Baldwin County, Alabama

Baldwin County was created on December 21, 1809 by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature, almost ten years before Alabama became a state, and is named for U.S. Senator Abraham Baldwin [1]. At 1,596 square miles it is the largest county in Alabama. The seat is Bay Minette, the largest city is Fairhope, and the 2020 estimate was 231,767 residents.

History

Mississippian culture peoples left mounds at Bottle Creek, and the area passed among Spain, France and Britain before the United States. Fort Morgan, completed in 1834, was the site of a major Civil War battle at Mobile Bay in August 1864, and the Battle of Fort Blakeley took place in April 1865. Fairhope was founded in 1894, and Foley is named for John Burton Foley, who bought about 50,000 acres in 1901 [1].

Economy

The county was historically based on agriculture, the deerskin trade, cattle and timber products such as turpentine, potash and tar. In 2020 education and health care employed 19.3 percent of workers, manufacturing 14.0 percent and retail 13.6 percent. Other population centers include Daphne, Foley, Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort and Orange Beach [1].

Education and attractions

The Baldwin County Board of Education is the county’s largest employer, overseeing 45 campuses, and Coastal Alabama Community College has campuses in Bay Minette, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Foley and Robertsdale. Gulf State Park covers 6,150 acres, more than a million visitors a year come to the beaches, and the Shrimp Festival each October draws about 200,000. Other sites include Fort Morgan, Historic Blakeley State Park, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge [1]. See Gulf Coast of Alabama.

Formation and county seat

The Mississippi Territorial Legislature created Baldwin County on December 21, 1809, from present-day Washington County, naming it for U.S. Senator Abraham Baldwin. Daphne held the seat from 1868 to 1900, after which it moved to Bay Minette. At about 1,596 square miles it is the largest county in Alabama, with 231,767 residents in 2020.[2]

History

Mississippian peoples built the mounds preserved at Bottle Creek. Spain, France and Britain held the land before the United States, and the Battle of Mobile Bay took place near Fort Morgan in 1864 and the Battle of Fort Blakeley in 1865. Fairhope was founded in 1894 and Foley was named for a Chicago businessman who bought land there in 1901.[2]

Economy and tourism

Early on the economy relied on agriculture, deerskin trading, cattle and turpentine. Today educational services and health care employ 19.3 percent of workers, manufacturing 14.0 percent and retail 13.6 percent, and the county school board is the largest employer. More than a million visitors a year reach the beaches of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Perdido Beach, and the Shrimp Festival draws about 200,000. Gulf State Park covers 6,150 acres with two miles of beach, and Interstates 10 and 65 are the main highways.[2]

FAQs

How large is it? 1,596 square miles.

What is the seat? Bay Minette.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Baldwin County
2. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Baldwin County

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue