Meaher State Park

Meaher State Park is a publicly owned recreation area located on Big Island,[1] an island at the north end of Mobile Bay that lies within the city limits of Spanish Fort, Alabama. The state park occupies 1,327 acres (537 ha) along the shoreline of Ducker Bay,[2] at the junction of Mobile Bay and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta.[3] It is surrounded by wetlands of the Mobile Bay estuary. The park is accessed from Battleship Parkway, known locally as the "Causeway," and is managed by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.[4]

Meaher State Park
Wetlands at Meaher State Park
Location in Alabama
Meaher State Park (the United States)
LocationSpanish Fort, Baldwin, Alabama, United States
Coordinates30°40′11.028″N 87°56′9.744″W
Area1,327 acres (5.37 km2)
Elevation3 ft (0.91 m)[1]
Established1989
OperatorAlabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
WebsiteMeaher State Park

History

The park opened in 1989. The land was donated to the state for public recreational use by Augustine Meaher, for whom the park is named.[3] Augustine Meaher was a descendant of Timothy Meaher, who illegally smuggled 109 West African slaves into Mobile Bay on the schooner Clotilda in 1860. He was charged with smuggling but was not convicted.[5]

Awards

In September 2020, Meaher State Park was one of eleven Alabama State Parks awarded Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award, which recognizes businesses and attractions that earn consistently high user reviews.[6]

Activities and amenities

The park features an interpretive boardwalk through the wetlands, picnic area, boat ramp, fishing pier, two cabins, and a camping area with 56 individual campsites.[4]

References
  1. "Big Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Ducker Bay". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. Ress, Thomas V. (December 18, 2012). "Meaher State Park". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Alabama Humanities Foundation. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. "Meaher State Park". Alabama State Parks. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  5. Reeves, Jay (February 8, 2019). "Descendants from last US slave ship gathering in Alabama". AP News. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  6. "TRIP ADVISOR AWARDS 2020". Official Web site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
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