St. Stephens

One of my favorite places is the relatively little known St. Stephens State Park, situated near the Tombigbee River and about an hour north of Mobile. It is literally in the middle of nowhere. You drive down a red dirt road a few miles, past tin roof houses and old cemeteries, and suddenly you come upon a 100-acre blue-green lake with a rusty crane in the middle. I am told that years ago the lake was a lime quarry until it flooded, creating a beautiful man-made lake. It is an oasis that few outside the area know about.



Masonic Lodge (1830) on the way to St. Stephens Park.

According to the park's website, the area of St. Stephens was first established as a Spanish fort in 1789 by Juan Vicente Folch, governor of Mobile. In 1803, the fort was taken over by American george Strother Gaines and functioned as a trading post between the Choctaws. Later, in 1817, St. Stephens served as Alabama's territorial capital for two years. At this time, the population increased astronomically, and the town saw its height of prominence. When the territorial capital was moved to Cahawba in 1819, the settlement began to dwindle. Due to the effects of the Civil War and a yellow fever epidemic, St. Stephens had virtually disappeared by 1833.



Lake with old crane.

Today, what is left of Old St. Stephens is enclosed in an historical park. It has all the usual park activities, like boating, camping, and fishing, but one unique and recently added feature is horseback riding! The park has several beautifully wooded trails perfect for exploring on horseback. You can also participate in digs with the Center for Archeological Studies of the University of South Alabama.



Native American bath carved from stone and fed by a spring.

For more information, visit the Old St. Stephens Park website, where you can browse a list of former residents, take a virtual tour of the cemetery, and view old excerpts from The Halcyon, St. Stephens weekly newspaper.



Advertisement from The Halcyon, 1819.