Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2020 Census lists the population of the city as 22,477. Fairhope is a principal city of the

Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolitan area Baldwin County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama, on the Gulf coast. It is one of only two counties in Alabama that border the Gulf of Mexico, along with Mobile County. As of the 2020 census, the populat ...

, which includes all of Baldwin County.

History

Fairhope was founded in November 1894 on the site of the former Alabama City as a

Georgist Georgism, also called in modern times Geoism, and known historically as the single tax movement, is an economic ideology holding that, although people should own the value they produce themselves, the economic rent derived from land—including ...

"Single-Tax" colony by the Fairhope Industrial Association, a group of 28 followers of economist Henry George who had incorporated earlier that year in Des Moines, Iowa. Their corporate constitution explained their purpose in founding a new colony: In forming their demonstration project, they pooled their funds to purchase land at "Stapleton's pasture" on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and then divided it into a number of long-term leaseholds. The corporation paid all governmental taxes from rents paid by the lessees, thus simulating a single-tax. The purpose of the single-tax colony was to eliminate disincentives for productive use of land and thereby retain the value of land for the community. "Fairhope Avenue" was one of the properties on the 1910 version of the board game '' The Landlord's Game'', a precursor of ''Monopoly''. In 1907, educator Marietta Johnson founded the School for Organic Education in Fairhope. The school was praised in

John Dewey John Dewey (; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the f ...

's influential 1915 book ''Schools of Tomorrow''. Dewey and Johnson were founding members of the Progressive Education Association. Fairhope became a popular wintering spot for artists and intellectuals. Sherwood Anderson, Clarence Darrow, Wharton Esherick, Carl Zigrosser, and Upton Sinclair were among its notable visitors. The Fairhope Single-Tax Corporation still operates, with 1,800 leaseholds covering more than in and around the current city of Fairhope. Despite the ideals of the corporation, the town has transitioned from utopian experiment to artists' and intellectuals' colony to boutique resort and affluent suburb of Mobile. White flight from nearby Mobile has caused the population of Baldwin County to almost triple since the 1940s, and particularly since desegregation, contributing to the mostly-White demographics of Daphne, Fairhope, and Spanish Fort. In 2019 the New York Times termed Fairhope to be "A Southern Town That’s Been Holding On to Its Charm, for More Than a Century".

Geography

Fairhope is located on the shore of Mobile Bay. It is located south of Daphne and south of Spanish Fort.

U.S. Route 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...

(Greeno Road) runs north–south through the city. It lies on a sloping plateau. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which 0.019 square mile (0.05 km²), or 0.16%, is water. Its elevation ranges from sea level at the bay to in the city center.

Climate

Fairhope has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

. It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average temperatures ranging from in the summer to during winter.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 22,477 people, 7,790 households, and 5,606 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 15,326 people, 6,732 households, and 4,395 families residing in the city. Its population density was . There were 7,659 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 6.2% Black, 0.7%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 2.8% of the population were Hispanic or

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 6,732 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84. 21.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $66,157, and the median income for a family was $93,549. Males had a median income of $60,591 versus $36,218 for females. The per capita income for the city was $35,086. About 5.0% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Fairhope is governed by a mayor and five-person city council which was last elected in 2016. The mayor serves as the full-time city executive, while council members serve part-time. Mayor: Sherry Sullivan.
Council members: * Jack Burrell * Corey Martin * Jimmy Conyers * Robert Brown * Kevin Boone

Development

Local and national real estate developers have built commercial facilities in the downtown area that are larger than have been historically allowed. Fairhope's building and

zoning ordinance Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...

s overlap with those of Baldwin County. Residents of the city want more control of construction projects near, but still outside the city limits, while residents outside the city limits want less city control of their property.

Education

Fairhope's public schools are part of the

Baldwin County Public Schools The Baldwin County Board of Education oversees most public schools in Baldwin County, Alabama, and is based in Bay Minette, Alabama. The Board serves the entire county. Over 30,000 students are within the supervision of the Board. 3,400 employe ...

system: * Fairhope High School (912)1,142 students, Principal Jon Cardwell. Fairhope High School is located in the southernmost part of Fairhope. It is estimated that 39% of the city of Fairhope's high school age students attend

Daphne High School Daphne High School is a secondary school located in Daphne, Alabama, United States. The school, which serves grades 9- 12, is a part of the Baldwin County Public Schools district. Students who attend the school live in the city of Daphne, its ...

that is north of Fairhope. * Fairhope Middle School (78)642 students, Principal Angie Hall * J.Larry Newton School (K6)731 students, Principal Patrice Krueger, (

Barnwell, Alabama Barnwell is an unincorporated community in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. It is located along US 98 in the southern part of the county. Some municipal services are provided by Fairhope. Barnwell is designated by the USGS as a populated ...

