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The Ortmann Team

Donna Ortmann

(251) 604-7281
Lorrie Lister
(251) 751-8107

Mobile, Alabama

The Azalea City

Mobile is the oldest city in Alabama. The cotton industry is what made Mobile a major port before the civil war. With the 20th century came industrial growth and when the Ala. State Docks opened in the early 1900’s it changed Mobile’s waterfront forever. During World War II, Mobile was known for its ability to build a ship in about a 7 days. This was the beginning of major imports and exports coming through the Mobile port.

Mobile is the only deep-water port in Alabama and the 11th largest port in the U.S. There are many kinds of Industry in Mobile centered around the port. Mobile is the largest bulk forest products port in the United States. The largest quantity of imported coal in North America comes through the Mobile port as well. The railroad plays a huge role in the port being able to import and export large quantities of materials and goods.

There is plenty to do for those who enjoy the outdoors. Mobile offers 3 wonderful Golf Courses. We have the Magnolia Grove course, which was designed by the famous Robert Trent Jones, the Spring Hill Golf Course and the Gulf Pines Golf Course. If golfing is not what you are looking for then try rafting or canoeing down the Escatawpa River or maybe explore the rivers, creeks and bays of the Mobile Tensaw Delta. Mobile offers great fishing for Flounder, Red Fish, Speckled Trout, bass, bream and more!

The Mobile Gulf Coast also offers salt water fishing like bottom fishing for Grouper, Red Snapper and Scamp or trolling for big game fish like Marlin, Yellow and Black Fin Tuna, Mahi Mahi and more! Maybe you would prefer to ride on the Mobile River in an authentic sternwheel riverboat that also offers a dinner cruise, group tours and charters.

The Mobile Municipal Park is a perfect place for a picnic, to take the kids and feed the ducks or play on the playground. It is also a perfect place for Croquette, Horseshoes or even playing Frisbee. Mobile is a homeport for Carnival Cruise Lines too. There are plenty of places to have a few drinks, eat dinner and listen to live music. There are many different movie theatres, bowling alleys, shopping malls, antique stores and more.

The Alabama Delta Blues Festival is full of live Blues music amidst the gorgeous setting of the Mobile Bay. The causeway that runs across the bay has wonderful restaurants along it that offer some of the freshest seafood on the Gulf Coast allowing you to enjoy dinner while listening to various live blues acts.

The Festival of Flowers is a premier garden event for the Gulf Coast. Exhibits from our local floral and horticultural societies are just some of the highlights. Enjoy the beautiful array of plants, flowers, trees and more.
Bay Fest is a weekend to enjoy a lively mix of jazz, rock, blues, country and other musical styles This outdoor annual event attracts more than 200,000 music lovers.
The Azalea Trail Run is a Festival that brings top runners from around the world to compete in this world-class event. There are plenty of fun and activities for the whole family.
The Greater Gulf Fair comes every fall with exhibits, rides, games, contests and more!

The Greek Fest is a local family favorite with great food, dancing and heritage.
The BBQ Championship and Hog Wild Festival is a recent annual event, where teams come from across the southeast to compete for thousands of dollars in prizes. Event goers can indulge in the great BBQ while listening to live music and enjoying the arts and crafts vendors.
The Hurricane Brewery located in downtown Mobile still brews their own beer and has a wide variety of beer for all you beer lovers.

The Mobile Boat Show is the largest boat show on the Gulf Coast featuring hundreds of boats and marine accessories – inside, outside and in the water. Also featured are ski shows, fishing tips and educational seminars.

The annual “Camp Chili’ cook off is a day of fun with music, dancing, children’s activities, and serious chili cooking competition. Be a competitor or just come for the fun and good chili!

Christmas on the river is a sight to see! All the boats are decorated for the holiday and parade every year. Alabama's Official Tall Ship, the Joshua, will lead the festive decorated boats down Dog River in Mobile's oldest boat parade. The boats circle and pass Dog River Bridge as treats are thrown to the cheering crowd.

