​Semmes A Great Place to Live!
Beginning as a small rural community with families homesteading as early as 1839, Semmes continues to grow. The City of Semmes was established May 2, 2011 and is a unique and wonderful family orientated friendly place to live with a variety of amenities, services and great schools. It is has become a bed and breakfast city and still maintains its small town rural flavor even though it is taking on a more metropolitan atmosphere.
Semmes unique location makes it the Regional Center of Western Mobile County which is growing at a fast pace. The Semmes Mobile County Regional Public Library in 2016 recorded 73,299 patron visits. ALDOT recorded in 2016 and indicated that 31,798 vehicles crossed Schillinger at Moffett Road every day,(four lanes are being completed which connect to I-10 and new US98) and according to a survey in 2017 by Alabama Power there are 48,006 people living within a five mile radius of the intersection of Moffett Road and Schillinger Road near the heart of Semmes.
​ MAY 2019 IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SEMMES SCHOOL, INC., AKA SEMMES HERITAGE PARK.
Looking back lest we forget the beginnings!
​May 1994 A group of volunteers, citizens, students and former students rallied together with the goal of preserving Semmes 1902 one room school.
July 18, 1994 The group was incorporated as Alumni & Friends of Semmes School, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
August 25, 1994 The one room Semmes school was declared an Alabama Historical Landmark.
1998 The school was returned to its original site.
1999-Restoration Completed – A replica of Mt. Pleasant Church was built on its original site beside the school.
May 5, 2001- Dedication of the Park - May Day Celebration.
2003 President Calvin Tanner appointed Jeanette Byrd Events Chair.
May 2003 First Annual Heritage Day-: open house, old fashioned children’s games, and square dance demonstration by special group called Square Deal Square Dancers and Music - the Deep South Dulcimers. Food-Served Wash Pot Soup and Fried Corn Bread.
September 2004 –Student Field Trips began. First student field trips were second grade classes from E. R Dickerson Elementary School and the University of Mobile History of Education class.
December- 2012-Old Fashioned Christmas Began- Carolyn Owens has served as chair since 2014.
May 2013- Purchase of the Log cabin for teaching purposes and historical displays.
2018 Heritage Day- Students from MGM Robotics Team and Electric Car teams were added as exhibitors. One of our goals is to not only remember the past, but look to the future.
Imogene Waltman Phelps and Alfred Henry Phelps in Mobile in the 1940's.
Pictures were often taken of people shopping in Mobile. Photo furnished by Sarah Phelps Wilson.
Sarah is a descendent of the pioneer families of Semmes. According to the BLM land Records, Willis Waltman was issued a homestead patent for 80.24 acres 7/2/1904. Sarah Whiting and James H. Allen were issued a homestead patent for 161.19 acres in 1879.
Sarah’s mother and father were Alice Imogene Waltman Phelps and Alfred Henry Phelps.
Sarah’s father was a Merchant Marine and later he became a farmer. Even when he was in the Merchant Marines he had an interest in growing things. In his travel, he collected different varieties of pecan trees which he brought home to Semmes. The Pecan is native to south-central North America with different varieties growing in different regions. Calvin Tanner was living on the Phelps property while Alfred was in the Merchant Marines, and would plant the trees for Alfred.
The main crop that he grew was chickens for their egg production. He became the supplier of fresh eggs for ships docked in Mobile. He had two chicken houses that were lined with shelves of nests for the chickens to lay their eggs. He would gather the eggs and candle them before taking them to the market. Candling is a process where a candle was placed behind the egg to be able to see in the shell to see if the egg was fertile and should be kept for hatching baby chicks. Fertile eggs were not sold but saved to produce more chickens. Eggs were placed in card board boxes for delivery to the state docks.
People in Mobile would come out to purchase eggs and other fresh farm products.
Photos "Semmes Scrapbook of Memories"