Based on visitor descriptions of antebellum Mobile, Alabama-s physical and social environment, this book captures a place and time that is particular to Gulf Coast history. Mobile-s foundational era is a period in which the city transformed from a struggling colonial outpost into one of the nation-s most significant economic powerhouses, largely owing to the cotton trade and the labor of enslaved people. On the eve of the Civil War, the Mobile ranked as the fourth most populous community in what would soon become the Confederacy, and within the Gulf Coast region, it stood second only to New Orleans in population, wealth, and influence. In addition to ranking as one of the busiest ports in the United States, the city-s remarkable architecture, beautiful natural setting, and abundance of entertainment options combined to make it one of the South-s most distinctive communities. Its cultural diversity only added to its uniqueness. In addition to being home to the largest white population o
