Hidden History of Mobile

by Joe Cuhaj

Overview

It was an unlikely place for a city, scourged by disease-ridden mosquitos and pummeled by hurricanes. But for more than three hundred years, Mobile has thrived on the unlikely and endured the unimaginable. Mobilians love their gumbo but are likely unaware that it was first served up here by women sent from France to foster population growth. Times were once so dire for free blacks that a shocking number petitioned the courts to become slaves. The city witnessed the first operational submarine, the first Mardi Gras celebration and the last major battle of the Civil War. Author Joe Cuhaj navigates the backwaters of Mobile's fascinating history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467143547
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	01/20/2020
Series:	Hidden History
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,083,022
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Joe Cuhaj is a former radio broadcaster turned author and freelance writer. He began his radio career just outside of New York City but moved to Mobile in 1981 with his wife, who is from the Port City. His radio career flourished as he picked up a job at WUNI, which was originally the first radio station in Mobile, WODX. Joe fell in love with Alabama's biodiversity and continued one of his favorite pastimes, hiking and backpacking. In 2000, he combined his love of hiking and writing and penned his first book, Hiking Alabama. Since then, Joe has written seven outdoor recreation books for Falcon Guides. Joe left radio and became a software programmer but continued his passion for writing. In addition to outdoor recreation, Joe has a love and passion for history, which he had a chance to delve into when he coauthored Baseball in Mobile for Arcadia Publishing. He has also written historical articles and web content for several sites and publications on a wide variety of subjects, and falling back on his radio career, he has produced a number of humorous short story podcasts that can be heard on his website, www.joecuhaj.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction 9

1 The First Mobilians 13

2 Filles à la Cassette: The Pelican Girls 19

3 A Short History Quiz 24

4 The Great Russian Royalty Hoax 26

5 The Clandestine Mission of Aaron Burr 29

6 Rogues of the Sea 34

7 The Eggnog Party and the Most Beautiful Mardi Gras Ever 40

8 Excelsior! 47

9 A Change of Status 56

10 Dressing Down 60

11 Unexplained Mobile 62

12 The Unreconstructed Rebel: Augusta Evans Wilson 69

13 They Took Matters into Their Own Hands: The Bread Riot of 1863 76

14 The Washington Square Deer 82

15 Freeman: The Reverend Shandy Jones 85

16 The Ice Man Cometh. Literally. 92

17 Fabulous Frascati Park 95

18 Scenes of Destruction 100

19 The Beat of the Bay 106

20 Bone Dry: Prohibition and the Whiskey Trials 115

21 Safety First and Other Port City Inventions 123

22 The Legend of Harpo Marx 129

23 Mobile Is on the Air! 133

24 It Must Be the Water 139

25 Elvis, the Radio Ranch and Vigor High 146

Bibliography 151

About the Author 159