Mardi Gras rolls through the streets of downtown Mobile every year with spectacular floats. Each parade always has a theme. The masqueraders throw moon pies, candy, toys, trinkets, bead necklaces and more to thousands of parade goers. Wow, what a sight to see! Each organization throws down with a formal ball after the parade. Male guests come in tails and their dates in long ball gowns. There is plenty to eat and drink! Live music will play throughout the night offering a variety of music ranging from ball room dancing to rock n roll. Take your choice!

On St Patrick’s Day in downtown Mobile there is the famous Sons of Ireland Parade.
Mobile Botanical Gardens offers a rare blend of cultivated areas and nature trails for you to enjoy the beautiful native plants and flowers.
The Saenger Theatre features concerts, plays, comedians and more!

The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center is an exceptional science center for all ages. The exhibits and films provide entertainment for the adventurious mind. The Exploreum has an IMAX Theater, a 3-D virtual theater and a chemistry lab where visitors can participate in different experiments! There are six permanent attractions at the Exploreum along with different traveling exhibits throughout the year.

Mobile is home of the Senior Bowl and this event features the nations most outstanding college senior football players being coached by professional NFL coaches. This is a perfect place for a tailgate party. This annual football game between the North and the South is televised nationally.

The Mobile Bay Bears are Mobile’s hometown baseball team. Their games are played at The Hank Aaron Stadium and more than 240,000 attendees each year. Mobile is also the home town to several baseball legends like Hank Aaron and Satchel Paige. Mobile is also proud that Willie McCovey, Ozzie Smith and Billy Williams are from the Mobile area.

The Mobile Tennis Center is the nations largest public facility with 50 courts in one location.
Mobile also offers The Alabama Sports Festival at The Mitchell Center. this festival brings sporting events and entertainment to the city.

The University of South Alabama is the areas largest four-year institution. USA is building the first academic cancer research institution in the central Gulf coast region and has finished a research technology park on campus that works hand and hand with local businesses.
Spring Hill College offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, theology, liberal arts and education
Bishop State College offers associate degrees in arts and sciences, nursing and applied sciences. It also offers vocational training, certification and technical degrees.

Mobile offers a wide variety of Dining from American, BBQ, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, seafood, steaks, Mediterranean, Thai, as well as just down home country cooking. Here are some of our restaurants that the local enjoy: Cooper T’s, The Brick Pit, China Doll, Roussos Seafood, The Blue Gill, Ed’s Seafood Shack, The American Café, The Olive Garden, Gambino Brothers, Mikato Japanese Steak House, Ruth’s Chris, The Pillars, The Original Oyster House, Wintzell’s Oyster Bar, Outback Steak House, The Jerusalem Café, Bonefish Grill, Felix’s Fish House, Busaba’s Thai Cuisine Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Cracker Barrel, China Moon, Banana Docks Café, Macaroni Grill, Wings Sports Bar, Gambino Brothers Italian Restaurant, El Chico’s, Morrison’s Cafeteria, Neighbors Seafood and Chicken Restaurant, Hooters, TGI Friday’s, O’Charley’s, Butch Cassidy’s Café and Two Dollar Bill’s Kin-Folks Catfish Restaurant, Bojangles Bar and Eatery, Dew Drop Inn, Red Lobster, The Tiny Diny Restaurant, The Whistle Stop Restaurant.

Check out some of Mobiles finest southern hospitality in our historical Bed and Breakfasts. The Victorian Bed and Breakfast was built in 1899 and is decorated to reflect the era of days long past. The Azalea House is a colonial style home built in the early 1900’s. The Kate Shepard House is located in the historical district and was built in 1897 and is a Queen Anne, Victorian style home nestled among some of the most beautiful 100-year-old oak trees around.

The Mauvila Mansion is located in The Old Dauphin Way Historical District and is a restored Italianate home.
The Radisson Admiral Semmes is a top 10 historic hotel in the US and is located in the heart of the downtown historic and business district. The Battle House is also a luxury Hotel located in the heart of downtown Mobile and has been recently reopened by Marriott Hotels.
If you are looking for a motel then there is a wide variety to choose from like: Courtyard of Mobile, Days Inns and Suites, Drury Inn, Fairfield Inn, Family Inns of America, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Howard Johnson Inn, La Quinta, Marriott Hotel, Quality Inns and Suites, Ramada Plaza Hotel, Red Roof, Residence Inn and Super 8 Hotels.

