This tree is part of a very interesting piece of folklore and putative Mobile History. In essence,…read morein 1835, a man (Charles Boyington) was charged, convicted and hanged for the murder of his best friend. On the gallows before the hanging, he proclaimed that an oak tree would grow from this heart as evidence of his innocence. A few years later, someone else confessed to the crime and surprising to most, a tree had already started growing. This is said tree...approximately 190 years old. BTW, Live Oak trees can live up to 500 years. I certainly hope it will.

The legend of this tree is definitely cool. Back in 1835, Charles Boyington was convicted of the…read moremurder of his friend, Nathaniel Frost. Throughout the trial and after his conviction and he sentence to be hanged, Boyington proclaimed his innocence. Just prior to his death, Boyington stated that his innocence would be proven when an oak tree would grow out of his heart and from his grave. Later, two people would confess to the crime, but unfortunately, it was too late for Boyington. An oak tree did indeed grow from the location of where he was buried and still stands today. There are claims that people hear crying and whispering near the tree and attribute it to the ghost of Charles Boyington seeking his vindication. I love these cool discoveries and ghost stories. If you are in Mobile, Alabama, I recommend seeking this tree out.

7/29/2022: Directions are wrong, Jackson's Oak in located within Village Point Park Preserve. Head…read morethere instead of the address listed on Harbor Bluff, that only takes you to a cul de sac within a gated community. The vegetation is too thick and dense to enter on Harbor Bluff unless you have a machete. The entrance in Village Point Park Preserve is more walkable with no hassles. Walk down the pedestrian only road in Village Point Park Preserve, within a quarter of a mile, there will be an unmarked trail on the right, the boardwalk may be slightly visible through the trees. a brisk, quick walk to this tree and bing, you are at the Jackson Oak. I don't understand why this tree has no historical marker, this tree was a between 300-500 years old. Great for kids, great for dogs, there are also various trails throughout the park. There is also an older cemetery in this park, a short walk away.

Jackson's Oak is such a cool piece of American History! The tree is said to stand 95 feet tall…read morewith a 28 foot circumference. It's a point of reference in the Spanish Land Grant of 1787. Of course, the name is derived because General Andrew Jackson is said to have given a speech to his troops from one of its limbs during the War of 1812 while en route to Pensacola. Pictures don't do this breathtaking old massive oak justice. You know it's dripping with tons of Spanish miss that flows in the bay breeze. I can't help but love that tree. To get to the tree, I suggest parking at Bay Front Park and taking the boardwalk to the left. At the end of the boardwalk, take an immediate left and walk the trail all the way around until you see the portapotty and picnic table. Keep walking. You're almost there. There's a little trail down from it off to the right and a sign on the left pointing to the Oak. Just walk a little farther and you'll see the tree, which is surrounded by a boardwalk. They prefer you not walk up to the tree. There's a bench or two to take a break from the walking and a little plaque telling about the tree and its history. It's a cool little nature walk and a great way to kill time.

The Jook is a cool little roadside attraction that celebrates Hattiesburg, Mississippi's…read morecontribution to rock & roll and the 1936 recordings featuring Blind Roosevelt Graves and the Mississippi Jook Band. This is a very cool place just off of the downtown Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. If you find yourself in Hattiesburg, go check this place out. We need to remember our past and each community must be proud of its accomplishments. This place is definitely cool.

This is a great public space with the amenities fitting of its name. If you have littles, then just…read moreknow it is an outstanding, safe play area that fosters inclusion and welcomes all. There are walking trails that go through the woods, an off-leash dog area, and multiple mixed-use sportsball/athletic fields. On hot days, the splash pad area is the place to be, making for a safe space for kids and families to cool off and enjoy the sun. The frisbee disc golf course is one of the real hooks to the park, nicely laid out and maintained, and providing differing levels of challenge. Public restrooms are all around, the playground and splash pad area have soft landing spots, and it is generally well lit and safe all through the park. There are even several canopy areas with tables, allowing for picnics or other gathering use and mostly just to get out of the Alabama sun. Get out and enjoy the greenspace, Mobile, it's a beautiful place.

This park is very popular and in a good area of town. This park includes a playground, restrooms, a…read moresplash pad, dog park, tennis courts, disc golf, amphitheater, baseball diamonds, soccer field, football field, paved walking paths, and unpaved walking trails in the woods. There is a small gymnasium for gymnastics in the MAWSS water tower. Parking is decent, but I have never visited on game days. ALOT of people walking and running. Park is open from dawn to dusk like all other parks in Mobile. The playground is the best of all the parks in my opinion. It is fairly busy, but not so much that would make you visit elsewhere.

Nice hiking trail within a housing development in Spanish Fort. The trail begins at a Cul deSac…read morethat is marked by a historical marker sign. The bridge is in diserepair and there are some burned ruins of a former structure, other then that, it was a good hike.

