Mobile Public Library System

September 26 through October 3 is Banned Books Week, an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. This seems like a great time to write about one of my favorite places, the library. I know what you're thinking and you can stop rolling your eyes. If the last time you visited a Mobile County Library was to research a term paper then you need to take another look at your local branch. Our libraries really do qualify as someplace to go - something to do and the best part is they're free.

There are nine branches so the entire county is covered and for those people who can't get to a local branch there's the Bookmobile. The branch locations and bookmobile stops are listed on the Library website as are the hours of operation for each branch. Of course you can check out books on a variety of topics at the library but there is so much more than that going on. Music CD's from all genres and a huge selection of Books on Tape can be checked out at no cost and the DVD section contains movies and TV shows that rent for only $1 a week. Computers are available for use and Internet service is provided at no cost, however you will need to pay for anything you want printed.

Much of this may not be news to you but did you know that the library also offers a variety of free classes and events? You can learn basic computer skills, Excel and Power Point, take genealogical courses or learn the basics of grant proposal writing. A class entitled Job Hunting in the 21st Century will teach attendees how to write a resume and use the Internet to find employment opportunities. Classes in art and crocheting, a chess club and weekly Storytelling sessions are some of the available options for children and the Library website offers homework help online from live tutors.

Book lovers can join any of the seven book clubs that meet at the various branches. They include Not Your Average Book Club, Ebony Moments, Classics Revisited, Life Begins at 50, Poetry Enthusiasts, Murder by Numbers and a new club called The Eclectic Book Club. There are also a variety of free movies shown at the various branches each month. Many are family oriented but there are also documentaries, foreign films, science fiction and film classics for adults. Check the event schedule on the website for the upcoming list and locations.

The libraries offers a variety of exhibits on art, science, gardening and crafts just to cover a few topics. All events can be found on the website but you can pick up brochures at any branch or sign up for a variety of email alerts that will keep you up to date.

The days are already getting shorter, the weather will be turning colder and the holidays will be on us before we know it. We'll all be spending more time indoors and we'll be wondering how we're going to pay for Christmas. So this is the perfect time to stop by your local library and check out some books on weatherproofing your home, mixing that perfect cup of hot cocoa, or how to make a Halloween Costume. Better still, just grab a classic Holiday DVD or pick up an intriguing little murder mystery to read in bed under the covers. Happy reading!

Museum of Mobile

Do you know who Ben May, Augusta Evans Wilson, John Leflore and Jeremiah Denton are? If you don't then you need to head down to the Museum of Mobile next door to the Exploreum on Royal Street. This museum is a must see for anyone who lives in Mobile and Baldwin counties. It's a first rate, beautiful museum that is on a par with the museums I've toured in much bigger cities. It's also your best source for learning the history of the Mobile area.

The museum is located in what was once the Southern Market/Old City Hall which was built in 1857 and is now a National Historic Landmark. The lobby is gorgeous and has some wonderful murals painted on the walls. The museum covers two floors of exhibits, but also has some courtyards, classrooms, and an auditorium that can be rented for use after hours. We had just missed the Pirates exhibit and we were too early for the next featured exhibit which is to be called Pillars of the Community: Mobile's Greek Revival Movement. I understand from the website that the exhibit after that will be on George Washington Carver.

The main exhibit covers 300 years of Mobile history which includes settlement by the Mauvilla Indians, slavery and the Civil War, both World Wars, the Depression, the struggle for Civil Rights, and ship building. There is even an area that addresses some of the problems that Mobile is facing today. The nature of the exhibits vary. Many are just display cases with placards explaining the objects. While I found them fascinating, many very young children would probably lose interest quickly. I don't recommend this outing for children under 7. There are, however, several interactive displays sprinkled in throughout both floors. We even got to watch a great old news reel made about Mobile during World War II by the War Department of Information. Did you know that during WWII 150,000 people were brought into Mobile to help with the war effort? When you visit the museum, do not miss out on this film!

There are also some beautiful side exhibits featuring such subjects as the history of wrought iron work in Mobile. It is tragic that so much of Mobile's beautiful cast iron work was lost when old buildings were razed in the name of progress or the iron work was melted down to support the war effort. Besides the cast iron there are also some lovely displays of silver work and antique home furnishing as well as paintings scattered throughout the two floors.

