welcome each new year with the descent of a large mechanical moon pie from a 34-story downtown building.

A manager at Toomeys, the town’s major supplier of masks, beads, and other gala-related items, told us the firm goes through eight semi-truckloads of moon pies before the annual celebrations come to a close.

Welcome to the New South!  

Check Valdosta Scene’s  January issue for our article on Mobile’s Mardi Gras celebration.

Historic Battle House

In keeping with its rich history, you might expect Mobile to claim at least one downtown hotel worthy of the city’s past. Fear not, Battle House is an historic hotel that retains the grandeur (in updated form) from over a century of welcoming travelers. The original Battle House, constructed in 1852, was destroyed in 1905 by fire, the same fate that earlier befell another hotel at the same location.

The current Battle House opened in 1908 and welcomed visitors for over half a century before closing for financial reasons in October 1974. Like many urban areas, downtown Mobile deteriorated with suburban growth and its accompanying shopping malls. The once majestic eight-story building subsequently sat abandoned for over 30 years until being rescued by an unlikely suitor.  

The hotel was purchased and extensively rehabilitated by the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) for opening in 2007. At the same time RSA built the connecting RSA Tower, the state’s tallest building, which houses guest rooms on floors four through seven. The two buildings offer 225 guest rooms, about equally split between the historic hotel and four floors of the Tower.

Operated by Marriott as a member of its upscale Renaissance Hotel group, Battle House and its restaurant each garner a Four Diamond AAA rating.

Battle House has welcomed a number of prominent visitors including President Woodrow Wilson and Elvis Presley, the latter following an early career performance at the nearby fairgrounds. Although the King of Rock n’ Roll had his first major hit with “Heartbreak Hotel“ several years later, it certainly couldn’t have been occasioned by his visit to Battle House. Well-known visitors to the earlier Battle House included Gen. Ulysses Grant, Jefferson Davis, and Henry Clay.

The Whispering Arch

The hotel showpiece is the Grand Lobby topped by a domed ceiling of art glass, nearly all of which remains from the early 1900s when the hotel was constructed. The lobby floor is highlighted with a colorful decorative carpet that extends outward from a circular settee in the lobby center. Massive arches on each side of the lobby reach above the second floor where guests can test the “whispering arch.”

Standing at one end facing the arch, a guest’s whisper can be heard 30 feet away by someone facing the opposite side of the arch. Trust us, it works. The magnificent lobby, with its arches, colorful carpet, and decorative touches, produces an extraordinary welcome when entering the hotel for the first time.

The adjacent Crystal Ballroom with large murals and decorated crown molding once served as a restaurant but is today utilized for social functions. The Trellis Room, the hotel’s Four-Diamond restaurant adjoining the lobby, offers fine dining and specializes in northern Italian cuisine. The hotel’s second floor is home to a number of meeting rooms, some with hardwood floors and fireplaces.

As is true for many historic hotels, guest rooms in Battle House vary in shape, size, and view. In general, rooms in the original hotel are larger than those in the Tower. They are also closer to most public areas including the ballroom, dining room, and lobby. The new spa, in the Tower section, offers a wide range of massages, facial treatments, manicures, pedicures, and hair design and treatments. It also has an outdoor heated pool, an impressive fitness center and separate quiet rooms for men and women. Hotel guests can use the fitness center and outdoor pool without an extra charge.

The best way to explore the hotel and gain an appreciation for its history is to join one of the tours offered daily at 10 a.m. Our guide, George Moore, worked at the hotel from 1957 to 1963, and returned following the reopening in 2007. His affection for Battle House, both present and past, is evident as he converses with guests and guides groups through the building.

Things to Do and See

Several interesting attractions and activities are within easy walking distance of the hotel. A few blocks south in the town’s old city hall, the Museum of Mobile houses exhibits that interpret the city’s history. Nearby, the Gulf Coast Exploreum (Yes, it is spelled correctly) Science Center offers hands-on exhibits, a health and biology lab, an adventure area for children, and an IMAX dome theater.

Downtown includes a number of galleries and art studios. Six blocks west, the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception serves the oldest congregation in the Mississippi Valley. The Basilica was constructed over a 15-year period beginning in 1835.

Although not within walking distance of the hotel, other interesting Mobile attractions are worth visiting. Baseball great Hank Aaron’s birthplace home has been moved adjacent to Hank Aaron Stadium where the Mobile Bay Bears play. The home is filled with Aaron photos and exhibits. The Bay Bears, a member of the class AA Southern League, was selected by Baseball America as the 2011 Minor League Team of the Year. Well-known Bellingrath Gardens and Home is a delightful place to visit, especially during the Christmas season when three million lights transform the gardens into a holiday wonderland.

One of Mobile’s best-known attractions is the USS Alabama in Battleship Memorial Park. Admission to the park also includes a self-guiding tour of the submarine USS Drum and a building filled with military planes.

So, here is yet another place for South Georgians to visit and it’s only five hours drive from Valdosta. Take a long weekend and enjoy what the City of Six Flags has to offer. Don’t forget to pick up a moon pie or two.

Kay and David Scott are authors of “Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges” (Globe Pequot). They reside in Valdosta.

If You Go

Where to Stay: Battle House is in a convenient downtown location near shops, restaurants, and several excellent attractions. Rates range from $159 to $179 per night. For reservations or information, visit www.marriott.com, or call (866) 316-5957. Two blocks south on the same street, the newer Marriott Mobile Renaissance Riverview Plaza offers modern rooms for approximately the same price, although it lacks the ambiance of the historic Battle House.

Where to Eat: Mobile enjoys numerous fine restaurants including the hotel’s four-diamond Trellis Room. For good seafood try Compleat Angler (formerly, Bimini Bob’s) that claims “the best gumbo on the Bay.” The restaurant is located in Daphne on Highway 98.  Good seafood including gumbo and a variety of specialty oysters is served at Wintzell’s Oyster House on Mobile’s Dauphin Street. The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint on Old Shell Road serves large portions of great ribs. If you are looking for a lively evening, drop in at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club on Charleston Street for a burger and a Guinness while listening to live music.  

How to Get There: Battle House is at 28 N. Royal St. in downtown Mobile. Driving west on Interstate 10, take Exit 27 to U.S. 98.