) * Fairhope Intermediate School (46)397 students, Principal * Fairhope Elementary School (K3)278 students, Principal Other schools in Fairhope include: *

The Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education Marietta Pierce Johnson (18641938) was an educational reformer and Georgist. Johnson was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and moved with her family to Fairhope, Alabama, in 1902. In 1907, she founded a progressive school called the School of Organ ...

continues to operate as a private school with approximately 20 students as of 2017. The school offers education to life groups that traditionally span 1st through 8th grades. * St. Michael Catholic High Schoolbeginning in 2016 with grades 910, adding a grade each year thereafter for a total enrollment between 360400 *

Bayshore Christian School Bayshore Christian School is a private Christian school in central Tampa, Florida, United States, providing education for children from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. The school was founded as a middle school in 1971 as a segregation academy when th ...

beginning in 2002 with Kindergarten, adding a grade each year thereafter, currently offering PreK-12th grade for a total enrollment between 440480 *

Faulkner State Community College Coastal Alabama Community College (also known as Coastal Alabama Community College – South) is a public community college with nine campuses in southern Alabama: Bay Minette, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Atmore, Brewton, Gilbertown, Jackson, ...

has a campus in Fairhope that provides

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

, undergraduate courses, non-credit and community service programs * The University of South Alabamahas a branch campus in Fairhope providing graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses in education, counseling, nursing and business alongside non-credit and community service programs

Notable people

* Maude Ballou, Civil Rights activist *

Pinky Bass Marion M. Bass, known as Pinky Bass or Pinky/MM Bass, is an American photographer, known for her work in pinhole photography. Bass, a resident of Fairhope, Alabama, has exhibited at a number of museums including the Asheville Art Museum, Birmin ...

, photographer *

Bob Baumhower Robert Glenn Baumhower (born August 4, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Alabama und ...

, football player and businessman *

Rick Bragg Rick Bragg (born July 26, 1959) is an American journalist and writer known for non-fiction books, especially those about his family in Alabama. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 recognizing his work at ''The New York Times''. Early life Bragg wa ...

, writer *

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...

, singer and songwriter * Grayson Capps, singer songwriter *

Eugenia S. Chapman Eugenia Sheldon Chapman (January 10, 1923 – September 30, 1994) was an American educator and politician. Early life and career Eugenia Sheldon was born in Fairhope, Alabama, on January 10, 1923. She earned a Bachelor of Education from Chic ...

, educator and Illinois state representative * Dave Edwards, musician *

Grant Enfinger Grant McArthur Enfinger (born January 22, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. Before moving up to the Truck S ...

, professional race car driver * Fannie Flagg, (Patricia Neal) author and actress *

Abbi Glines Abbi Glines (Abigail Glines) (born 16 April 1977) is an American New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling novelist. Her new-adult fiction titled ''Fallen Too Far'' was self-published on eBook and paperback in 2012. The rema ...

, writer *

Winston Groom Winston Francis Groom Jr. (March 23, 1943 – September 17, 2020) was an American novelist and non-fiction writer. He is best known for his novel '' Forrest Gump'' (1986), which became a cultural phenomenon after being adapted as a 1994 film of ...

, novelist (''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and ...

) *

Fred Nall Hollis Fred Nall Hollis is an American artist who uses the name "Nall". He owns a studio and gallery in Fairhope, Alabama. Early life and education Nall was born in Troy, Alabama, the son of Mary Winifred Nall Hollis and Joe Frost Hollis. His father, ...

(Nall), artist *

Marie Howland Marie Stevens Case Howland (1836 – September 18, 1921) was an American feminist writer of the nineteenth century, who was closely associated with the utopian socialist movements of her era. Marie Stevens had to leave school and support her y ...

, 19th Century utopian and journalist * Marietta Johnson, educator and reformer * David King, former NFL defensive back * Leon Lett, football player *

Dean Mosher Dean Mosher is an American artist, author, and historian from Fairhope, Alabama. He has paintings in permanent collections in several museums including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the United States Coast Guard Academy, United Sta ...

, artist, author, and historian * George M. Murray, bishop in the Episcopal Church *

Burton Ritchie Burton Ritchie is a convicted drug dealer and money launderer, currently serving 20 years in federal prison. Life and career Ritchie was born in Fairhope, Alabama. He became involved with politics in 1994 when he ran against sitting councilman Do ...

, entrepreneur * Janie Shores, Alabama Supreme Court justice * Eddie Stanky, Former Major League Baseball player and manager * Philip Rivers, Former NFL Quartberback * Dave Stapleton, former baseball player *

Thompson Square Thompson Square is an American country music duo composed of husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson, both of whom alternate as vocalists. They signed to Stoney Creek Records, a sister label of Broken Bow Records, in 2010. The duo has releas ...

, country music duo *

Bill Varney Harold William Varney (January 22, 1934 – April 2, 2011) was an American motion picture sound mixer. A two-time Academy Award winner, Varney shared the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for '' Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Bac ...

, film sound editor *

Bob Weltlich Bob Weltlich (born November 5, 1944) is an American former college basketball coach and author. Weltlich coached 22 seasons with a career record of 300–335. He was head coach at the University of South Alabama, Florida International University ...

, former college basketball coach *

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 1894 establishments in Alabama Cities in Alabama Cities in Baldwin County, Alabama Georgist communities Populated coastal places in Alabama Populated places established in 1894 Utopian communities in the United States