The Mobile Regional Airport is a full service airport with flights going around the world. Catch a ride on the Amtrak train and go anywhere nationwide. Colonial Railways and Greyhound Bus Lines offer transportation across the US. We also have limo services, taxi’s shuttles and plenty of rental car offices like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National and Thrifty car rentals.

“The Hunley”was built in Mobile before the civil war. It was the first submarine ever built Do you remember the old saying “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”? Admiral Farragut was famous for this saying during The Batttle of Mobile Bay.
Admiral Raphael Semmes was a Confederate naval hero. There is a statue in his honor in Mobile. The USS Alabama destroyed more ships than any other naval vessel under Admiral Semmes command. Take a tour at The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. See the famous USS Alabama and walk the same decks and galleys our fore fathers walked and see the many exhibits and aircrafts flown during World War II.

In the movie “Under Siege” Mobile Bay is featured in the battle part of the movie with the fighting USS Alabama battleship.

The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion has mystery dinner along with the theatre.
Visit the Oakleigh Homes Complex, the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, the Conde-Charlotte Museum House or the Richards-DAR Museum House. All offer great history about Mobile, Alabama.
The Van Antwerp building was Mobile’s first skyscraper.

There is an old cemetery behind the main branch of the Mobile Public Library.There an oak tree grew from the grave of a man. Boyington was wrongly accused and executed for a crime. He told everyone before he died, there would be an oak tree grow form his grave to prove he was innocent Believe it or not there is an old oak growing from Boyingtons grave and there are stories form people who have heard strange noises coming from area where the tree is growing..

Over the years the students and coaches at Mobile Christian School have heard strange sounds coming from the gym and the football field. The sounds are of basketball games being played and football games being announced. But the strange thing is that there were no activities being played when these sounds were heard.
There is an old oak tree next to Library where crying and whispering has been heard over the years. Go see for your self! Can you hear these noises.

At Seaman's Bethel Chapel Theater there is a ghost of a small child who once played in the costume shop. She haunts the basement. There is also a ghost of a seaman who haunts the loft.

Fort Conde is a replica of the original 18th century French fort. It is located in downtown Mobile. There are tours that will take you back to the early days of Mobile.

The Gulf Coast Exploreum Center and IMAX Theatre is a hands on and family fun museum.

Mobile Carnival Museum is located in downtown Mobile. In 1703 the first Mardi Gras parade hit the streets of Mobile.. Come see the years of Mardi Gras history from floats, crowns and gowns and more!

The Mobile Art Museum offers 2000 years of art history and special exhibits form around the world.

North Mobile County

North Mobile includes Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Chickasaw, Axis, Calvert, Bucks and Mount Vernon

North Mobile is home to some of Mobiles Finest factories such as Alabama Power, Ipsco, Anvac, Akzo Nobel, Dupont, Lenzing Fibers, Syngenta, DuPont, Acordis, Atofina and Thyssen Krupp, the worlds largest steel manufacturing facility and scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Most of the towns in North Mobile County are quaint country towns where you will find still true southern hospitality. Check out the locals favorite places to have dinner such as The Dogg House, Pintoli’s Italian Café, The China King or maybe even Busters Roadhouse or the Waffle House.

Saraland, Satsuma, Axis, Creola and Chickasaw are all situated along the rivers, creeks, and Bayous where the fishing is great! Go for a swim or maybe even a boat ride down the many miles of rivers in the Delta. Wildlife is abundant in this 90,000-acre preserve. This area is a part of The Forever Wild program and will never be altered or developed.

There are plenty of local parks in which to enjoy a day with family. Chickasabogue Park is the perfect place to have a picnic in the shade while watching the kids swim in the creek. A lot of the parks offer leagues with girl’s softball, T Ball, baseball and football.

The Ellicott Stone is located off highway 43 near Barry Steam Plant. It is literally the founding cornerstone and boundary marker point that the earliest land grants were surveyed form.

