Local History Museum

[Niner]

Went to check out the local history museum. Last time I went it was in a smaller building and it was at least thirty years ago. You know how it is. Attractions in your own city are for tourists. Right? We are often strangers in our own cities and towns because we only go beaten paths like grocery stores and hardware stores and doctors offices and favorite places to eat and other such. The present day museum is ten times better than the old one and makes first rate presentations.

Lots of interesting things in the History Museum of Mobile as it turns out. The regimental flag of the 21st Alabama which was a regiment that my great grandfather served in during the Civil War was one thing of interest to me. There were a number of artifacts from the CSS Alabama of Civil War fame as well as various things connected with Admiral Semmes who lived in Mobile and died across the bay in Baldwin county from eating some shrimp that should have been tossed out. One of the things related to Semmes was a presentation sword given him by the British Navy right after he lost a battle to the Kersarge that sunk his ship. The moto on the grip is Aide Toi Et Dieu T'Aidera, slightly shortened. The Alabama's moto. "Help yourself and God will help".

There is one of the Alabama's guns salvaged from the ocean off the coast of France. In doing so in recent times some mud that came with it contained some bone fragments of one of the crew who ended up buried many decades after death in Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile.