"Do not keep silent when your own ideas and values are being attacked. If a dictatorship ever comes to this country, it will be by the fault of those who keep silent. We are still free enough to speak. Do we have time? No one can tell." ~ Ayn Rand

History of Magnolia Springs

The beautiful town of Magnolia Springs developed from a Spanish land grant around 1800 and, by the end of the Civil War, rapidly became a primary destination for the families and descendants of many of the soldiers who had fought on both sides of the war.   Families from Michigan, Chicago, and Pennsylvania and other points north built homes, inns, and businesses along the river’s edge.  The Town prospered from the local agriculture and timber business.  The local bridge brought traffic from the north and south to cross the River at Magnolia Springs.  Two hotels sprung up along the banks, and a landing was built on the River as well. 

At the turn of the century, the water from the many natural springs along both sides of the river was declared “the purest in the world” by several chemical companies in Chicago. The community’s name comes from the springs and the abundance of aged magnolia trees that grace the community.. A majestic canopy of giant oak trees lines some of the town’s streets.   Magnolia Springs is resplendent with azalea, wisteria, dogwood, camellia and magnolia blossoms every spring. 

Today the Magnolia River remains the only river route mail delivery in the continental United States. If your address is River Rte, Magnolia Springs, then you have a house on the River with a mailbox on the dock! Boathouses grace both shores as the Magnolia River meanders to Weeks Bay and then on to Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.  In decades past, the river was the “highway” for all commerce and communication, with steamers, sailboats and paddle wheelers connecting the river’s residents with the outside world.

For over one hundred years, the Springs has maintained a Community Association, housed in the historic Association Building, adjacent to St. Paul’s Episcopal Chapel, also more than 100 years of age. At the Association, community members meet once a month to share food, fun, facts, and camaraderie — keeping everyone abreast of the community news, events, and local gossip.

Despite the delightful and unassuming “small town” ambience of Magnolia Springs, the additional advantages of metropolitan living are only minutes away — both Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, lie less than an hour’s drive from the quiet, tree-lined byways of the Springs. The narrow lanes and shaded streets, lined with gracious homes and well-tended gardens, present an appealing presentation of life at a slightly more relaxed pace.

The Town was officially incorporated in 2006.   This change was ushered in by an attempt to retain the small town charm and limit growth (see lawsuits).  Unfortunately the growth of government and regulations has also begun to change the character of the town.  The old swimming hole is gone replaced by a fence, a walkway, and an "arboretum".  The rope swing and the tree from which is was hung were removed.  A tiered bank and fence were added to keep people out of the water.  All of this under the guise of reducing liability.

 New regulations are added monthly which take away from that small town feel and have added restrictions to most aspects of the small town life.    This website is built in part to combat the never-ending growth and overreach of government, evident now even in the smallest of communities like this one.  The website is also a source of information about a highly non-transparent government run by a small number of people.  The hope is to reconnect to the friendly small town atmosphere so often evident by residents who still walk the streets with pets, friends, and family. 

See the following pages for items of interest to both residents and visitors alike.  Stop back frequently for updates and new and exciting topics for discussion.

The Former Moore Brother's Store (now Jesse's Restaurant)

The Moore Brothers ran a gas station and general store for many years on the corner of Oak St and The Magnolia Springs Highway (highway 49).  Moore's was a center of town activity for many years, and a favorite place to get a newspaper and a candy bar for young and old.

The "new" Moore Bros Village Market

The former Moore Brother's store was renovated in 1998-1999 into the Moore Brothers Village Market and Jesse's Restaurant.   The market was eventually closed in favor of the more lucrative restaurant.   Jesse's Restaurant and the the Cold Hole Bar  now occupy this space.