Orange Beach, Alabama

Orange Beach is a resort city in Baldwin County on Perdido Key, the easternmost community on Alabama‘s Gulf Coast. It had 8,095 residents at the 2020 census (the Encyclopedia of Alabama gives 6,130) and an estimate of 8,534 in 2023. Settled in the 1860s, named for its orange groves and incorporated on August 1, 1984, it is a smaller, wealthier neighbour of Gulf Shores.[1][2]

History

The eastern end of the peninsula, Bear Point, was a Creek settlement until the early nineteenth century. Settlers arrived in the mid-1860s, and orange groves replaced forests in the late 1800s, giving the community its name. The first post office opened in 1901. Hard freezes, the last in 1926, ended the citrus industry. The Intracoastal Waterway was expanded around 1910 and completed in 1932. Modern services came late: the first paved road in 1947, electricity in 1948, telephones in 1956, a volunteer fire department in 1961 and public water in 1974. Hurricane Frederic seriously damaged the town in 1979, and it incorporated in 1984.[1][2]

Perdido Pass

Perdido Pass is the inlet connecting Perdido Bay to the Gulf. Residents under Herman Callaway began digging a shallow ditch across the dunes in 1906, and a hurricane on September 27 of that year widened it into the present pass. The state dredged it in 1953, 1955, 1959 and 1962 and built the Perdido Pass Bridge between 1959 and 1962; after hurricanes Flossy (1956) and Betsy (1965) jetties and a seawall followed. The pass was dredged 23 times between 1968 and 2012, and 290,000 cubic yards of sand were removed in 2019. The main channel is about nine feet deep, and strong tidal currents make swimming there dangerous.[3]

Economy

Retail trade (15.1 percent), professional and administrative services (12.5 percent) and hospitality (12.0 percent) were the largest sectors in 2020, and per capita income was $51,886. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster hurt tourism, and the city received $15 million in compensation in 2016. Columbia Southern University, a private online university, is based in Orange Beach.[1][2]

Attractions

The Wharf entertainment district features a 112-foot Ferris wheel. The Orange Beach Sportsplex has a 1,500-seat stadium and has hosted the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament since 2005. Bird Island Park, a wildlife sanctuary bought by the city in 2003, and three stops on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail serve nature visitors, and the Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum and the Coastal Arts Center (more than 150 artists) cover culture. A two-day art festival is held in March. Gulf State Park lies nearby.[1][2]

Education and climate

Orange Beach City Schools include Orange Beach Elementary (K-6) and Orange Beach Middle & High School, which opened in 2020; the district separated from the Baldwin County system in 2022. The climate resembles Pensacola’s: July highs of about 90°F, January lows near 43°F, 63 inches of rain a year and a sea temperature averaging about 74°F.[1][2]

Government and transport

Orange Beach has a mayor and five-member council. State Highways 180, 182 and 161 serve the city, and Jack Edwards Airport handles general aviation.[1][2]

FAQs

How did Orange Beach get its name? From the orange groves planted in the late 1800s.

When was Orange Beach incorporated? August 1, 1984.

What is Perdido Pass? The inlet linking Perdido Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, widened by a 1906 hurricane.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Orange Beach, Alabama
2. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Orange Beach
3. Orange Beach Alabama: Gateway to the Gulf: Perdido Pass, a brief history

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