Axis, Alabama is where the first permanent French colony on the coast began. The colony was located on what is now called Twenty-seven Mile Bluff.

SOUTH MOBILE COUNTY

Includes Theodore, Irvington, Grand Bay, Dauphin Island and Bayou La Batre Alabama

The seafood capital of Alabama is Bayou La Batre. The movie Forrest Gump made Bayou La Batre known to the world for its shrimping industry.

Dauphin Island is a barrier island located only 3 miles from the mainland and is a local favorite for swimming, fishing, boating, camping, scuba diving bird watching, shopping and more. There are charter boats available that will take you deep sea fishing. There are trips for half days, whole days and overnight fishing as well. The trip you decide on depends on whether you are fishing for big game, or bottom fishing or just fishing in the bay. There is an abundance of oysters, shrimp and crabs for those who would like to try for these delicacies.

The Blessing of the Fleet is an annual event in Bayou La Batre. Come spend the day enjoying the beautifully decorated fishing boats, eating fresh seafood, and enjoying live music while checking out the arts and craft booths or watching the Blessing of the Fleet boat parade.

Dauphin Island is nationally known as a bird watching location. The island is a bird sanctuary. The Shell Mounds are known as a hot spot for observing migrant birds. Dauphin Island is the first point of land encountered by migrant birds during their spring migration North across the Gulf of Mexico.
The Estuarium is Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s new Marine Educational Center and
Aquarium. Visitors will find a variety of natural wonders, plenty of friendly folks and lots of fun things to see and do. Dauphin Island has its very own Dauphin House Bed and Breakfast and plenty of other places to stay.

Dauphin Island hosts the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo every year. The island also has its very own Mardi Gras celebration, gorgeous parks to enjoy a picnic with the family or just relax after a day on the beach, a pier for fishing or maybe you would like to take a tour of The Little Red School house. You can also catch a ride on the ferry. It will take you across the bay to Baldwin County, which is the Eastern Shore where Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores and the Orange beach area are.

The Watermelon Festival is in Grand Bay. The festival is a lot like a local fair. There are games, rides, events exhibits and plenty of watermelon to enjoy! Grand Bay also has their very own Christmas parade.

Irvington offers its very own 18-hole golf course at The Silver King Golf Club.
Irvington Alabama is home of The Mobile International Speedway. This is where you will find a variety of round track racing including Late models, Modified, Super stock, Super late models, Bombers as well as drag racing. One of our very own hometown boys, Cale Gale, won the Lee Fields Memorial 100. Gale is a former MIS champion who now drives NASCAR Busch Series cars. He is also driving in the Craftsman Series Trucks

South Mobile County offers a variety of Dining for your pleasure like Bayley’s, The Lighthouse Restaurant, Plaza De Mexico, Captain Franks, Mary’s Place, Barnacle Bill’s, The Isle Dauphine Grill and Gilligan’s Island Restaurant, ACE Seafood, Ada’s, Bayside Seafood, Café Creation, Caption Jim’s Seafood, Caption Mack’s Seafood, and Carol’s Crispy Chicken.

Historic Fort Gaines is located on Dauphin Island at the entrance of Mobile Bay. It was one of the main Confederate forts guarding Mobile Bay and where Admiral Farragut said "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! He ran his fleet past the forts into Mobile Bay during the Civil War, which is now called The Battle of Mobile Bay.
The Shell Mounds on Dauphin Island have a clear circle surrounded by trees. This circle was the ceremony pit for the natives that are buried in this Indian Cemetery. On bright nights, they say that you can see the spirits of the female natives dancing to the sounds their instruments made.

Soldiers that died there haunt the Fort on Dauphin Island. Spooky figures have been reported to seen over most of the premises. People have claimed that a strange figure followed them out and then disappeared.

In the Bayou La Batre Jail Late at night, a toilet can be heard flushing and a figure has been seen leaving a cell, which is located in the middle of the jailhouse. The legend is that the cell was used as a drunk tank and in the 80’s the cops hung a man inside this cell.