| Fairhope | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Nickname(s): Alabama's Seaside Paradise | |
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Fairhope
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Baldwin |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Mayor | Tim Kant |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11 sq mi (28.5 km2) |
| • Land | 11 sq mi (28.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 122 ft (37 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 16,200~ |
| • Density | 1,134.5/sq mi (438/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 36532-36533 |
| Area code(s) | 251 |
| FIPS code | 01-25240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0118120 |
| Website | http://www.cofairhope.com/ |
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.[1] Fairhope is a principal city of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area, which includes all of Baldwin County.
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Fairhope is located at 30°31'35.018" North, 87°53'44.473" West (30.526394, -87.895687).[2] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.5 km2), all of which is land. Its elevation is 122 feet (37 m).[3]
Fairhope was founded in November, 1894 on the site of former Alabama City as a utopian 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.[4] 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.[6]
"Fairhope Avenue" was one of the properties on the 1910 version of the board game "The Landlord's Game".[7]
In 1907 educator Marietta Johnson founded the School for Organic Education in Fairhope. The school was praised in John Dewey'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, 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 4,000 acres (16 km2) in and around the current city of Fairhope. Despite the ideals of the corporation, the town has transitioned from utopian experiment to artist's and intellectual's colony to boutique resort and affluent suburb of Mobile.[5]
For over 50 years, fishermen and residents of Fairhope have experienced the "jubilee" phenomenon. During a jubilee along the shores of Mobile Bay, some aquatic animals, including blue crabs, flounder, stingrays, and eels, come to the shallow water. At those times, it is possible to catch the fish, crabs, and other sea life near the water's edge.
A nearby attraction known as the Weeks Bay Nature Reserve is known for the many oaks, wildlife and pitcher plants along the elevated walkways through the swamp forest.
The Bell Building on the Faulkner State Community College campus houses the The Marietta Johnson Museum.[8] The Fairhope Museum of History is located downtown.
In March 2011, Fairhope City Council unanimously enacted a city-wide ban against texting while driving. The offense is punishable by a fine of $100.00.[9]
Fairhope is governed by a Mayor and five person city council. The mayor serves as the full time city executive while council members serve part time.
Mayor: Tim Kant
Councilmembers:
The current Council's relationship with Mayor Kant has been contentious over the past 3 years. The Council has offered pretextual reasons for lowering his salary,[10] but many residents believe this move is yet another sucker-punch in this embarrassing battle of egos. The power struggle between the Council and Mayor has been very public.[11]
Local and national real estate developers have built commercial facilities in the downtown area that are larger than have been historically allowed.[12]
In July, 2007, Wal-Mart opened a store just beyond the city limits. Plans to build a store within the city limits were protested by residents seeking to protect Fairhope's small town image. The new store employs 400 people, 350 of whom are from Fairhope.[13]
Fairhope's building and zoning ordinances 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.[14]
Fairhope has a humid subtropical climate. It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from 90°F (31.7 C) in the summer to 59°F (15 C) high during winter.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high °F (°C) |
59 (15) | 63 (17) | 70 (21) | 77 (26) | 83 (28) | 89 (32) | 90 (32) | 89 (32) | 87 (30) | 79 (27) | 70 (21) | 62 (17) | 76.4 (24.6) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
39 (4) |
41 (5) | 49 (9) | 56 (13) | 63 (17) | 70 (21) | 72 (22) | 72 (22) | 68 (20) | 56 (13) | 49 (9) | 42 (5) | 56.3 (13.5) |
| Average rainfall: inches/mm | 5 / 127 |
6.1 155 |
6.1 155 |
4.1 104 |
5.4 137 |
6.6 168 |
7.3 185 |
6.7 170 |
5.7 145 |
3.2 81 |
4.2 107 |
4.9 124 |
65.1 / 1654 |
Source: [2]
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 12,480 people, 5,345 households, and 3,575 families residing in the city. Its population density was 1,135.1 per square mile (438.3 /km2). There were 6,000 housing units at an average density of 545.7 per square mile (210.7 /km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.22% White, 7.79% Black, 0.20% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,345 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.83.
21.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $42,913, and the median income for a family was $56,976. Males had a median income of $41,692 versus $27,959 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,237. About 4.9% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Fairhope's public schools are part of the Baldwin County Public Schools system.
Other schools in Fairhope include:
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