Fort Morgan Peninsula

Fort Morgan is an unincorporated community just west of Gulf Shores, Alabama. This area, as we have discussed in another blog post, has a long and rich history as home to Fort Morgan, which served as a defensive point for Mobile Bay starting in the early 19th century. Today, the quiet beaches along the Fort Morgan peninsula serve as a respite from the heavily tourist-filled areas of downtown Gulf Shores. Wildlife preserves and refuges, museums, golf courses, homes, and condominiums can all be found here, but much of the peninsula is protected and, therefore, undeveloped.

Gulf Shores is hugely popular as a vacation destination. For decades, the tourism industry has really kept Gulf Shores alive and, thanks to new developments and plans for major renovations under the Gulf Shores "Small Town, Big Beach" Vision 2025 for Sustainability, the town's popularity among potential new residents is growing. As the downtown area gets busier and busier, more people are recognizing the value of the Fort Morgan peninsula. This is a quiet area with a great deal of natural beauty and there is wildlife here that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Even so, there are options for those looking for a quick vacation here or a long-term home. The Beach Club is a popular destination for vacationers looking for a large resort where they can kick back and relax for a few days or even weeks. There are numerous golf courses all over Baldwin County and Fort Morgan is home to one of the most popular: the Peninsula Golf Club. With 27 holes spread out between Little Lagoon and Mobile Bay, Peninsula is one of the most popular golf courses in town.

People come to Coastal Alabama from all over the world for the chance to go fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Even in the winter months, the Gulf of Mexico is home to many different species of fish, from common redfish to large swordfish in the deeper waters. Fishing from the tip of Mobile Point, where the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay meets, is a common pastime for both long-time residents and new visitors. Spanish Mackerel and sheepshead fish, for instance, have both been caught just off of Fort Morgan. Even when the fish aren't biting, many find it relaxing just to hang out by the shore with friends and family and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

America's Gulf Coast is characterized by its white-sand beaches. These sands are famously soft, warm, and sugar-white, which provides a nice contrast to the deep emerald-green of the water. In fact, these sands are the product of many years of eroded quartz being delivered from the Appalachian Mountains via the Apalachicola River. This sand is very fine and holds heat well, so the beaches here are always warm and inviting. While the shores of a large portion of Fort Morgan are taken up by condominiums and private residences, there are a couple of public beach accesses with parking lots for those looking to drive on over for the day. There is also a public boat launch with a couple of slips, for those who decide to bring their boat to the area. Fort Morgan is a popular area for both residents and tourists, with over 600 acres of space to explore. There are nature trails, beaches, the golf course, historic Fort Morgan, and more. However, it is important to remember that this is a protected area that endangered wildlife calls home; as a result, there are rules that visitors must follow. Everyone is welcome to bring their dog, so long as that dog is leashed and properly cleaned up after. All visitors are encouraged to follow the nature trails and explore this beautiful area on their own, but for your safety and the safety of the natural wildlife, it's important not to wander into the marshes and complexes. Snakes such as water moccasins, eastern diamondbacks, and pygmy rattlers can all be found in this area and their bite can be very dangerous to anyone unlucky enough to stumble upon one.

Fort Morgan is home to the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, which works to protect endangered and native species in Coastal Alabama. Bon Secour is French for "safe harbor" and conservationists strive to make this area just that for wildlife that lives and nests here. One purpose of this refuge is to help protect the nests of sea turtles who have been laying eggs here for years. Loggerheads, green, and Kemp's Ridley sea turtles have all been documented in this area and conservationists work tirelessly to ensure the safety of the nests after eggs are lain and the safety of newly-hatched turtles finding their way to the Gulf. These nests are clearly marked to keep people away and regularly check up on. In addition to sea turtles, Fort Morgan is home to the Alabama beach mouse. This endangered species cannot be found anywhere else in the world. These mice make their homes in the dune systems (which are also protected) and only come out at night. For those looking to see wildlife, there are numerous nature trails in the area. You never know what you'll see out on the trails! There are foxes, coyotes, and even bobcats, but the big attraction here is the birds. Fort Morgan is an important stopping point for migratory birds. They stop here in the fall when they prepare to fly over the Gulf of Mexico and again in the spring when they fly back north. There are various species of sandpipers, warblers, finches, owls, cuckoos, and waterfowl that can be seen in Fort Morgan, just to name a few.

Fort Morgan has long played an important role in America's history. Today, this beautiful area serves as a protected wildlife refuge, a historic memorial to the actual Fort Morgan, a home to many, and an increasingly popular vacation destination. Although decades of development and construction once threatened the wildlife in this area, efforts are being made to preserve the land, history, and wildlife native to Fort Morgan. As Gulf Shores increases in popularity, both for vacationers and new residents, Fort Morgan continues to offer a peaceful area where visitors can get back to nature and enjoy a quiet atmosphere no to be equaled anywhere else on Alabama's Gulf Coast.

Looking for Fort Morgan real estate info?  Fort Morgan has several Gulf-front condos, condos on Mobile Bay, and condos on golf courses. Kiva Dunes and Peninsula sit 10 and 6 miles respectively from the intersection of Highway 59 and State Highway 180 - Fort Morgan Road.  While the Gulf Shores Golf Club sits at this intersection, it has several condos on the course including Fairway condos and Regency Club.  These Gulf Shores golf course condos sit near the clubhouse and very close to Fort Morgan Road, as well as Highway 59. Fort Morgan's Gulf-front condos include the Beach Club, Indies, Dunes, Gulf Shores Plantation and Fort Morgan Townhomes.  Fort Morgan condos on Mobile Bay, among others, include the Rookery I & II, Rookery III and Navy Cove. This area is full of great subdivisions, too. Some of the most popular include Peninsula homes, Kiva Dunes homes, Morgantown homes, and Bernard Court homes. These are only a handful of subdivisions in the Fort Morgan area. For more info, visit our Gulf Shores homes for sale page, which include all communities in Fort Morgan with helpful real estate info like details about recent sales and other information that we could not publish. Circa November of 2016, NAR rules changes allowed us to display SOLD info including the actual SOLD price and closed date. All of our sales pages have links to view SOLD info or easily create a personal SOLD search.