The Rutherford Carriage Collection houses seven carriages that date from the 1850's to the 1900's and have all been beautifully restored. If you've ever read an historic novel and wondered what an omnibus or a brougham carriage looked like, here's your chance to find out. The carriages were collected and restored by Dr. Charles Rutherford in the 1950's and 1960's and later donated to the museum.

There was a fun display of very detailed model homes in another area. My sons referred to them as dollhouses but I can't imagine anyone allowing a child to go near them with dolls or anything else. The intricacy of the work on the outside of the homes was something to marvel at. There are plants on balconies, mailboxes, birdbaths, patio furniture. But it's the inside of these miniature homes that will really leave you dumbfounded. No detail has been overlooked and that includes things like dishes in tiny dishwashers, fully stocked bars, towels hanging neatly on towel racks and photos on the walls. We read that many of they tiny photos in the homes were actual pictures of the creators family members. The exteriors of the homes covered many styles of architecture such as Spanish style, Victorian and Antebellum, while the interiors covered different eras in history.

The museum is open Monday - Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Admission is $5 for Adults, $4 for Seniors, $3 for students and free for children under 6. However, you can do what we did and attend on the first Sunday of each month when admission is free. This seems to be a very popular day for families who are trying to stretch their entertainment budgets. Photography is a bit of a challenge because flash photography is not allowed and the lighting for most of the exhibits is low. Camera flashes damage artifacts so set your camera on museum setting if you have one.

Also be sure to finish out your visit in the gift shop which has some truly wonderful items and offers something in every price range. Proceed go towards the operation of the museum. Keeping a place like this costs money, so consider purchasing a membership or making a donation to the museum. If that's not in your budget, there's information on the website about how you can volunteer for these good folks. Mobile needs to preserve its history and this is a great opportunity for you to help.

Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Fesitival

Did you know Mobile has a Jazz Festival every year? I didn't and no one I work with did either. But we do and it's in its 11th year. The Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival is a series of events that occur over four days every summer. It kicked off Thursday night with a celebration of the spoken word. An Evening of Poetry was hosted by Theola Bright at the Museum of Mobile. It included readings by local writers and a Poetry Slam. Admission was free.

Friday morning was the Jazz Music Workshop which was opened to musicians of all ages and levels of training. Quoting the festival's brochure:

"The workshop will introduce music lovers of any age to rudimentary jazz in a casual atmosphere and by using a variety of formats. Participants need not have any musical background nor does a participant need to be proficient on any musical instrument.. Participants do not need to be able to read music in order to participate in the workshop. Participation is the word. The workshop is not a spectator event."

I wish this information had been on the web site. Although I don't currently play any instruments, I do have a music background so I would have liked to attend. I of course assumed it was for more serious musicians. Next year I will be there. Clinics were taught by Art Sherrod, Jr., Shane Philen and Clifton Thomas, Jr. Again the cost of this event was free. If you're a musician that missed out on Friday morning you're probably kicking yourself. A free clinic taught by musicians with this level of experience just doesn't come along very often.

Last night was the main event - Jazz in Bienville Square. You've probably guessed by now that admission was free. The event was moved from the Square to Club 351 because of the rain and even though it took place in a club folks brought their kids. There was alcohol at the event but it was still very family friendly. I was looking forward to an evening of jazz under the stars but I have to admit there were a lot of advantages to moving indoors. Things like chairs, air conditioning, real bathrooms as well as the noticeable lack of mosquitoes. My only complaint would be that it was noisy. This year's theme was An Evening of Sax and was hosted by Kevin Lee, President of the Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed also known as MOJO. If you weren't at Club 351 I am very, very sad for you because you missed an awesome music event.

The evening began at 4:30 with the Sharon Woodruff Ensemble. I am sorry to say we missed this act because we weren't aware that the concert had moved it's location. Consequently we arrived late. The festival's website description of Ms. Woodruff says that,

"Sharon has established herself as an outstanding vocalist, psalmist, musician, actress, recording artist and composer-arranger by performing at numerous events and concerts. Even at an early age, Sharon's phenomenal, mesmerizing, unique, soulful vocal skills have been compared to an angelic mixture of some of the greatest female artist of the world, such as, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holliday, Mahalia Jackson, and the Divine Sarah Vaughn."