Neat little historical place in Fairhope. It is a little confusing because the directions will lead…read moreyou to a office park, it is located in the parking lot directly behind the offices. Originally, Tolstoy Park was 10 acres in the woods, and secluded. Henry Stuart, The Hermit Poet, moved to Fairhope, Alabama from Idaho because he was diagnosed with consumption (tuberculosis) when he was 65 during the 1920's. The doctor recommended he move to a warmer climate for his health, and Henry Stuart bought ten acres, sight unseen. Mr Stuart ended up living another 22 years before he moved back to Oregon at the age of 88 and passed away. His home is unique, it is round, hurricane proof, and particularly dug into the ground to help regulate temperature. Th Tolstoy House is on The National Register of Historic Places. It is a unique and peaceful place, great for kids, and unique.

Interesting little stop. Very unique structure with intriguing back story. Free stop in a parking…read morelot.

Mobile, Alabama Folklore. Apparently, there is a Leprechaun in the Tree at the end of a dead end…read moreroad on Le Cren Street in the Crichton Area. Legend says the leprechaun is there but disappears when you shine a light at him. I was skeptical of the leprechaun's presence, but I have walked by here several times while walking my dog, my dog always barks at this tree, so I know the Leprechaun is there, hiding. I am pretty sure the leprechaun is real, many Irish settled in the Mobile Area in the 1800's, so it is possible that they brought the Leprechaun with them.

The Visitor Center is in the old railroad station and has plenty of information about the area. The…read morelady working when I visited was friendly and helpful. And a public restroom that was clean and well stocked. The Ocean Springs Fresh Market is open every Saturday, rain or shine, this market is in the parking lot of the chamber of commerce for Ocean Springs with local vendors of fruits, vegetables, plants and friendly people. All of it seemed reasonably priced.

Your first stop in your tour of Ocean Springs to help guide your time in this sleepy and upscale…read morehistoric town. This shaded building once hailed as a train station; remains in that style as a architectural gem. In fact as I was taking a photo of the welcome sign...a long train whistled and rumbled by; the porch deliciously shook in response. Detected the building serves three purposes well 1) A separate retail art boutique called Realizations 2) The Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce 3) The (public) Ocean Springs Main Street- Tourism Bureau Inside are prolific but tasteful examples of local art. (Please see my photos and tips) Enter, and stop at the video kiosk for a full color brochure. Turn left for the water fountain and a public bathroom (resplendent w art). Or, you can turn right and enter the guidance portion of the visitor center. The high counter (see picture) reminded me of where days of old a ticket master's workstation would be. This small but functional room serves you and any little ones traveling with you well. Brochures line the left side of the room and interesting local art, some tall, fill the space. Center on the floor is a kids visitors table. (How cute and thoughtful) Sign in and ask questions about this interesting Main Street town. (Always sign in, it's a nice thing to do; as it helps the town gauge the flow of traffic to plan outreach for next year) For the Record: This town is a good non beach day kinda place to visit.

The city is full of these quaint well manicured green spaces. We were shopping on Dauphin and…read morenoticed the beautiful church across from this space. There were benches to take a break, eat lunch or just enjoy the shade of the beautiful oak trees on a warm summer day. There was a kid splashing around in the fountains so, it seemed that you were allowed to cool off in them. A nice little oasis among the shops, restaurants and downtown area that you can tell the city takes pride in from the beautiful flowers and well kept grassy area. I wish more cities would have such nice spaces to sit and relax like this city does.

We walked through Cathedral Square on our way to check out the Cathedral of the Immaculate…read moreConception. Cathedral Square is a municipal park - It is bordered by the streets of North Claiborne, Dauphin, North Jackson, and Conti. A little history, This space, at one time, was Campo Santo - which was Mobile's Catholic cemetery (18th Century). The area that is now Cathedral Square quickly became a commercial block filled with buildings after the relocation of the cemetery. The buildings were then demolished in 1979 to create a public park facing the Cathedral. The current park and layout have been here for some time now. There were a few people here, as it was starting to warm up quite a bit and it didn't take too long to get pretty hot (really humid). But if you are going to check out the Cathedral - then this is a nice little green space to see it from and get some pretty cool pictures of the Cathedral.

The Biloxi Lighthouse is a small lighthouse that was built in 1848. I am sure that in its time…read morehere, it was a part of the beach but in the over century (closet to two centuries) since it was built, progress put a highway around it and now it is located on the island of a highway. Truly an amazing part of the history of Biloxi, Mississippi and it is amazing think of how Biloxi, Mississippi looked back then. If you are in the area, I would definitely recommend a visit here.

You pay for tickets at the visitor center which we barely made the time. It's only one hour I think…read more9-10 am. Not sure if it's daily. A lady walked us over there. We were told we couldn't go all the way to the top. Supposedly the wooden platform has soft spots so we spent money just to go inside by the door , see how high the water got during Katrina, look at a photo of the damage caused by Katrina, and that's about it. Was it worth it? You be the judge