Photo courtesy William E. Wilson Collection, Historic Mobile Preservation Society
The below photograph, taken in the early 1900s, shows Long’s Restaurant in Bayou La Batre. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Bayou La Batre was known as a resort town with medicinal spring water. The local hospitality and tourism industry thrived at the very beginning of the turn of the century as the town drew visitors, and the area restaurants were successful. In the photo, Long’s Restaurant sports wooden beams at its right side; these were used to fortify the building in case of strong winds or storms. Though most coastal areas prepare for hurricanes, the Bayou La Batre-Coden area had more reason to be vigilant around this time. In 1906, a major hurricane devastated the town. Winds lasted over 24 hours, killing more than 130 individuals and causing the end of the local hotel business in the following decade. Ten years later in 1916, another strong hurricane followed, causing even more damage. It is estimated that if Long’s Restaurant survived past 1906, it most likely did not survive 1916.
About the Photographer
William Ernest Wilson is synonymous with historic, turn-of-the-century photography in Mobile. Born in England, he was raised in Charleston and New York. He eventually moved to Savannah and was listed as a landscape photographer in city directories.
Wilson moved to the Port City with his wife and three children in 1894. It was there that he photographed the essence of life in Mobile, capturing street scenes, important events, and portraits of city leaders and iconic residents.
Wilson died in 1905 at Providence Infirmary around age 50. He is buried in Pine Crest Cemetery.
By the Numbers
1922
The year that Coden restaurant Mary’s Place opened. It was believed to be the oldest restaurant in Alabama operating in the same place (Highway 188 and Bellingrath Road), with the same name and the same type of food until it closed in 2011.
50 cents
The average price of a standard meal from a restaurant in the Mobile area in the early 1900s.
41
The number of years the Bay Shore Railroad ran between Prichard and Bayou La Batre. It allowed easy access for locals and tourists alike between 1899 and 1940 and was popular when the town was at its peak.
1953
The year the United States began naming storms. This was to reduce confusion between multiple storms occurring at once. Only female names were used at first. In 1978, male names were also used.
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