Next up was Rebecca Barry, a.k.a. D'eva D'luxe. Rebecca grew up in Fairhope and studied sax in New Orleans with Ellis Marsalis and sax guru Ed Petersen. Her sound is described as having a "jazzy, funky, rocking, r&b flavor" and I believe that description is spot on. Ms. Barry plays in venues all over the Gulf Coast so I look forward to hearing her again either in Mobile or New Orleans.

Rebecca Barry and her band "Bust" were followed by Shane Philen and his quartet. Mr. Philen is a professional saxophonist who works as a performer, instructor, band leader and arranger. According to his website he has recorded numerous projects for Integrity Media, Inc. and has performed and/or recorded with Louis Bellson, Big Daddy Weave, The Coasters, Travis Cottrell, Darrell Evans, Ken Folberg Big Band, 4Him, Group 1 Crew, King Pelican, Mandisa, the Moscow Sax Quintet, Aaja Nachle, New Song, Sharmane Adams, Bob Shultz Big Band, The Temptations, TRUTH, Veggie Tales, Ayiesha Woods and various local artists and ensembles.

The headliner of the evening was Art Sherrod Jr. Art is an incredible saxophonist. His music is the kind of sultry, sexy sound that makes us women swoon. He is a native of Texas and now lives in the Baltimore area. He has co-headlined shows with Natalie Cole, Angie Stone, Will Downing, Marion Meadows, Norman Connors, Najee and Roy Ayres. He's even played at the White House. His first CD "All 4 Love" was a huge success and his new CD "Seasons" is currently available for purchase or download at his web site.

The festival ends tonight at 6:30 with a Jazz Jam Session at the Gulf City Lodge at 601 State Street. Admission is $7.00 to the general public or free to any musicians who want to participate. This is your last chance to get in on this event until next year so plan to be there.

By the way, the "Fest" has a different poster every year and they're all fabulous. The artist behind this year's poster is Brian Brown a tattooist and artist. I believe they were selling copies at the performance last night but I forgot to check on the price. I've checked the website to see if there was a way to order one on-line but didn't see anything. You can probably contact the hosts through the site if your interested in making a purchase.

So, now that you know that Mobile has a Jazz Festival put the link for it in your favorites and mark your calender so that you don't miss a single moment next year.

Dauphin Street Police Museum

The Dauphin Street Police Museum is in the lobby of a working police precinct and is located at 320 Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile (across the street from Cathedral Square). It's open 24 hours 7 days a week and admission is free.

The museum contains the sort of items you would expect to find in a law enforcement exhibit. There are display cases filled with guns that include rifles that look like they could have been used in gangster movies or old westerns. There are also old radios, radar guns, badges and police handbooks. One of the oldest pieces on display is a civil war prisoner log which I thought was eye catching mainly because of the beautiful script writing that the entries were written in.

My sons thought the martial arts weapons and explosives were "cool" but overall were bored with the static nature of the museum. They wanted something more interactive. On the other hand, my three year old grandson had a great time looking at the mannequins dressed in old uniforms and playing in the mock jail cell. His mother was only a little embarrassed when he pointed to the display of seized drug paraphernalia and shouted "look at the toys".

The items I found interesting were little things that seemed to be tucked into the cases almost as an after thought. There's an old whiskey still that could have been the seed for a exhibit on prohibition or moonshiners. I saw a homemade zip gun but there's no explanation of what a zip gun is. There are several weapons made by prisoners in jail. I thought they should have been displayed with a piece about violence in jails or the dangers faced by personnel who worked in the city jail.

Several of the old newspaper clippings should be developed into complete exhibits of their own. They include stories about people like William Powell and Walter Jackson who were the first black officers hired by the city of Mobile and Policewoman Ethel Eubanks who had a run in with a male motorist in 1943. I would have liked to learn more about what it was like for minorities who struggled to pave the way in this career.

I was surprised to learn that Patricia Krenwinkle, of the Charles Manson family, was arrested in Mobile after the Tate murders. The museum has created a photo montage on one wall to commemorate what they refer to as "Mobile's Most Famous Arrest" but there's not a lot of information to go with it. If you take a minute you can read the newpaper articles that are part of the mural but I thought a video display with old news footage would have made it more interesting.

All in all the museum was more interesting than my family expected. And really, the city is lucky to have a museum that pays homage to it's police force. Yes, there is room for improvement and it certainly is lacking the wow factor that our entertainment driven society looks for today. The fact is that any money spent on making the museum more flashy would probably have to come out of the police department's budget which means less money for real needs like fighting crime. So if you find yourself downtown take a little time and tour the museum. It's a good way to pay respect to our law enforcement officers and learn a little about their history.

