About Spanish Fort, Alabama

Spanish Fort, the smallest of the towns on the Eastern Shore, is also the most accessible to Mobile via the Causeway and Interstate 10. But this small municipality, incorporated in 1993, is home to some of the biggest changes the Eastern Shore has seen in years. Chief among the development is the upscale Eastern Shore Centre, a 462,000-square-foot lifestyle mall that opened in November 2004. Among the tenants: Pottery Barn, Coldwater Creek, Dillards, Talbots, Williams-Sonoma, Jos. A. Bank and a number of fine eateries (California Dreaming, Wintzell's Oyster House and Moe's Southwest Grill among them.) Another mall, The Spanish Fort Town Center anchored by a Bass Pro Shop, is located on U.S. 98. The city also successfully annexed the Causeway, the spit of land built between Mobile and Baldwin counties. The Causeway is home to 5 Rivers - Alabama's Delta Resource Center, a state-planned $4.5 million conference center. A number of fine seafood restaurants dot the Causeway, a perfect location to relax over dinner. Finally, Spanish Fort High School, a $15 million state-of-the-art facility with a geothermal power source, opened in the fall of 2005.

Spanish Fort High School opened in the fall of 2005

Right now, though, Spanish Fort's burgeoning family population counts its schools as the town's pride and joy: Spanish Fort School (K through 6) and Rockwell Elementary (K through 5). (Comparative test scores bear out the schools' successes — I have the scores if you are interested.) Middle and high school school students attend Spanish Fort High; but Spanish Fort is scheduled to have a new middle school, construction to begin in the fall of 2006. Spanish Fort now has its own Mardi Gras parade too.

My favorite former Spanish Fort Toro football player, No. 8, Jack English, kicker his sophomore and junior year.

In part because I live in Spanish Fort, and believe in its future, I sell a lot of homes here. In fact, no other agent has sold more existing homes here since 2002. (I sell new homes, too.)

Population: 5,423

Median family income: $67,844

Median age: 41

Area: North of Interstate 10, the town stretches 12 miles east to west.

Total businesses: 241 (56 retail, 18 finance, insurance and real estate, and 89 services)

Churches: Protestant denominations include Presbyterian, United Methodist, Baptist, interdenomenational and non-denomenational

Neighborhoods: Even in this small, only recently incorporated town, there is quite a variety in housing. Wilson Heights, one of the oldest neighborhoods, has 1960s-era houses starting in the $130,000s. The older part of Spanish Fort Estates and Spanish Village has somewhat larger homes, generally priced between $160,000 and $230,000. Newer sections of Spanish Fort Estates begin in the $290,000s and go up to $430,000. Subdivisions offering homes only a few years old include the Woodlands and Oakridge, with homes starting in the $250,000s. Out Highway 31 is Wakefield, where homes start in the upper $240,000s. Estate-sized lots mark the executive homes in Blakeley Forest $380,000 and up. North of the city limits, but within the Spanish Fort school district are the homes in Saluda Ridge, the Lakes of Spanish Fort, Stillwater, Shenandoah, Girdletree and Blakeley Oaks. New subdivisions are being built in this area. TimberCreek Golf Community has been annexed into Daphne, but geographically is situation adjacent to Spanish Fort.

Recreation: Historic Blakeley State Park, where the last major battle of the Civil War was fought for hiking and camping; Meaher State Park on Mobile Bay for camping and fishing; a new $110,000 city park for children built in the theme of a fort; Spanish Fort Dixie Youth Baseball and park; and the Causeway for fishing and boating. For youth and adult recreation, see Daphne and Fairhope.

Spanish Fort Elemenary School
30900 Hwy. 225
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
(251) 626-9751
Principal: Rebecca Comer
Approximate enrollment: 800

Rockwell Elementary (K-6 serving portions of Daphne)
10183 Hwy. 31
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
(251) 626-5528
Principal: Robbie Owen, Alabama's recipient in the National Distinguished Principals program.
Approximate enrollment: 750

Spanish Fort Middle School
33899 Jimmy Faulkner Drive
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
(251) 625-3217
Principal: Craig Ross
Approximate enrollment:

Spanish Fort High School (9-12)
1 Plaza de Toros Drive
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
(251) 625-3259
Principal: Marty McRae
Approximate enrollment: 900