Dauphin Island, AL
Archive of Historical Data, Books, Maps
And Other Materials

Yesterday's News
Mobile Press Register newspaper

1850-1900

Yesterday's News, "Today in History" Reprinted from Mobile Register and other media, local and national. Following are "snippets" of the history of Dauphin Island and the lower Mobile Bay area, as taken from the Mobile Register normally found on page 2A, other publications and sources, such at TV and magazines (History editor's note: I have been saving these for years and reprinted at this location for those interested.) Use of this material is for educadtional purposes only! October 10, 1855 - "Red Snappers" - (Mobile) In reference to our advertising columns, it will be seen that alot of the above "delectable fish" are offered for sale, from on board of the smack Welcome. This notice will be sufficient to start a crowd for the smack, when we know there will be a welcome exchange of both fish and dimes. Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- November 3, 1855 - "Heron Bay Oysters!" - (Mobile) Oysters, for which Mobile has an unrivalled reputation, have just reached their acme. They were long in coming, but no further hiatus in their supply need be looked for. They are exquisite. And talking of Oysters reminds us that neighbor Thompson has just now a splendid assortment. Nor is it in oysters alone that his ample larder rejoices. This is now the full season - November being come - for game of every kink; for venison, wild turkey, ducks, quail, teel, plover, snipes. Nor is there scarcely a day that he is without a supply of the choicest fish, such as pompano, blue fish, jacks, sheephead, and they are always to be found at Thompson's. His cooks are excellent, and his attendants always quick and agreeable; so that a supper, or other meal, cannot be had any where with more satisfaction. (History editor's note: Heron Bay is located just north of Dauphin Island associated with Mississippi Sound) Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- January 4, 1856 - We learn that the ship United States, which has been ashore on Sand Island Spit for several days past, has been released from her perilous situation by the towboat Swan. The Untied States was loaded with railroad iron for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company, 150 tons of which has been taken on board of the Swan. The ship is reported to be leaking badly. (History editor's note: we're not sure if the Sand Island identified was the Sand Island in Mobile or the barrier island south of Dauphin Island) Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- From 1858 - "The steamer Crescent is up again on next Sunday for a pleasure excursion to Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island. We are glad to learn that Capt. Carson intends making these pleasure excursions weekly during the summer, thereby affording our 'can't-get-away' citizens a chance, at least once a week, of leaving the dust and heat of the city to breathe the pure salt sea breeze, and enjoy a salt water bath." Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- From 1858 - (maritime history) "Our Commercial Fleet" - Not withstanding the well known fact that our Mobile is the third exporting city in the Union, it is little understood, even among our own people and neighbors, how large a fleet of merchant ships are congregated in our bay. Yet at the present time we have 56 ships, 12 barks, 8 brigs, and 17 schooners in port, of an aggregate of sixty-four thousand tons. Thus we have nearly a hundred selling vessels contributing to the trade of our city, and waiting to carry all the rich products of our interior. And this is in the so-called 'one-horse town' of Mobile. (History editor's note: all these vessels both inbound and outbound have navigated the mouth of Mobile Bay passing Dauphin Island and utilizing the Sand Island Light House as a nautical reference point. At this date the light house would have been the second light at the mouth of the bay, not the present structure we see today. Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- From 1858 - "Old Friends Returned" - For two or three years past - indeed ever since the great influx of snappers into our lower market - the old familiar red fish has been getting scarce and scarcer. None know the causes: and the fish themselves - proverbially taciturn - obstinately refused to tell. But on Friday our old familiar acquaintances came back to us in shoals, or schools - for rarely have they ever been so numerous, and never so large. Compiled by Cammie East Cowan from issues of the Press-Register -30- From 1859 - "An Excursion" - The fine steamer Crescent, Capt. Carwson, makes a pleasure excursion today down the Bay, going as far as Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan. This is, we believe, the first of the season to the lower Bay, which will be occasionally repeated. Passengers will have ample time to visit the two forts on the island and at the Point. the steamer will return to the city in due season this evening. Compiled by Linde Lenz-Britt from issues of the Press-Register -30-