Eastern Shore (Alabama)
Encyclopedia
Eastern Shore is a colloquial term referring to the geographic eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay
in southwest Alabama
. It extends from just north of Interstate 10
to the southeastern end of the bay near Weeks Bay. Since there is no official boundary set for the "Eastern Shore" its usage is subject to change. However, broadly speaking, the area is bounded by U.S. Highway 31
to the north, U.S. Highway 98
to the south, Alabama State Route 181
to the east and Mobile Bay
to the west.
, Daphne
and Fairhope
. Three smaller communities, Montrose
, Barnwell, and Point Clear
are also often included in the region.
area, the principal business along the Eastern Shore is retail. Large and expanding retail shopping centers mark both Daphne and Spanish Fort while Fairhope is home to numerous smaller specialty shops in its downtown business district.
Tourism is predominant in Point Clear because of a large classical-style hotel and the presence of a Championship golf course.
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
in southwest Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. It extends from just north of Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
to the southeastern end of the bay near Weeks Bay. Since there is no official boundary set for the "Eastern Shore" its usage is subject to change. However, broadly speaking, the area is bounded by U.S. Highway 31
U.S. Route 31
U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
to the north, U.S. Highway 98
U.S. Route 98
U.S. Route 98 is an east–west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida and Apalachicola, Florida, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi and eastward across the Florida...
to the south, Alabama State Route 181
Alabama State Route 181
State Route 181 is a long route in Baldwin County in the southwestern part of the state. The southern terminus of the route is at its junction with US-98 near Magnolia Springs...
to the east and Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
to the west.
Cities
The Eastern Shore is composed of three municipalities, Spanish FortSpanish Fort, Alabama
Spanish Fort is a suburb of Mobile, Alabama in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 5,423. It is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area....
, Daphne
Daphne, Alabama
Daphne is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The city is located along I-10, 11 miles east of Mobile and 150 miles southwest of the state capital of Montgomery. The United States Census 2000 lists the population of the city as 16,581 making...
and Fairhope
Fairhope, Alabama
Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, on a sloping plateau, along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2010 census lists the population of the city as 16,176....
. Three smaller communities, Montrose
Montrose, Alabama
Montrose is an unincorporated community in Baldwin County, Alabama, along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area. Montrose has two sites included on the National Register of Historic Places, the Henry Stuart House and the...
, Barnwell, and Point Clear
Point Clear, Alabama
Point Clear is an unincorporated census-designated place in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 1,876. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
are also often included in the region.
Commerce
While tourism is significant in the region, especially further south in the Gulf ShoresGulf Shores, Alabama
-External links:*...
area, the principal business along the Eastern Shore is retail. Large and expanding retail shopping centers mark both Daphne and Spanish Fort while Fairhope is home to numerous smaller specialty shops in its downtown business district.
Tourism is predominant in Point Clear because of a large classical-style hotel and the presence of a Championship golf course.