FOLEY – Step back in time and explore more than a century of history with Foley’s downtown historic district walking tours this April.

These guided tours provide a unique opportunity for residents and visitors to learn about the city’s storied past.

Foley is among more than 20 Alabama communities participating in this statewide initiative, with free tours scheduled for each Saturday in April. The walks will highlight significant historic locations dating back to the early 20th century.

Tours will begin at the Foley Welcome Center, located at the intersection of Alabama 59 and U.S. 98. The Welcome Center, which served as the Foley Public Library from 1927 to 1984, has a rich history of its own. It was expanded and remodeled in 1962 before later housing the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. In 2013, the building was repurposed as the city’s Welcome Center.

Participants will then visit the historic L&N Railroad Depot, built in 1909 to replace an earlier station lost to fire. Serving as a hub of commerce and travel for over six decades, the restored depot now operates as a museum showcasing Foley’s rail history.

Additional tour highlights include:

  • Centennial Plaza
  • Holk Building
  • Magnolia Hotel
  • Holmes Medical Museum – the site of Baldwin County’s first hospital
  • Foley Hotel Building
  • Foley Bakery Building – home to the newly opened Colt Grill
  • Other notable historic sites throughout downtown Foley

Tours begin at 10 a.m., last approximately one hour, and cover about five city blocks. Led by local community members, these walks provide a fascinating glimpse into Foley’s past.

The first tour on April 5 will be conducted by retired Baldwin County Probate Judge Tim Russell, who served as Foley’s mayor from 1996 to 2006, and his wife, Sandy Russell, a retired long-time teacher at Foley High School. Additional tours will take place on April 12, 19, and 26.

Organized by the Alabama Department of Tourism, these walking tours are part of a statewide effort—Alabama being the only state to conduct simultaneous historical tours across multiple cities.

For more information, please call 251-943-1200. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in Foley’s rich heritage!