Baldwin County has been officially settled since 1809 and there is a lot of history in all of its towns. I’m partial to the Loxley and central Baldwin areas since I have lived here for the past 20 years, but every town has its fascinating stories; I enjoy reading about all of them. If we know what we came from, we know where we are going.

There are very few old hotels in the county that are still standing. One building in particular has caught my attention: the Old Loxley Hotel, which most people don’t know about. It is located on the corner of Baldwin and First Street. 

It was built around 1900 by John Marold and his wife, Ephrium. This building sat right on the stagecoach line before the railroad was built in 1906. After the trains were running from Bay Minette to Foley, the hotel became a place where weary travelers could stop and rest. Sometimes they would stay, and sometimes they would get back on the train to make the full trip to Foley. There are remnants of railroad still around but this old relic of a building speaks volumes when you hear the stories of what went on during that time.

I’ve talked with a few residents around town who can recall when the trains were running and how the potato and corn sheds were filled up along the way to Foley from the box cars delivering food.

The problem we have with some of these old structures is that they are forgotten. Residents and owners leave or die and history is forgotten. Old buildings sit for so long, they become dilapidated and unsightly. Residents see them as eye sores and unless someone saves such a structure from destruction, it is thrown down and the property used to build a newer building. But what have we lost in that building? Our history. Out of sight, out of mind, no one will ever be curious about what went on or the building’s significance. There aren’t that many buildings left from long ago. Thankfully many of them have been preserved, their history intact. They are testaments to the people of the past.

I’m happy to report that the Old Loxley Hotel has been made an official historical site by the Alabama Historical Commission. This building will be preserved for future generations.

With the popular interest of remodeling old homes on television shows, there has been a renewed interest in preserving the history of the older structures all over our nation. Preserving these structures gives us a link to our past. We learn from what happened in the past, which can help us enrich the lives of those who will come after us.

Contact Steimle at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com, www.stregthenyourhome.com or read her blog at www.valeriesteimle.blogspot.com.