Fairhope, class of 2013, designated 2015, fairhopeal.gov
Located in Baldwin County along the eastern shore of the Mobile Bay, Fairhope was founded in November 1894 by a group of hardy souls seeking adventure as well as a “fair hope of success.” They chose the site of former Alabama City as a utopia single tax colony by the “Fairhope Industrial Association” with the mission to eliminate disincentives for productive use of land and thereby retain the value of land for the community and the town was ultimately incorporated in 1908.
Over the years artists, writers, craftsmen and vacationers found Fairhope to be an inspiring haven for their work and thus helped make the community what it is today. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Weeks Bay Nature Reserve offers elevated walkways through bogs and marshes, and the Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, part of the Marriot Hotels Autograph Collection of boutique hotels, gives visitors access to beaches on Mobile Bay as well as restaurants, a pool complex and a renovated and expanded historic hotel. The associated golf course, The Lakewood Club, is part of the acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. A continually and rapidly growing city of nearly 22,500, Fairhope had just over 16,000 residents when it began the ACE program. As it continues to expand, the community leads the way for others with active recycling programs, a state-of-the-art water treatment system, involved citizens and a Comprehensive Plan that seeks to maintain the city’s high quality of life through controlled growth and development.
Community Website, Facebook, Twitter327 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL | (251) 928-6387