To read another review of the Police Museum please visit Jere Hough's blog at http://blog.al.com/jere-hough/2009/05/a_history_of_law_enforcement.html#more

Dauphin Island Beach

When my family decided to move to the Gulf Coast a few years ago, one of the factors that influenced our decision was the fact that we would be living closer to the beach. No more waiting for vacations to roll around! We could bury our toes in the sand any time we wanted to. We promised ourselves we would hit the surf every weekend. We lied. We went a couple of times and then we just stopped going altogether. The fact is we're just too lazy for the beach. It requires packing lunches and putting on sunscreen and dragging the cooler out of storage. Ice has to be purchased and beach towels have to be located. We are not an organized bunch.

Last weekend we attempted to revive our love affair with the beach. The whole family packed up and headed for Dauphin Island's public beach. Dauphin Island is a barrier island located in the mouth of Mobile Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. The island offers a great many attractions but this week I'm concentrating solely on the public beach. The first thing you should probably know is that parking is free but its limited. We arrived late in the afternoon, as some of the early birds were leaving, so we found an empty space pretty quickly. On holidays, like the Fourth of July, you must arrive early to find parking. DO NOT park in any No Parking or handicap spots! Law enforcement will come by and give you a $50 parking ticket.

Adjacent to the parking lot are the outdoor showers, restrooms, playground and picnic tables. The picnic tables are covered so they provide a little shade while you enjoy your lunch. There are no permanent grills so many people bring there own. This entire area is more utilitarian than aesthetically pleasing but it is clean and well maintained. I don't advise walking barefoot through here. There are sharp rocks in the parking lot and stickers in the grassy areas.

As we climbed the short distance over the sand dunes along the boardwalk there were three large pavilions available for groups to use. All three pavilions were being used last weekend by large families who had brought along grills and assorted beach paraphernalia. I got the impression that they had been there all day. If you want to acquire one of these prize spots for your next family reunion I would advise you arrive early.


So, once we topped the dunes we could see the beautiful white sand beaches that the Gulf Coast is so well known for. The Gulf is about 100 yards away from where the sand starts. A hundred yards isn't far, unless you're toting coolers, umbrellas, beach chairs and toys through the hot sand. My advice is pack lightly. Better yet, use the service offered at the Dauphin Island Pier store on the pier. The pier is opened from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday and the store offers a variety of snacks, drinks, beach toys, T-shirts and sun screen. For $5.00 you can hire someone to carry your stuff down to the beach for you. After spending a day relaxing on the beach the last thing you want to do is lug all that heavy stuff back up to your car. Pay the $5.00 and let someone else do it for you. We packed a lunch of sandwiches and chips to keep costs down. If you don't want to picnic there are many small, informal restaurants close by.


The beach itself was wonderful. Although the heat index at home was 102 degrees it was much cooler and less humid on the water. The ocean itself was warm but not uncomfortably so. The waves were small, really just swells, so we were able to go swimming. I should note that there are no life guards on this beach so you swim at your own risk. Please check the beach forecast ahead of time, beware of rip currents when the warning is posted and keep a very close eye on your children.


On the east side of the pier there is a lagoon that is shallow during low tide so its very toddler friendly. There are no waves on the lagoon to knock small kids down. The water gets deep enough for jet skis and small boats but my three year old grandson had a great time playing in the shallow end. He was excited to discover that the few shells we found all had crabs in them and that there were schools of tiny fish in the water for him to swim with. He even loved chasing the sea gulls. My only complaint about this area is that most of the sand around the lagoon is an ugly shade of green and smells funky. That's because the area is under water during high tide.

My oldest son doesn't care much for the salt water so he dug himself a beach chair in the sand. It provided shade and made a great spot to nap and people watch. My youngest son spent his time in the ocean with his dad bobbing in the swells. My daughter and I enjoyed quietly floating in the lagoon on innertubes. Everyone found there own way to enjoy this terrific summer-time location. Dauphin Island beach is great no matter who you are. We saw people flying kites, fishing, swimming, playing football, digging in the sand, reading and sun bathing. Folks were grilling, dancing, playing cards and making music. Best of all it's free. You don't have to spend a dime to relax at Dauphin Island Beach. Go revive your love affair with the beach.