Lagniappe for Mason and JJ

FAIRHOPE - It was an inspired suggestion from Mason and JJ that led us to beautiful, becalming Fairhope, Alabama, and to The Fairhope Inn. Fairhope is on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay about halfway between Mobile at the head of the bay and the Gulf.

There were mothers with children here in 1945. Fairhope today is the place they hoped for for their children and grandchildren a lifetime down the road. It’s natural assets and built history have been preserved, and the oak-shaded public park along the bay front is spectacular. There’s a strong sense of community and civic pride. The schools are good, and the town is full of artists, museums and galleries.

Lovely downtown Fairhope.

And Gus is guessing theater too. We ate our splurge meal last evening here at the Fairhope Inn, known for its excellent chef. Gus noticed this large group of diners who seemed to be together, and he asked our host if they were having a party. “It’s a rehearsal dinner,” was the answer. And Gus asked, “Oh, what’s the play?” Cameron spoke quickly, “Hush, dummy. It’s a wedding rehearsal.” The people of Fairhope are friendly and seem comfortable. They don’t seem to mind stupid questions.

The beautiful old Grand Hotel is also near Fairhope. It was converted into a Civil War Hospital and is now a huge facility owned by Marriott. It has a strip of beach and attracts visitors and conventions.

Libby's Beach at The Grand Hotel

Fairhope was founded by a group of populist free thinkers mostly from Iowa in the late 19^th century. The first arrivals wrote that they saw a “fair hope of success” here. They were followers of Henry George’s single land tax idea, and still today the main part of downtown operates on those principles. What is now the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation owns the “colony” land and those who occupy that large area have 99-year leases, not deeds.  These revenues are used today to fund the plethora of community properties one sees.

Gus asked museum volunteers if there was still freethinking in Fairhope and got an ambiguous reply about civic improvements. There’s lots of money and well-to-do folks in Fairhope now, and though Prada and the international boutiques aren’t here (yet?), other boutiques surely are. Fairhope’s population seems the opposite of ethnically and racially diverse. Here’s the politics: Alabama is ranked as the most conservative state in the union; it is also the most Republican; and Baldwin County where Fairhope is prominent is said to be the most Republican county in the state. There’s a lot more diversity (and malls) up the bay a bit in Daphne, which seems an attractive place. In between, there’s Montrose, about which we know nothing but this little post office from 1890.

1890 Post Office

Daphne has dog-friendly public parks, and at sunset yesterday, we took Weezie and Capers out for a stroll along the bay. It was a great sight especially with the birds we were able to see including a large flock of royal terns.